When Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen the good part, He was not in fact trying to condemn Martha or even finding fault with her. Jesus was just stating the reality of things. First of all, Martha was not joyous with her serving God through what she was doing. Instead she was both distracted and upset with the state of affairs. Her attitude was not very conducive for appropriating the things of God. What is even more striking is that Jesus was commending Mary for reaching out for the best. There will be some who will always be serving and doing the preparations. But there will be few who will be sitting at the feet of Jesus, not to receive any physical miracle, but solely because they are longing for the life giving word. The reason Jesus spoke highly of Mary was because He knew how less saints there would be, who will truly desire to be in His presence more than anything else. It is not that they are not hard working or not willing to serve others. But what they supremely desire is to sit at His feet and if given a chance, they would not miss it for anything else on earth. 'Whom have I in heaven but you; and besides you I desire nothing on earth' - is the heart cry of the true saint.
