What Can I Learn from the Characteristics of Martha in the Bible?
Estimated reading time: 12 minutes
Introduction to the Characteristics of Martha in the Bible
Martha in the Bible has been well known throughout history for being utterly distracted and focused on the wrong thing. While she must have had no intention of showing people what “NOT” to do, that was exactly what she did. However, the wonderful truth is txhat almost every Christian has been able to relate to her in some capacity. They can learn so much from the amazing revelation and redirection that Jesus gave her in such a loving way. Additionally, it is also important to recognize that while her focus was somewhat off, her desire to serve was not a bad thing. Martha actually had many characteristics in the Bible that were God-given, and they made her personality beautiful. She just needed Jesus to mature those qualities by directing her gaze back to His face and the simplicity of being with Him above all else.
Martha’s Story
Let’s look back at the story found in the gospel of Luke, chapter 10, verses 38-42: “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed–or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
The differences as well as the balance between Martha and Mary have been studied in detail. Jesus was a friend of Martha’s brother Lazarus, and He was traveling through Bethany. Martha’s house was a welcoming place for Him as well as His disciples. And there may have been many other guests who came to see Jesus while He was staying with her. Martha’s heart needed to fully grasp the importance of sitting at Jesus’ feet and letting this time motivate her actions. However, she possessed two very specific and admirable attributes. She was hospitable and servant minded.
Martha’s Giftings
While it is not clear in Scripture, it seems evident that Martha opened up her home to Jesus under no obligation but simply out of sheer desire to do so. He was a family friend, and she probably took great delight in welcoming Jesus as well as many others. I do not know all the details of the story or what her house might have looked like. Yet I am inspired by her willingness to open up her home. There are so many excuses I seem to have to not invite people into my home. And this closes off a large part of the way God would like to use our family as a light and comfort for others.
My biggest excuse many times is that my house is not clean enough. I have four kids ages 8 and under. And with two of them being boys, my house does not stay clean very often. I am ashamed to show anyone other than my family my home when it is not picked up. Another excuse I seem to have a lot is that I’m too tired to entertain. By the end of the day, I’m ready to simply watch my husband play with our kids while I sit lazily on the couch. There are so many other possible excuses I can have like not thinking my house is nice enough or not having enough food to share or not knowing if they would even want to come over.
The Practice of Hospitality
The story of Martha demonstrates a very practical way that we can build the kingdom of God, and that is to open our homes, our hearts, our lives to others. She may have been distracted and unreasonable at times, but she made the good choice of inviting people in no matter what it required of her. Being hospitable is just for people who have the nicest or biggest houses. It’s not just for those who seem to be cleaner than others or for those who can cook better than others. God calls all of us to practice hospitality because it is one of the clearest ways to reflect His character. He opened His heart to us while we were yet sinners. And as we have invited Him as well into our hearts as Christians, we can live out the same practice by keeping an inviting heart towards others.
The Practice of Serving
Martha did not just open her home, however, she served vigorously. While she focused too much on her to-do list, the good part of her mindset was that she aimed to make sure everyone felt comfortable and no one went hungry. She was a woman on a mission, and it was not a bad mission. In serving, we care for the needs of others above our own. We can help take care of the seemingly smaller details so that others can focus on the more important aspects of an event or a moment. In serving we take the low seat, and this in turn represents so much of what Christ did for us. He took the low seat as well in laying down His life for us so that He could seat us with Him in heavenly places.
The world does not value the heart of a servant like it should. Their actions many times go unnoticed and underappreciated. Most of their work is behind the scenes. Yet if they did not do these necessary things, then that is when the world would notice. As mothers, we do quite a bit of this. And many times, we lose sight of the purpose of it all. We do so very much that no one sees, but we have a heavenly Father Who sees it all. He knows how we serve in secret, and He values those who are willing to value others above themselves. Martha and the characteristics she demonstrated in serving and being hospitable in the Bible shows that she was willing to do whatever was needed so that her close friends could just be together.
Martha’s Lessons
While Martha’s story exemplified some good things, Jesus’s words reminded her of the most important thing. There were a few lessons that Martha needed to learn in order to mature in her faith.
Overwhelmed
The first is that we can become too consumed even by good things if we prioritize them ahead of God. Being hospitable is good! Serving is good! God created both of these things, and He calls us to practice both as well. But if we allow the responsibilities that come with opening our homes and serving to overwhelm us so much that it takes all of our mental and physical capacity, then it is likely we have placed these actions on a higher level than they should be. It does not mean that it should always be easy or that it will always be a joy. No, it will not always be fun to serve others. But it does not have to be all consuming for it is a by product of relationship.
