Heart and Hands as One

Karen Pourbabaee

“…a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what He was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, so she came to Him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42

Martha is thought of as a dear friend of Jesus, prominent figure in Bethany, and could be classified as a “busy servant.” 

Sounds good, right? 

But listen to Jesus, who commended Mary as choosing the better part, that of sitting at His feet and listening to His teachings. 

Of pursuing intimate connection with Him. 

God desires time with us. 

He wants our hearts more than our deeds. Perhaps Jesus said Mary chose the better part because it is foundational to the Christian life. Would you agree?

Mary’s life was lived in contemplation and prayer, whereas Martha’s life could be described as prayer lived out by acts of service. 

Contemplation and service equate to heart and hands. 

They must be intertwined to be effective in God’s kingdom. 

Our heart must direct our hands. 

We must nourish our hearts first in God’s love and truth. 

For our work to be fruitful, we must sit at the feet of Jesus.

 
After the busyness of the Christmas season, slow down. 

With the dawn of the New Year, sit before Him. 

Evaluate your spiritual balance between contemplation and service, And get it in the right order! 

You are important in His kingdom, so go forth this year with your heart and hands united as one.

 
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