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 11:41,42
I imagine that what Martha was doing (preparing food for the guests) seemed, to her, the right thing to do. After all, this was the Master at her home, and everything must be done just so. It would hardly be right to have anything less than a feast prepared. Martha meant well, but she did not do well. What she was aiming for was good, but not the best; in fact, not even needful. The one thing needful was Him! The one thing needful for her was to hear from Him. All other responsibilities may be laid aside for this one thing needful. In fact all other responsibilities must be laid aside for this one thing needful!
We act like Martha rather than Mary when we allow our lives to become so encumbered with responsibilities that we are no longer able to sit at the feet of our Lord and hear from Him. We must be careful that our enemy does not move us to add one little thing after another to our lives so that, eventually, we no longer have time to worship, energy to serve, money to give, opportunity to listen. Let us put FIRST the Kingdom of God, and let all the other things of our lives fit in where they may. Let us FIRST give ourselves to the Lord, then let the world have what's left, not the other way around. In so doing, we will have the one thing needful and it will never be taken from us and will never prove harmful to us. But if we put the matters of this life first, no matter how good they may seem, we will someday suffer the loss of all in which we have invested, and even while we have it, it will prove nothing but a burden to us.