Daily Devotionals

Miryam has chosen the right thing, and it won't be taken away from her (Luke 10:42).

When Yeshua arrived in Beyt Anyah (Bethany) with many disciples (Luke 10:38),Marta (Martha) knew that she was going to have a lot of work to do. In her culture, women often measured their worth by how well they performed "women's chores" like cooking and cleaning.

But Miryam (Mary) chose to sit at Yeshua's feet and listen to his teaching (Luke 10:39). In her culture, people sat on chairs for normal occasions or reclined on couches for banquets. One only sat "in the dust" at someone's feet (as the rabbis put it) if one were that person's disciple. Miryam was, therefore, making a radical statement, for women were not supposed to become disciples according to the culture of the day. Women were rarely trained as disciples. In one recorded exception, Beruryah (the wife of Rabbi Meir), had became so well educated that she was like a rabbi herself. Nevertheless, most men would not listen to her because she was a woman. Yeshua, however, welcomes Miryam as his disciple, to learn at his feet.

Marta wants help with the chores, but Yeshua commends Miryam for seeking to be a disciple (Luke 10:40-42). Too often we are like Marta, consumed by the things our culture demands that we accomplish. Yeshua wants us, most of all, to take the time to learn at his feet—to be his disciples.

...remember that whatever else I may be required to do, my first calling is to be Yeshua's disciple.

CK