The Mental Mindset of Mary, Martha & Meናሙና

DISMISSIVENESS v PRIORITIES

A dismissive attitude towards another person can be incredibly damaging behavior. It can lead to the point of no longer seeing the worth of another due to the need to protect oneself.

Martha was dismissive of Mary. She de-personalized Mary by addressing her as “my sister”, as though she wasn’t even in the room. It was deeply rude and degrading for Mary as it would have highlighted publicly that Mary was in the “wrong” space. It seems like Martha was trying to put Mary back in the socially acceptable box for women of that time – the kitchen.

Being publicly dismissive of someone can also be seen as a tactic to attempt to get others on your side in the attack. It is a powerful tool for growing division, and it can fuel the attacker with a false sense of power, which often snowballs into other destructive behavior. Note this could have been the perfect opportunity for other voices in the room who disagreed with the presence of Mary at the feet of Jesus to jump on board and reject her, too.

Mary, however, made sitting at the feet of Jesus a priority. When we make the presence of Jesus our main priority, it will empower our purpose in Him. It is very easy to allow the value system of this world to influence our priorities, but the more I consider the ways of God over the ways of this world, the more I realize the different priorities the two kingdoms have and how they always oppose each other.

• First versus Last – Matthew 20:16
• Take versus Give – Acts 20:35
• Revenge versus Forgive – Leviticus 19:18
• Pride versus Humility – Proverbs 11:2
• Hate versus Love – Matthew 5:43-44
• Selfish versus Servant – Philippians 2:3-4
• Time versus Tasks – Ephesians 5:15-16

Many automatically react negatively towards Mary, considering her lazy for not pulling her weight. From a worldly perspective, pulling a 14-hour day is celebrated in a performance-driven world, whereas resting is scoffed at. I can’t tell you how often I have heard pastors struggling with guilt when they take time to rest at Jesus's feet. However, when you give the first fruits of everything – even your time – to God, He multiplies them greatly.

When you prioritize His presence, He guides your plans and purposes. He is the one who knit you together, who wrote about you in His book before you ever took your first breath. If anyone knows your potential and purpose, it’s the One who designed you. Therefore, prioritizing spending time in His presence will allow your purpose to come alive with the greatest accuracy. The chance that you’ll wander off-path also reduces radically when you remain in the presence of the One leading you.

DEEP WATER QUESTIONS:

• Consider people and moments where you have become dismissive due to fears and insecurities.
• In what way has your dismissiveness robbed you of deepening support from others?
• How can you change your life's priorities to make space for Jesus?
• Reflect on how the priority of Jesus in your life changes your need to protect yourself.

PRAY:

Lord, forgive me for the times I have chosen to act dismissively towards others. As I make You my primary priority in all I do, may the fruits of Your spirit guide my every reaction, especially when triggered.