Our beautiful text brings home to every one of us the question, What is your attitude toward your Savior? Do we, like Martha, neglect to listen to His saving Word because we think that we shall serve Him better if we engage in all manner of social church work or work of Christian charity? Is that not the attitude of the much-applauded "institutional churches" of our day and, alas, also of so many well-meaning Christians in our own midst? What a great mistake they are making! False prophets, false Christians, can and do spend their lives in such activities, and yet they miss the one thing needful, the Word of Christ, and in it their Savior.

No amount of benevolent charity or of social church work, though done with the best of intentions, can save us. Jesus, and Jesus only, can and will save us with His blessed Word. The main thing, therefore, is to do as Mary did. When Jesus comes to teach us His saving Gospel, always be ready to sit at His feet and hear Him. In His Word He gives us Himself with His Holy Spirit, who works and fosters faith and love and hope in us and gives us wisdom and strength to serve His cause in the manner pleasing to Him. Without Jesus all church work and all charity is of no avail. We must first take Jesus and His Word into our hearts, and then we can serve Jesus in our lives. First faith, then charity. First Jesus and then service for Him.

[devotion text by Rev. F. W. Herzberger (1920) -
from the Family Altar - CPH (1957 edition)]
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