The Unrecorded Teaching

When Jesus came to the home of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38), the two sisters went two separate ways.  Martha went to the kitchen, or to a place of providing hospitality.  Mary "...sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what He was saying."   As the story is told, Jesus applauded the response of Mary and told Martha that Mary's choice was better.  It was not that Martha was doing things that did not matter, but that she became distracted from a moment of her soul being fed and nurtured.    

One of the things we can never know about that moment has to do with the words coming forth from the mouth and heart of Jesus.  What did He say that day as Mary sat at His feet?  While we have a lot of His teaching recorded in the gospels, this moment at the home of Martha and Mary reminds us that more of His teachings are unrecorded than are recorded.  What He said in the presence of Mary was for her ears alone.  Jesus did not require a crowd to share from His heart.  One attentive listening soul was enough.     

Whenever we are tempted to think that we are such a nobody that Jesus really has nothing special to say to us, we only need to read and meditate on this story.  There are things Jesus would say that are meant for our ears, our soul, alone.  What we need to hear is not a certificate which declares our spiritual status, but a spirit that is bent toward becoming immersed in the stillness so that hearing the holy Word can be received and heard.