If you’re the woman who has a hard time sitting down because you can already see the dishes that need to be done, the toys that need to be picked up, the dinner that needs to be made and the twelve other things you could knock out while everyone else is relaxing... you’ve probably heard the story of Mary and Martha and thought, “Yep. I’m definitely Martha.” And being called a “Martha” usually doesn’t feel like a compliment. We’re often taught the story in Luke 10 as a simple lesson: Martha was busy. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet. Don’t be a Martha. Be a Mary. But what happens when we keep reading? In this episode, Sage is back with me for a deeper Bible study on Martha, and we’re looking beyond the one moment she’s most known for. Because the more we studied her story throughout Scripture, the more we realized how much gets missed when we reduce this woman to “too busy.” We talk about the difference between serving and being distracted by serving, and why the issue may not simply be that Martha was doing too much. Jesus specifically points to her worry, distraction and being upset over the details. Later, we see Martha serving again—and Scripture doesn’t present her service as the problem. Pasted text Pasted text That opens up a much bigger conversation for the Christian woman who is naturally a doer. How do you serve your family without quietly becoming resentful that no one is helping? How do you manage a home, raise children, work, host, volunteer, pursue a calling and take care of the things that genuinely need to get done without allowing all that doing to pull your attention away from Jesus? When does diligence become distraction? And is the answer really to stop being productive—or could Jesus be after something deeper in our hearts? We also look at the Martha of John 11, because this is the part of her story I didn’t know nearly as well. After Lazarus dies, Martha runs to meet Jesus. She’s honest about her disappointment while still holding onto her faith, and she makes an incredibly bold confession about who Jesus is. Pasted text That version of Martha deserves our attention too. Sage and I talk about motherhood, homemaking, busyness, anxiety around getting everything done, serving others, resentment, stillness with God, prayer, surrender and what it looks like to bring your actual personality to Jesus instead of assuming you need to become a completely different kind of woman to follow Him well. This isn’t a conversation about becoming less capable, less hardworking or less willing to serve. It’s about examining what’s happening in our hearts while we’re doing all of it. If you’re a busy Christian woman, stay-at-home mom, homemaker, working mom or simply someone who relates deeply to Martha, I hope this episode sends you back into your own Bible to read Luke 10, John 11 and John 12 with fresh eyes. Because maybe the takeaway from Mary and Martha was never as simple as: “Stop being a Martha.” In this episode: Mary and Martha Bible study, Luke 10:38–42, John 11, John 12, women of the Bible, Christian motherhood, biblical homemaking, Christian women and busyness, serving Jesus, Christian anxiety and overwhelm, being present with your kids, spending time with God, biblical womanhood, faith and motherhood, and finding stillness with God in a busy season. THE VILLAGE STARTER KIT Want deeper Christian mom friendships but don’t know where to start?Get The Village Starter Kit FREE WEEKLY ORGANIZER FOR CHRISTIAN SAHMs Download the free Weekly Organizer CONNECT WITH ME Instagram @nikiwolfewellness