Raising Disciples to Find Their Identity in Jesus

As Jesus walked the roads teaching, healing, and pointing people toward the Kingdom of God, He didn’t just disciple the Twelve but rather thousands of people. There were two sisters among the group of people who participated in His ministry.

Luke 10:38-42:

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.”

Martha, like any good hostess, cared about offering hospitality. But these preparations worried her to the point of distraction. Martha’s identity was caught up in how she was perceived by her guests. Mary, on the other hand, chose to sit at Jesus’ feet, where the disciples—the students of the rabbi—would sit. She knew her identity was in her relationship with Christ.

Jesus took the opportunity to redirect Martha, using the interaction as a teachable moment. He reset her priorities and emphasized the more important characteristic of seeking deeper knowledge of God and His Kingdom. It’s not wrong to practice hospitality—in fact, most would probably agree that it’s one of Martha’s core spiritual gifts. But Jesus used that teachable moment to help her see that our relationship with God is the ultimate purpose for which we were created.

Questions for Reflection

• How can you encourage your child that their identity is not in the things they do but rather in Christ?
• How does this story encourage you to remember that your identity is found in Christ?