Jesus startles. He is NOT whom we expect nor does He act like ‘normal’ people. Sometimes He’s not even whom we want. But we don’t get to choose our particular flavor of our Savior. He is God.
Martha and the man in the crowd want personal ‘justice’. The disciples want reassurance as protection against future suffering.
Father, give us the desire to want to receive Jesus just as He is!
***
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Luke 12:13 ESV
This request has got to be the ‘male version’ of Martha’s complaint to Jesus in Luke 10. I can’t quite picture a gal this focused on land and wealth.
Jesus responds with ‘anthropos’, translated by my Bible as ‘man’, although the Greek word can mean either man or woman.
Just as Jesus rebuked Martha for focusing on cooking and serving dinner, our Lord here points out to the complaining brother that life isn’t about collecting riches or ‘stuff’. Jesus suggests a better way in verse 21: Man, don’t be rich for yourself; instead, be rich toward God, by offering Him your abundance.
Likewise, I can picture Him gently reproving Martha in a similar fashion: Martha, don’t do your household tasks for yourself, do them for God, to please Him!
***
“Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. “Is that why they suffered?” Luke 13:2 NLT
I was telling a non-Christian friend about a woman I had recently who had suffered trauma in the past two years: the sudden death of her husband, a double mastectomy and now she was facing more cancer. My friend reacted with a rhetorical question, but one you hear a lot these days: “Why do bad things always seem to happen to good people!”
This sentiment is the opposite of that held by those in Jesus’ day and even earlier. (Consider Job’s friends.) Furthermore, because of God’s Law handed down through Moses, people reasoned differently: “All this bad stuff happened; ‘they’ must have sinned!”
In either case, whether one hails from the western world in the 21st century or from Jesus’ day and earlier, the conclusion is the same: Good people deserve favorable circumstances.
Jesus responds in the next verse, “unless you repent, you will all likewise perish!” Luke 16:3 ESV
There are no good people, by nature.
Reflections on God's Word 
Mar 03, 2021 @ 22:37:27
How true Maria (second one). I believe the church is neglecting the doctrine of the in dwelling sin of believers, so emphasized over 300 years ago by John Owen. I recall George Macdonald saying, “The only thing worse than being a sinner is not being aware of it.”
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Mar 05, 2021 @ 20:10:30
God is interested in our holiness. His wisdom far surpasses our finite understanding of what is good or bad. If God allows circumstances which we believe are “bad things happening to good people” we do not have an understanding of the attributes of God. He is good, He is all knowing, He is rich in mercy. God’s design for our lives is to be conformed to the image of His son. And that is a life separated unto to God the Father, submitting our thoughts in faith to the Holy Father for His glory.
This is not to diminish the misery or pain one is going through but an opportunity to exercise the gift of faith which He has given us. This is hard and especially excruciating in a world that glorifies personal happiness. God will not compromise His holiness and His design for us to be pleased with our circumstances.
John Owens’ poem exalts the excellencies of God. He himself had outlived several of his children, ministered in a very difficult time in England when the crown prevented Puritans from preaching the word. He witnessed the horror of the plague that ravaged London and great disappointments in his academic career. And yet there is not a hint in his public ministry of questioning God. He did of course have to deal with these circumstances honestly and privately. It appears it was his faith in the character of God that kept him walking in faith despite the circumstances. It was a passionate desire to glorify God in His holiness that Owen left the impact he did. Our 21st century eyes might be better served in focusing on God’ excellencies which will stabilize our souls in the peace that God’s purposes are always good and we will have joy. I might even go as far to say-great, good and marvelous things happen to bad people by the grace of a good and loving God.
Mar 05, 2021 @ 20:19:52
You should be writing publicaly, Regina. Well said!