Victory Over Stress Luke 10:38-42 The One Thing Needed: To Sit at Jesus’ Feet.This event is historically misplaced, for Mary and Martha lived in Bethany, a suburb two to three miles outside of Jerusalem. Why then does Luke place it here on Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem? Perhaps he feared the Parable of the Good Samaritan might be construed to teach salvation by works. Mary and Martha’s experience teaches that waiting and sitting at Jesus’ feet is much more important than running to and fro trying to work one’s way into God’s favor. There is one basic essential in life, and that is sitting at Jesus’ feet and hearing His Word.Martha is the first person seen, and she has a highly commendable character.Mary also had a commendable character. (Her name was Miriam in the Hebrew.)She had a spiritual hunger for the Word of the Lord: she “heard His Word.” She sat there, fixing her eyes and attention upon Him. She centered her mind upon what He said, listening and concentrating and hearing what He had to say.