Come On, Only "One" Necessary Thing?
Yes. Here's why...
I imagine at least a few people have read the title and description for this publication and rolled their eyes…
The One Necessary Thing…
Only one thing is necessary. Only Jesus? Riiiight.
Some may have even chuckled at the naivete of anyone simple-minded enough to title an entire newsletter publication as such.
It’s not an uncommon reaction to claims that Jesus is enough or is all we need, etc.
I understand why people react this way:
Life is complicated, multi-faceted, complex—full of obligations and opportunities. Endless possibilities and persistent conundrums. We have meals to make, jobs to fulfill, kids to raise, dogs to walk, groceries to get, calls to make, bills to pay, laundry to do… so many things that need our attention daily. These are merely a small sampling of what we know is necessary in our days.
And then there are the dreams we long to fulfill—visions, goals, plans! Hopes and desires that feel necessary for a happy future and a successful life.
So how can I say that only one thing is necessary?
Well, I wasn’t the first to say it.
Before I explain my reasonings further, let’s look at where the phrase comes from— a familiar Bible story found in the gospel of Luke:
Martha and Mary
38 While they were traveling, he entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.”
41 The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:38-42, CSB
Entire books have been written, and many a sermon preached about the difference between these two sisters: One busily rushing around doing many good things—tasks that felt necessary for hosting Jesus in her home, yet these tasks distracted, worried, and upset her. Contrast her frenetic busyness with the other sister’s attentive stillness at the feet of their honored guest: Listening. Absorbing. Being.
Given the option between doing and being, Mary chose to be.
She chose to be with The Lord.
And He said she made the right choice.
Jesus said time at His feet, and hearing His Words is the one necessary thing.
I’m simply quoting Him and choosing to believe it’s true because His words are truth.
However, before we ditch all of our obligations to simply sit still in quiet communion, let’s examine a few words more closely.
The original literal understanding of “She made the right choice” would have been that she chose the better portion, or the “right meal.”
She chose to be nourished with The Bread of Life (John 6:35).
Like the Psalmists before her, she chose The Lord as her portion.
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
Psalm 16:5
Whom have I in heaven but You? And on earth I desire no one besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:25-26
Instead of being overly concerned with the temporary necessities and alluring distractions of embodied life, she chose the spiritual nourishment that sustains into eternity:
Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him.” John 6:27
It seems our more natural human tendency is to be like Martha. We know doing and serving are important, but too often we let the cares of the world, tempting but empty pursuits, and our daily obligations distract us from the only thing that really matters—sitting at the feet of Jesus.
This begs the question:
What does it mean to sit at the feet of Jesus?
If sitting at his feet is the right meal—the one thing Jesus declared Necessary, it’s pretty important to understand what this means.
Traditionally, sitting at someone’s feet was the posture of a disciple learning from their teacher. The position showed a posture of reverence, submission, and humility. It showed a willingness to learn and receive instruction—to accept the words being taught.
But there’s more to consider:
According to Strong’s Lexicon, the Greek word used for feet in this passage can be understood both literally—someone’s feet, and metaphorically—symbolizing authority, submission, or the spreading of the gospel.1
It’s also important to note that sitting at Jesus’ feet is directly linked with hearing His words—the two are intertwined into one thing.
In the Greek, the implication for listening to/hearing the words of the teacher was more than mere auditory reception. It includes that but also conveys a deeper understanding of what is spoken, and “an attentive, obedient response to what is heard.” 2
So, sitting at the feet of Jesus signifies the importance of receiving His instructions (all of them!) through a close, reverent relationship, and learning to become like Him—to pattern our lives after His example. At His feet, we hear His Words, receive Him as our portion—our very sustenance and salvation—and then are sent out to do all He has commanded us as His disciples.
In light of these meanings, when I say that ‘only one thing is necessary’ I don’t mean that we are to focus on Jesus to the exclusion of all else, rather, that all else is done with the inclusion of Jesus:
The posture of our hearts should be continually positioned at the feet of Jesus. Our souls are to be continually abiding in Him, our spiritual ears attuned to His voice as we go about our Father’s business. We should pray without ceasing—always conversing with our Master Teacher. And yes, our schedules should be oriented around the focused study of His Word, not relegated to the margins of life.
The One Necessary Thing is to prioritize Jesus— to seek first His Kingdom—and the rest will follow.
When Jesus becomes our first love, the rest of our lives naturally become oriented around Him.
When we choose to sit at His feet, His steps lead ours.
Our doing for Him flows from our first being with Him and is directed by Him.
Outside of Him, nothing else matters. Without Him, this fleeting life is the best we will ever have. Nothing makes sense or is worth doing without Him in it.
Life doesn’t amount to much without Him—because for the believer “To live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21).
So, we “make it our goal to please Him” (2 Corinthians 5:9) and bring glory to Him in whatever we do (1 Corinthians 10:31), keeping His commands (John 14:15), and inviting others to do so as well. (Matthew 28:19-20).
As it turns out, the one necessary thing encompasses…everything.
Not one area of our lives is hidden from Him. All we do should be for Him and through Him.
Our choices, behaviors, attitudes, and actions should reflect our feet-sitting heart posture—
A position where intentional prayer for the people in our lives replaces the mindless social media scroll of merely peeping at their lives, a good book takes second seat to The Good Book, grumbling gets drowned out by gratitude, and dressing to impress becomes far less important than simply looking like Him: Not flashy, pretentious, or ambitious, but a humble servant. Not a lover of self but a lover of souls. Not looking to gain but to give. Only truly living by sacrificially dying.
At His feet, our visions and goals for the future become filtered through a heavenly lens. His desires become ours. When done for His glory, our daily tasks become opportunities for praise, sanctification, and even joy.
At His feet—abiding in His presence— we are transformed.
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:36
This is The One Necessary Thing.
Strong’s 4228; "πούς" (pous)
Strong’s 191; ἀκούω (ak-oo'-o)