Observe, Jesus did not meet Martha’s words against her sister with a denial, or with an apology. He simply vindicated Mary’s religious integrity, by testifying that she had “chosen the good part.” She was a faithful, humble, loving disciple, and delighted to sit at His feet and receive instruction. That which Jesus calls “that good part” must be of priceless value, a treasure well worth obtaining in this changing, perishing world; for it is to be enduring, “it shall not be taken away.” Like the favored Mary, we may not literally sit at the Master’s feet, yet He is speaking to every humble child of God, in and by His Word. We may choose the world with all its vanities which perish with the using, or we may choose Christ as our portion, both for time and eternity. O! how many troubled Marthas there are in these modern times that need to choose the “good part,” that need to sit humbly at the dear Saviour’s feet, to be nourished by His love, cheered by His council, and approved by the divine “well done!” The lowly life of humble sacrifice is the only life worth living. The next view we have of this beautiful Bethany home the scene is all changed. The sunshine is all gone out and great clouds of sorrow and distress have rolled into the sky of its happiness. Prosperity has given place to the bitterest adversity, the brightness and gladness are banished, and the sisters are right down under the deepest, darkest shadow of sorrow that ever settled on their home. The well-beloved brother, Lazarus, is ill unto death, and Jesus is far away, and in the very midst of His Peræan ministry. In their distress, the first thought of these sisters was of Jesus. “If He only knew our brother was sick,” they doubtless said one to the other, He would sympathize with us, and at once restore him to health. And so they sent him the simple message, “He whom Thou lovest is sick.” Our first thought is when the messengers, bearing the sad intelligence, had informed the Lord, He would have at once promptly responded to this cry of help coming from the home where he had been so heartily welcomed and so bountifully entertained. But how different was His reception of the message from what we naturally expected. So far as is known, He did not even return an answer. Could they have been mistaken? Did not Jesus love Martha and her sister, and was not the very message couched in the words, “He whom thou lovest?” Would He dishonor the confidence they had reposed in Him?