Superhero Sidekicks: Biblical Characters Who Did Big and Small Things for GodНамуна

Mary and Martha

There aren’t many women who are named in the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), but Mary and Martha are—and not just once. Each time we meet these sister sidekicks, there’s a valuable lesson to learn. 

In Luke 10, Martha and Mary are doing two very different things: Martha is busy preparing a meal for Jesus and His disciples (she had to cook a meal for 13 men who were probably really hungry!) while Mary is just sitting, listening to Jesus talk. 

Maybe you have a sibling. How would you feel if you had to do all the work while your brother or sister sat around? No one really wants to do work all by themselves while their family sits around talking. 

But we learn something important from Martha and Mary too. Sometimes we can get so busy doing things for Jesus (like helping at church, donating food to a homeless shelter, etc.) that we forget to just sit and be with Him (like we do when we read the Bible or pray). Martha worked; Mary listened. 

If we love Jesus, it’s important for us to learn how to be like Martha and Mary—we can serve Jesus by loving our neighbors, but we also need to make sure that we spend time just listening to Him too. 

Mary and Martha were changed forever because of their relationships with Jesus. (Want to read more about their story? Check out Jn. 11:1-44, where we hear about how their brother Lazarus died and Jesus performed a miracle by bringing him back to life!) And through Mary and Martha, we see how important it is to work for Jesus and listen to Him.

Family focus:

• What are ways that you can work for God? Think through something you can do for Him this week.
• What are ways that you can listen to God? Think about how you can stop and listen to God—whether as you read the Bible or as you pray and talk to God.