The Better Part

Living among polemic grand-standing and culture-war posturing.

Today’s passage holds two rather well-known stories. Let’s just look at them simply today in a contrasting way.

There are numerous aspects to the story of the Good Samaritan to work through. You likely know most of them. They’re important. Many sermons, studies, and applications have been made out of this incredible story from Jesus. It’s even become an idiom in mainstream culture - a ‘Good Samaritan’ still means someone who goes out of their way to help a stranger.

Then the story of Mary’s attentiveness to Jesus’ message above and beyond doing “all the stuff” has helped us understand the distinction between just doing things to get them done and understanding the primacy of Jesus as the very message/Word of God.

What if we contrast these two lessons?

The story of the Good Samaritan has prompted millions to do good works. Good works are good. Indeed, they are necessary. While we are saved by faith, Jesus is clear that we are judged by what we do. But we can do things for the wrong reasons. Paul tells us as much. There is a particular subset of people who feel an intense desire and responsibility to respond to the injustices of the world. And the injustices are many. Not only that, but our access to the knowledge of the injustices is at an all-time high “thanks” to the technologies and media we have in the palms of our hands. Doom-scrolling is a tough thing. And so in response to the story of the Good Samaritan, it’s easy to feel like we must do something about it all.

Like Martha. Some of us really identify with Martha.

But Mary’s example stands out. Jesus himself exemplifies a posture of non-anxiety throughout his ministry in the gospels. He attends to the needs of the crowd for sure. But he also daily seeks the face of God the Father through solitude and prayer, a determined attentiveness to the Word of God, which he tells Martha is the “better part.” Indeed, it’s not that doing good things isn’t of value. Or, to complete the image, doing good is a part of what it is to be of God. But the notion is that those things will come with faithful attention to the Word of God.

This is why it can be difficult to lean too heavily in one direction, cherry-picking one verse or passage as our guide. We are seeing this kind of polemic grand-standing and culture-war posturing on hyperdrive these days. Knowing the gospels in their totality helps us know the heart, mind, and action of Christ in a fuller way.

And so we seek to know and follow him daily.

Luke 10:25-42

A legal expert stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to gain eternal life?”

Jesus replied, “What is written in the Law? How do you interpret it?”

He responded, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.”

But the legal expert wanted to prove that he was right, so he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus replied, “A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He encountered thieves, who stripped him naked, beat him up, and left him near death. Now it just so happened that a priest was also going down the same road. When he saw the injured man, he crossed over to the other side of the road and went on his way. Likewise, a Levite came by that spot, saw the injured man, and crossed over to the other side of the road and went on his way. A Samaritan, who was on a journey, came to where the man was. But when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. The Samaritan went to him and bandaged his wounds, tending them with oil and wine. Then he placed the wounded man on his own donkey, took him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day, he took two full days’ worth of wages and gave them to the innkeeper. He said, ‘Take care of him, and when I return, I will pay you back for any additional costs.’ What do you think? Which one of these three was a neighbor to the man who encountered thieves?”

Then the legal expert said, “The one who demonstrated mercy toward him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

While Jesus and his disciples were traveling, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his message. By contrast, Martha was preoccupied with getting everything ready for their meal. So Martha came to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to prepare the table all by myself? Tell her to help me.”

The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part. It won’t be taken away from her.”

Psalm 46 (NIV)

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Prayer

God,

Thank you for a new day. For the breath in my lungs, the food in my belly, and the people around.

Help me not to rush through life trying to fix everything. There’s so much that’s wrong in the world, and I often feel like I have to do something about all of it. But remind me that what you want most is my attention, that I’d stop long enough to listen, to sit with you, to remember what really matters.

When I do act, let it come from that place, not from worry or pressure, but from being grounded in you. Teach me to serve like the Samaritan, all with a steady heart that rests in your presence.

By your Spirit & in Christ,
Amen.