What is the “better part” in life and how do you choose it?

Jesus said this famous line  when He visited the home of the two sisters. You may ask, how did Mary get the better part, when Martha was doing all the work?

Recall that Martha was busy serving, while Mary sat beside Jesus at His feet, listening to Him speak. Then, Martha fretted and asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her.

But Jesus instead said: , “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)

Jesus' reply to Martha was not criticizing her effort in fulfilling her duties , but rather, to shift her focus away from her anxiety and distractions, to what is more important.

This is a reminder for us as well.  We're all preoccupied and distracted by many things. We try to achieve a lot for different reasons: oftentimes out of good intentions; other times out of selfish ambition; or out of fear, as if once we slowed down, we would be seen as unproductive, useless or lazy.

Jesus wants to free us from all these thorns that preoccupies us, because God is of the utmost importance, and with Him at the centre of our lives, everything else will be different.

Father Henri Nouwen once wrote: “[Jesus] asks us to shift the point of gravity, to relocate the centre of our attention, to change our priorities. Jesus wants us to move from the 'many things' to the 'one necessary thing.' …This is the meaning of “Set your hearts on His kingdom first . . . and all these other things will be given you as well.” (Henri Nouwen Daily Meditation)

When we put God first, listen to His Word, and do His will, other things will fall into place, and things of lesser importance no longer distract us.

This new focus and priority — like what Mary chose — is the better part we should choose and hold on to.