Over the Top
Or perhaps we are not consumed by our acts of service, but rather we take too much pride in them. We need some credit to validate ourselves; so we try to go and do way too much in order to feel accomplished. We might find our core identity in the things we do to serve. And if we ever fall down on the job, we assume we are failing in our identity. We may assume that we hold the entire responsibility to make our lives meaningful or valuable. We may fail to recognize that true value is only ever given by Jesus Himself from the value that He already possesses. Nothing we ever do could enhance our personal value. However, the actions we take can have “eternal value” in the kingdom, if we live from a standpoint of knowing and believing we are already valuable in His sight.
Redirection
Jesus did not illustrate that Martha’s actions were bad but that intimacy with Him breeds the right “kind” of service. God will call us to all forms of service, but if our motivation to serve does not first come from sitting at Jesus’s feet, then most likely the things we do will have no eternal meaning. God extends His worth on us in relationship making us His pure and spotless bride. When we learn how to accept this love and value that He gives, then we will wisely bear great fruit in all the different ways He calls us to. We have been made accepted in the beloved by His blood that He shed for us. And we serve out of this acceptance, not for it.
The story of Mary, Martha’s sister, was a rather different story, for she had her eyes on the right thing. Sitting at the Jesus’ feet was all that she longed to do, for she understood the importance of intimate relationship. She delighted in hearing the good news from her Master, and poor Martha felt alone in her efforts. Jesus addressed her frustration with gentleness and reminded her that He alone was her good portion and He alone could satisfy.
What Happened Next?
After saying this, we do not know exactly what happened. And it is always a deep yearning of mine to know “the rest” of so many stories in the Bible. I wish I could know if she came and sat down next to Mary and said, “Teach me, Lord.” Or I wonder if she apologized, and still went about serving, but with a much better attitude. Did she reject His correction at first, but later reflect and accept His words deep down in her heart?
Martha’s Change
We do not know these answers. But I believe we see two things in John’s gospel that show us evidence that Martha’s faith had truly grown. In John 11: 23-27, it says, “Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha answered, ‘I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ she replied, ‘I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.'”
She Believed
Jesus was speaking to Martha about her brother Lazarus, who had died. She at first wasn’t quite sure what Jesus meant by saying that her brother would rise again. But then Jesus reminded her who He was…the resurrection and the life. And asked her to stand in faith knowing that those who believe would “live” even though they die. I believe He was asking Martha if she truly believed He could raise her brother back to life, and also if she believed so much in Him that her story would be forever changed by who He was. And she said, “Yes, Lord!” Martha of Bethany showed great faith as a true disciple of Jesus. And her faith coupled with the spiritual gifts God had given her were then used mightily for the kingdom.
She Served
Also right after this in Chapter 12, verse 2a in the gospel of John, it says, “Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served.” It does not say, she served frantically or pridefully. It does not say she served because she was distracted or because she needed to feel accomplished. The Bible simply says she served. Some people read this and automatically associate the story in Luke with this one. And they assume that she was back to her old ways or habits. Or they simply don’t recognize the importance of this verse because it precedes the beautiful description of how her sister Mary came and poured expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet.
Yet with thorough Bible study, we can recognize just how amazing this statement was for this amazing woman named Martha. The sister of Mary showed us what not to do, especially in contrast to Mary’s wise and loving actions. But God’s presence ministered to Martha as well, and I believe she served the second time with a grateful heart and as a response to the fact that Jesus had found a special place in her heart. She understood that God had always created her to serve. But she needed to embrace relationship first, so that she might serve as a daughter and no longer a servant.
Martha’s Legacy
Martha needed to learn from her sister and to recognize that knowing Jesus was the highest priority and privilege. We too can learn from those around us how to serve genuinely without being consumed or puffed up in pride. We can embrace all that Jesus longs to impart to us by sitting still at His feet and listening. Yet we can also know from Martha’s story that while God brings change through relationship, He may very well call us back to the same purpose we had been attempting on our own and allow us to experience the honor of serving in response to relationship. In the belief that we are His beloved, we can be still “and” serve in true sincerity.
About the Author
Celeste Claborn
Hi! I’m Celeste! I am a mother, a wife, and a writer! I have the joy of raising 5 kids, one of which is my husband, John. When we’re not writing, we enjoy the great outdoors, traveling or playing outside with the neighbors. I hope you find joy in my writing, as well as impactful articles that lead you closer to freedom and adventure in Jesus.
