Sign seen in a textile mill, "When your thread becomes tangled, call the supervisor." A young woman thought, "I’ll straighten this out myself." The situation worsened. Finally, she called the supervisor. "I did the best I could," she said. "No you didn’t. To do your best, you should have called me."
The thing that made the tax collector different than other wealthy bureaucrats, was this. Some discontent still stirred in him. He was still hungry for and open to something more in life? And he was willing to look the fool to find it?
When someone tells you it's not about the money, it is indeed about the money. That is true in the Gospel of Luke. It's all about the money.... Lord, reach down deep into our hearts and remove anything – anything – that would keep us from coming to you.
Christ Jesus calls us to be both Mary and Martha depending upon the circumstances. AND he calls Mary to take on the role of Martha at times, just as he calls Martha to take on the role of Mary at times.
Those who stand tall are not necessarily big people, either in stature or worldly acclaim. They're not necessarily the rich and famous. They stand tall because of their compassion and benevolence and willingness to give themselves in service to others. I'll give you a couple of examples....
Martha had the gift of hospitality. Luke says, " Martha received him into her house." On another occasion, we're told that " Jesus came to Bethany… they made him a supper there. Martha served..." (John 12:1-2). Hospitality is one of the oldest and most time-honored of all gifts.
"Overworked and Underpaid." I have never met a person who did not feel overworked and underpaid. I have had physicians tell me that they were overworked and I could easily believe that. When they got to the underpaid part, I had a bit more trouble.
If you had your druthers, would you rather live with Mary or Martha? If you lived with Martha, the house would always be spotless, but you'd have to put up with her constant fretting. If you lived with Mary, you would eat off paper plates. With Mary, PB&J would be a gourmet meal.
Martha welcomes Jesus into her house. A hospitable gesture, but something more as well: a defiance of conventional behavior. Jesus is alone with women who are not his relatives; he allows one to serve him, and he teaches the other one. All of these are violations of social norms.
When Jesus closes the parable of the Good Samaritan with "Go and do likewise," he is not imposing a single strict way to respond to travelers who have ended up in trouble. His intent is far larger and more practical, something that applies to countless circumstances.