Thoughts on Luke 10: The Good Samaritan and Martha

I think it is not insignificant that the account in Luke 10 of the exchange between Martha and the Savior in regard to Mary’s not helping her prepare the meal is found immediately following the parable of the Good Samaritan.

38 ¶ Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
(New Testament Luke 10:38 - 42)

**Mary was living the first and greatest commandment: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind...." (Luke 10:27) Martha was living, in part, the second: "...and thy neighbor as thyself" as she was trying to prepare a special meal for the Savior and those who accompanied Him. And inasmuch as it was the Savior she was trying to serve, she, too, was living the first.

**Martha did not receive Jesus’ very gentle rebuke until she had complained against Mary. (Luke 10:38 - 42)

**Sometimes the "neighbors" who most need our ‘compassion’ and the ‘binding up’ of their wounds, and to be carried and cared for, are the ones found in our own households. (Luke 10:33-34) Martha needed to "shew mercy on [Mary]" (v.37). She needed to "go and do thou likewise."

**Certainly the priest and the Levite were "careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and [the Good Samaritan] hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from [him]." (Luke 10:31-32, 41-42)

**I’m sure Martha would have rather been sitting at the Savior’s feet also, but seeing her guests and knowing they would need nourishment, felt it her duty to provide. In doing so, however, she failed to trust in that God who fed the multitudes.

**How often am I anxiously engaged in good causes, or "cumbered about much serving", and am missing "that good part, which shall not be taken away from [me]?"v40,42