Mary, Martha, and the One Thing That Matters Most

Hey, carpool crew. It's Pastor Justin. Whether you're riding to a game, grabbing donuts, or just hanging out at home, I'm so glad you're here. This month we've been listening to real questions people ask Jesus, and today's question, it's from someone who was stressed and frustrated. Lord, do you not care that my sister left me to serve all alone? Tell her to give me a hand. This is from Luke chapter 10, verse 40. And here's what's happening. Jesus was visiting his friends Mary and Martha at their house. Martha was busy getting everything ready, cooking, cleaning, serving food. She wanted everything to be perfect for Jesus, but her sister Mary wasn't helping. Mary was sitting at Jesus's feet, listening to him teach. Finally, Martha had enough. She marched up to Jesus and asked, Lord, don't you care that I'm doing all the work? Tell Mary to help me. Now, that's a bold question. Why did Martha feel this way? Well, Martha thought working hard was showing how much she loved Jesus. Now, working is important, but sometimes we can get so busy doing things for God that we forget to simply be with him. That's what Mary chose: sitting close, listening carefully, spending time with Jesus. Here's the one thing I want you to remember for today. Jesus wants our hearts before our work. Jesus gently told Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice and it will not be taken away from her. That's from Luke chapter 10, verses 41 and 42. In other words, Jesus is saying it's good to work hard, but it's even better to sit close with me. I wanna tell you about Steven. Steven loves helping his teacher at school, passing out papers, organizing supplies, even picking up trash after class. But one day while he was busy cleaning, Steven noticed some kids sitting together reading the Bible and talking about what they learned at church. Steven felt torn. Should I keep working, or sit down and listen and share what I think? He chose to sit down for a few minutes, and guess what the conversation was about? God helped him with something he was really worried about. Sometimes being with Jesus helps us even more than working for him. And hey, this isn't just a Bible story. This is great for us at home. As families, we get busy too: chores, activities, sports practices, games, homework. All these things matter, but sometimes we need to hit pause, just like Mary did. That might mean saying a quick prayer before dinner, making reading the Bible together a priority, and playing a worship song while we do stuff around the house. Jesus wants our heart before our work, at school, at church, and yes, even at home. Before we go, I want you to remember that Jesus wants our hearts before our work. Serving is awesome. Helping others is amazing, but spending time with Jesus comes first. I hope you have an incredible day. And don't forget, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. Before you go, answer this question together: when do I need to pause working and just spend time with Jesus? I'll see you tomorrow on another episode of Carpooling with Jesus.