Martha asked Jesus a question in her frustration, and the Lord answered her. It is comforting to know that we can take anything in our lives to the Lord in prayer, even our seemingly negative situations and emotions. We can trust that he will answer us, even though we sometimes may not like the answer.
In answering Martha’s
question, Jesus acknowledged Martha’s anxiety and her being troubled about many things. He did not dismiss her feelings. This surely must have validated her. Jesus understood what she was feeling and what she was going through.
In our own lives, if someone questions us in frustration, as Martha did, we may react in a similar tone. Instead of diffusing the situation, it may escalate into an argument, or worse, into broken relationships.
We often hear of family and friends with broken relationships, and may find that it was over something that could have been resolved with a calm answer. "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." (Proverbs 15:1)
Perhaps we should reflect on how to understand and validate someone’s feelings before responding in kind and potentially causing a rift in the relationship.
Reflections by Adri Sutherland
