Martha’s Better Portion: From Performance to Presence
M — Moment
Bethany’s kitchen clattered with dishes and devotion. Martha opened her home—and her heart—to Jesus, believing that service was love in motion. Yet in her busyness, she missed the stillness that transforms. This episode takes us into that living room moment, where Jesus gently redirects her heart toward peace.
I — Identity
Martha was the dependable one, the problem-solver, the planner. Her love language was labor, her rhythm responsibility. Many of us see ourselves in her—doing all the right things for everyone else, hoping Jesus notices the effort. Her temperament was her strength, until it began to drain her spirit.
R — Right Choices
Martha’s faith was fierce. She welcomed Jesus when others stayed distant and later declared Him “the Messiah, the Son of God.” Her story reminds us that God values our initiative and our hospitality. Service isn’t wrong—it just needs to flow from presence, not pressure.
R — Risks/Wrongs
Her risk was substitution: mistaking activity for intimacy. Jesus’ tender call, “Martha, Martha,” revealed how worry had replaced worship. Like her, we can be pulled in circles—doing for God without being with God. The danger isn’t exhaustion alone; it’s missing the joy of His nearness.
O — Ongoing Message
The “better portion” isn’t about doing less—it’s about being anchored. Psalm 16:5 echoes through the scene: “You, Lord, are my portion and my cup.” Martha teaches us that purpose without presence loses its pulse. When we sit at Jesus’ feet first, our service becomes sacred again.
R — Reflection
Where are you serving but not listening? Where has performance replaced presence? Jesus calls your name twice too—not to shame, but to soothe. You are seen, valued, and loved, not for what you accomplish but for who you are in Him.
S — Steps
Pause before you pour. Start the day in silence with the prayer: “You are my portion.”
Transform tasks into worship. Let chores become quiet spaces of gratitude.
Ask for help. Partnership honors both humility and community.
Rest on purpose. Sabbath is not optional; it’s obedience that restores.
Rehearse truth. Say aloud: “I am loved, not evaluated.”
Key Quote
“Jesus delights in your company more than He delights in your competence.”
This conversation invites every overextended heart to rediscover peace in the Presence of Christ. It’s not about being less Martha—it’s about becoming Martha transformed: hands still serving, heart finally still.
Download blank templates, schedules here:
https://schmern2.notion.site/Downloads-Template-Word-and-Excel-Schedule-67439d14449d4c20bfe00efe069f78b8
Logos RAMPS Workflow - RAMPS Bible Study - The Bible in Small Steps in Logos Workflows
Jill’s Links
https://jillfromthenorthwoods.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@smallstepswithgod
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/smallstepspod
https://twitter.com/schmern
Email the podcast at jill@startwithsmallsteps.com
“Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.”
Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
“The Scriptures quoted are from the NET Bible® http://netbible.com copyright ©1996, 2019 used with permission from Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved”.
Bible Maps and images used with permission from https://www.bible.ca/maps/ or https://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/bj-ot-world/
Copyright 2014 Faithlife / Logos Bible Software. Free for non-commercial use by individuals or organizations. May be presented before live audiences; may be posted on social media; may be re-distributed. May not be used commercially. May not be modified or included in published works without permission; contact permissions@faithlife.com. Attribute as: “Copyright 2014 Faithlife / Logos Bible Software ()”.
By choosing to watch this video or listen to this podcast, you acknowledge that you are doing so of your own free will. The content shared here reflects personal experiences and opinions and is intended for informational and inspirational purposes only. I am not a licensed healthcare provider, psychiatrist, or counselor. Any advice or suggestions offered should not be considered a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice. You are solely responsible for any decisions or actions you take based on this content.
