Mary and Martha—Sisters of Lazarus—Showing Jesus Love in Their Own Ways

Mary is much more than the Sister of Lazarus.  Mary did several things that showed that her love of Jesus was very strong.  She put the care of Jesus above all other things.  She was a believer of Jesus.  Many people believe that Mary was a female disciple because of certain events that happened in her life.

Martha is not only the Sister of Lazarus she is a caring and loving person.  She was outspoken and put her duties before anything else.  She was a believer and friend of Jesus.  Martha showed love to Jesus in her own unique way

We first meet Mary as she is sitting at the feet of Jesus.  This would be a very unusual situation during the time.  The place that she sat at would normally be for the disciples.  This is what has people to think that Mary was considered a Disciple of Christ.  Mary believes that learning about God was the most important things she could do.

Let us look at the rest of this story.  Martha was also Mary and Lazarus’s sister.  She was busy preparing things for Jesus and the Disciples.  She became upset when she noticed that Mary was not helping her.    Martha was doing so much that she did not have time to hear the teachings of Jesus.  She confronts Mary and asks her to come and help.  The thing that is quite amazing is that Jesus tells Martha that what she was doing was good.  Yet the fact that Mary was not worrying about the little task but was listening to God she was doing something much more important.

Mary and Martha both were showing God love.  The difference is that Martha showed love by doing tasks to prepare a meal for Jesus and the Disciples.  Mary on the other hand took the time to prepare herself for things to come in the future.  We have to remember that we need to take time to be silent and listen to what God is teaching us.  There are also times that we need to serve others so that they can feel the love and presence of God.

Then we have to look at when Lazarus died.  Martha comes to Jesus asking why he wasn’t there to save her brother.  Jesus tells her to have faith.  He was teaching Martha that faith would lead to unbelievable things.  Martha needed to know that her faith would change the situation.  She had rationalized the situation.  She wasn’t emotional she understand that her brother would have been alive if Jesus had been there.

Martha runs to Mary and tells her that Jesus is there and she needs to come.  Mary falls to Jesus feet and begins to cry.  She tells Jesus if he had been there when Lazarus got sick he would have lived.  Jesus overcomes with her emotions and those around her proceeds to Lazarus’s tomb.  It is then that he calls Lazarus to come out of the tomb.

Mary and Martha both expressed to Jesus their understanding of Jesus’ healing power.  The difference is that Martha uses a rational approach to express her understanding.  She did not let her emotions overcome her.  Mary on the other hand fell to the feet of the Teacher and begins crying.  She allows her emotions to overcome her.  She puts aside all rational concepts and weeps at the fact that Jesus was not there when Lazarus needed him most.  There are times that we need to be rational.  There are many situations that we need to think through the situation and keep our emotions in check.  There are also times that we need to show our emotions.  Showing your emotions is not always a sign of weakness.  Sometimes when we show our emotions we understand that there is a power greater than us.

The last thing to look at is the anointing of Jesus by Mary.  Mary anoints Jesus with expensive oil.  The Disciples are shocked that she would do something like this.  They thought it was best if she had spent the money on the poor.  Jesus tells them that the poor would always be with them.  Jesus also tells them that he will not always be there.

Martha and Mary respond differently to the way that they minister to Jesus.  Martha is into the fine details of making things comfortable for her guest.  Martha is a rational thinker who doesn’t allow her emotions to rule over her.  Mary on the other hand allows her emotions to sway her decisions.  Martha learned that sometimes you have to give of yourself in an emotional way to help others.  Mary learned that service comes in many different ways including humbling yourself and doing the little things like serving someone a meal.