Glimpses

Sometimes we meet a person only once in our lives.  They may be a good person having a bad day or a bad person having a good day.  The first impression we get of these people may stick forever, or we may even forget ever having met them.  Snap decisions are made and often stay with us, on the basis of one glimpse of a person's character.  I think this often happens with Martha, sister of Mary and Lazarus in the New Testament.  She was the one who was "cumbered with much serving" and too busy to listen to Jesus' teachings.  We think of her as the sister without the right ideas of what was most important.

However, Martha was also a faithful disciple of Jesus and believed in him.  When her brother Lazarus died, she had faith that Jesus could raise him from the dead.  In scripture and in life we may only get one glimpse into a person's character, but luckily the whole story is known by God, and in his mercy he takes our weaknesses and foibles into account when judging us.  I'm grateful for that knowledge - God is wonderful!  I'm grateful for Martha's strong and faith-filled testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ.

John 11:20-27

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”