“Kitchen Martha” can get a bad wrap as the one who, unlike her sister Mary, chose to stay busy and away from Jesus rather than sit in attendance with him. Similarly, Nicodemus, the Pharisee, can be frowned upon because he doesn’t come to Jesus either—at least not in the light of day.
What both Martha and Nicodemus show us is our own flops and faults with faith. In turn, both also direct us again and again to our gap-filling, forever-love-pouring-in-endless-supply Savior and teacher. Jesus takes our absences—and our distances—and, in that way that is his alone, makes us realize with appreciation and admiration how genuine, persistent, and faith-filled he is not only in his Father, but also in us.
As we look into the week ahead, consider how Jesus never quits on us. He never stops reaching us. He never stops seeking us. He never stops finding and answering us so that what we read Sunday is well known. All of us who have been a Martha and/or Nicodemus, know this is true: everyone who believes in this genuine, persistent, and faith-filled Jesus will have not perish but have eternal life (John 3:15, 16b).