Sitting at His Feet

“Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:  But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42).

The term “sitting at his feet” is found in verse 39.  It is a term that was associated with a pupil and teacher relationship.  This was the ancient posture of disciples or learners. They sat at the “feet” of their teachers—that is, beneath them, in a humble place.  Hence, Paul is represented as having been brought up at the “feet” of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3).  When it is said that Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, it means that she was “a disciple” of His; that she listened attentively to His instructions, and was anxious to learn His doctrine.  Our challenge this week is to learn to sit at Jesus’ feet instead of at the feet of others.

What happens when we sit at Jesus’ feet?  Notice what happens.  I will also reference another passage where this phrase is used.  First, there is a calm mind.  Just the idea of sitting gives the idea of calmness and an environment of peacefulness.  Is it true in your life?  Is there a calmness, a peacefulness that pervades your world, or is it chaos?  With Christ, there is calm even in the storm.

Second, notice that there is a right mind.  In verse 42, Jesus said that Mary chose.  I believe that Christ used that word on purpose.  We have choices every day in our lives.  How do we know what is right to do?  Sit at the feet of Jesus, and you will find making the right choices are not that difficult.

Third, we find another passage where we see someone sitting and listening to Jesus.

Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked.  When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid (Luke 8:33-35).

Notice what the text in Luke 8:35 says, “clothed, and in his right mind.” Sitting at the feet of Jesus will give you a sound mind.  Your thinking, your attitude, your disposition will be affected when you spend time with the Savior.  Learn to take time daily to read, meditate (think), and pray.  You will never regret time spent with your Savior.

How Much for God?  Someone has figured that in the average life span of seventy years, time is used as follows:  three years in education, eight years in amusements, six years at the dinner table, five years in transportation, four years in conversation (low for some), fourteen years in work, three years in reading, twenty-four years in sleeping, and three years in convalescing.  If a person went to a ninety- minute religious service every Sunday and prayed for five minutes every morning and evening, he would be giving ten months out of seventy years to God.  How is your record? —Copied