Worry

Luke sees Martha from the outside in. "But Martha was distracted by her many tasks..."

Jesus sees Martha from the inside out. "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled by many things..."

Martha was distracted from what Jesus was saying in her living room. She was distracted by making the tea and gathering the cookies and washing the fine china. We all get distracted. We all can see when someone else is distracted. Distraction is not Martha's problem.

Worry is.

Jesus sees into her heart. He sees that her distraction has gone beyond the busyness of life and become worry and disturbance. To continue the theme from the good samaritan, "do this and yo will die." Worry is the adversaries way in. Worry not on distracts us, but subsumes our self-esteem. Worry tells us we are not worthy. Worry keeps us from embracing the gift of God's grace and love. Worry kills.

Jesus tells her to focus on the one important thing, grace. Grace forgives paper cups. Grace forgives off-brand oreos. Grace saves.

*A side note on the text - three different words appear in the Greek. 1 - Luke says Martha is perispao (distracted) 2 - Jesus says Martha is merimnao (worried) and therubazo (troubled). Jesus sees more than the eye can behold.