“Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.” — Luke 10:38-39 (KJV)
In the account of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42), we witness two sincere expressions of love. Martha served faithfully, while Mary chose to sit at Jesus’s feet and listen. Jesus gently affirmed Mary’s choice, saying she had chosen “that good part.” Her decision reveals a deeper posture of the heart — one that values presence over pressure and relationship over routine.
Sitting at Jesus’s feet is an invitation to communion over commotion. It is the choice to listen rather than strive, to be with Him before doing for Him. Mary understood what Scripture echoes elsewhere: “Be still, and know that I am God…” (Psalm 46:10 – KJV). Stillness before the Lord is not inactivity; it is attentive devotion.
Spiritually, this posture brings clarity and wisdom. As we listen to Jesus’s teaching, His Word becomes a lamp to our feet, guiding our decisions and shaping our desires. Practically, sitting at His feet may look like unhurried time in Scripture, quiet prayer, or pausing amid a busy day to refocus our hearts. In His presence, anxiety softens and distractions lose their grip. Jesus invites the weary, “Come unto me… and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 – KJV).
There is also a transformation at His feet. Abiding with Christ produces lasting fruit (John 15:4). Character is formed, faith is strengthened, and love deepens. Like the psalmist who longed to dwell in the Lord’s presence (Psalm 27:4), we discover that intimacy with God is the source of true peace and purpose.
Mary’s example asks us a gentle question: Have we become so busy serving that we have neglected sitting? The “one thing needful” still calls us — to listen, to abide, and to be renewed by His presence.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, draw my heart to Your feet. Teach me to choose stillness over striving and relationship over routine. Quiet my anxious thoughts, open my ears to Your Word, and shape my life through Your presence. Help me to abide in You, that all I do may flow from love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Read: Psalm 27:9; John 15:6-7
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 1; Matthew 1; Genesis 1; Genesis 2:1-17