Perfect Posture

“Sit up straight; good posture is important!” Probably everyone here has heard these words more than once while growing up. There is a lot of truth to these instructions--correct posture is good for your health. When everything in our body is aligned correctly, the passage ways through which life supporting blood and air flow are straighter, our internal organs are not cramped or twisted, and our muscles and tendons are not experiencing undue strain. Correct posture is important for helping our bodies to function at their best.

Correct posture is important for more than physical health. A second definition of “posture” is the present condition or tendency of something. For example, one can speak of the military posture of a nation as defensive or aggressive. In a person we might think of this posture as being argumentative or amenable, stubborn or pliable, self-centered or other-centered. In other words, the posture we show to the world gives clues about where we stand as well as how we will react.

The final definition for “posture” is a frame of mind affecting one’s thoughts or behavior. Posture is the attitude with which one approaches life. This is definition we will explore today in the story of two sisters, Martha and Mary.

The Feast of Dedication, more commonly known as Hanukkah in current times, was fast approaching. The household of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus was bustling with activity in anticipation of this holiday. Menus were planned, invitations to parties were sent, the Menorah was polished, candles had been purchased, and food preparation was well under way. Everyone in the household was in a state of anticipation mixed with exhaustion.

Two days before the feast, Martha was in the kitchen preparing her special bread, almost ready to set it aside to rise. There were dishes to clean, flour on the counter (and a little on her nose) and dirt to sweep from the floor. Mary and Lazarus were engaged similarly in their own assigned tasks with just as much mess to clean up. They had been in such a rush they even neglected putting the sleeping mats away properly. Instead they were pushed haphazardly into one corner.

Someone hails them from outside the house: “Martha! Mary! Lazarus! Jesus has sent me. He is coming to visit. He will be here in an hour or so.” Jesus is coming--we have missed His company. What an honor, joy, and surprise . . . . Then Martha, the consummate hostess, takes a look around. Look at this mess! We cannot have guests with things looking like this--especially not Jesus.

Then, as the oldest child often does, Martha took charge, barking orders at the other two. “Mary, roll up those sleeping mats and put them away. Go check the guest room for clean towels and fresh water. Lazarus, sweep this floor and the front step. Then you run to the butcher for a special leg of lamb and some nice fish for a stew. Now where to begin--there is so much to do--did he say in an hour?”

Just as the broom is put away and the meat placed in the kitchen, Jesus and His followers walk through the door. Martha makes sure everything is okay in the kitchen, then dusts off her apron and straightens her hair. They all rush to greet Jesus. All of the typical questions pour out of the group.

Can you see it and feel the excitement? A beloved visitor is at your house and you have longed for His visit. You have wanted Him to come for so long. You have worked furiously preparing your home for this special visit--now the first rush of excitement at the arrival has gone. People are settling in, pleasantries have been exchanged, the conversation begins in earnest.

For Martha the excitement visit begins to wear off as the urgency of dutiful hospitality rises. In Aramaic, Martha means “lady.” As a consummate lady and matron of the house, she excuses herself to tend to the meal and needs of her guests, expecting to see Mary do the same. But Mary has settled at the feet of Jesus.

So Martha goes about her duties, hearing snatches of the conversation through the kitchen door. The more she works the more frustrated she becomes--Mary should be in here helping her instead of sitting around. And Jesus is not blind! He knows what is going on--Mary will listen to Him so why doesn’t He tell her to help? Finally, Martha can stand it no longer--she goes to Jesus and asks, “Lord, do you not care my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

So often we ask, “Lord, do you not care about what I am doing?” instead of “Lord, what would you have me do?”

Jesus simply answers, “Martha, Martha.” Several times Jesus speaks an individual’s name twice and in each case it shows love, pity, and concern. He loved Martha but pitied her because she did not understand what was really needed.

Then He said, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (vv. 41b-42). Martha has chosen a posture of service but it is not an attitude of a servant. Martha was doing what society expected of her as head of the house--perfect hospitality.

Mary, in contrast, has made the better choice, one that comes only by placing oneself at the feet of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ in perfect posture. Why was Mary’s choice the better one? Why is it important to remain at the feet of Jesus?

The Perfect Posture for Serving

Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said” (v. 39). The best way to serve anyone is to find out their needs and then provide them. Martha chose to leave the feet of Jesus in order to provide what the world said a perfect hostess should: a meal of unsurpassed plenty and taste. Instead, Jesus told her she was “worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed” (vv. 41-42).

We can interpret Jesus’ words in several ways. Some biblical scholars say Jesus was telling Martha that a simple meal of one dish would do; maybe some stew or cheese and bread would be enough. This interpretation has merit but there is a deeper meaning. Jesus was speaking of matters of eternal importance--understanding who Jesus is. Service to God requires correct priorities in our lives. The only correct priority is to place Jesus first in our lives. His need is our undivided attention. At the feet of Jesus we learn the perfect posture of a servant.

The Perfect Posture for Listening

Not only was Mary sitting at the Lord’s feet, she was “listening to what he said” (v. 39). Have you ever attended a concert where there was no assigned seating? People will stand in line for hours to be first through the doors so they can get the seats right down front. In those seats you can hear every word, see facial expressions of performers. In the front rows you can tell if the performance means something important to the singers, or if they are just going through the motions.

At the feet of Jesus we can capture not only His words but their importance to Him. We can see His eyes light up with the joy at the thought of a Samaritan woman who has changed her ways. We can see His eyes darken at the thought of a promising young man who could not give up his riches for the greater riches of a life of obedience.

At the feet of Jesus we can hear everything He says. Have you every played the game involving one person who is blindfolded and assigned to go through an obstacle course by following only verbal instructions of others? The first time through all the children, including the one who is to given correct directions, must stand on the sidelines yelling instructions all at the same time. Before long the blindfolded child becomes confused, trips over something or runs into an obstacle, and gives up. The second time through the child giving instructions is told to stay close and speak right into the ear of the blindfolded child, talking them through the obstacle course even as others try to distract. Though we may be blinded to our future, Jesus is not. When we stay at His feet, close to His voice, we have a better chance of making it through the obstacle course of life.
At the feet of Jesus listening changes your life, sustains through the hard times, and encourages you to make greater and better choices. At the feet of Jesus, we learn the perfect posture of listening.

The Perfect Posture for Following

So many times we find Jesus telling people to follow Him. Our goal in life is to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Following Jesus is really learning to participate in a joyful dance with Him throughout our lives. Some of us may try to watch Him from afar and imitate what He does. Others of us may simply try to follow a map of His footsteps found in some self-help book or even the Bible without taking the time to really get close to Him. But others may be like the little girl who wants so badly to dance with her Daddy but just can not keep up. As she stumbles, she looks up at him through tears and says, “Daddy, I cannot follow your footsteps on my own; it is just too hard.” Then her daddy lovingly says to her, “Here, put your feet on top of mine and we will dance together.” At the feet of Jesus is the only place where we can submit our steps totally to him. At the feet of Jesus, we learn the perfect posture of following.

At the feet of Jesus, we learn His desires for us. We listen for His instruction and encouragement, and we place our trust and the direction of our lives completely in Him. At the feet of Jesus, we find the right frame of mind affecting our thoughts and behavior. At the feet of Jesus is the perfect posture of service.