At His Feet: The Good Part That Cannot Be Taken Away

El Brown

6 days ago

I’ve written about feet before.

I’ve written about Yeshua washing the disciples’ feet—

the humility, the cleansing, the commissioning embedded in that act.

I’ve written about the spiritual and neurological significance of feet—

how nerve endings map the body,

how standing on the earth grounds us,

how Scripture declares “how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”

I’ve explored the feet that walked across stormy waters,

the feet pierced by nails,

the feet anointed with tears.

So it’s no surprise that the Spirit has brought me back again.

Back to the feet of Yeshua.

But this time—

to the feet where Mary sat.

Not washing.

Not weeping.

Not pouring perfume.

But listening.

And everything about it was radical.

Everything about it carried more weight

than we’ve often realized.

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Seated at His Feet—A Disciple’s Posture

“She had a sister named Mary, who seated herself at the Lord’s feet and was continually listening to His teaching.” (Luke 10:39 AMP)

It’s easy to read this story and think:

“Well, Mary was simply taking a break.

She wanted to enjoy Yeshua’s company.”

But in the original culture,

to sit at a rabbi’s feet was not passive.

It was not casual.

It was the official posture of a disciple.

It meant:

“I submit to your teaching.”

“I’m here to learn your ways.”

“I want to absorb everything you impart.”

The very phrase was used in Jewish tradition—

Paul later describes himself as having been “brought up at the feet of Gamaliel.” (Acts 22:3)

Mary wasn’t simply relaxing.

She wasn’t avoiding chores.

She was positioning herself as a disciple.

A woman,

in a world where formal discipleship was reserved for men,

was seated at the feet of the Rabbi.

And He let her stay.

Not only did He allow it—

He defended it.

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Continually Listening: The Word Beneath the Surface

The text says she was “continually listening.”

In the original Greek, the word used is “ēkouen” (ἤκουεν)—

an imperfect tense verb,

indicating an ongoing, habitual action.

She wasn’t glancing up now and then.

She wasn’t half-listening while multitasking.

She was leaned in,

staying,

remaining,

soaking,

anchored.

Every word He spoke,

she let it settle deep into her soul.

Her proximity to His feet wasn’t just physical—

it was spiritual nearness.

The feet that had walked into her home

had become the place she planted herself.

And in planting herself at His feet,

she took root in something eternal.

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The Proximity and the Posture

It wasn’t only about hearing words.

It was where she chose to hear them from.

At His feet—

the place of humility.

The place of surrender.

The place of closeness to the dust and the glory at the same time.

She was close enough to see

the dust of the road still clinging to Him,

the weariness of His journey,

and yet she stayed there,

as if to say:

“Your feet are beautiful to me,

because they have carried You here.”

She wasn’t vying for a seat at the table of honor.

She wasn’t positioning herself for status.

She knew that everything flowed down from His feet—

mercy, peace, wisdom, truth.

And what flowed down from His feet

was greater than anything she could work to achieve.

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The Good Part That Cannot Be Taken Away

When Martha complained,

Yeshua didn’t scold her for working.

He didn’t diminish her serving.

But He defended Mary’s choice.

“Mary has chosen the good part,

which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:42)

Not just a good part.

The good part.

Not just a moment of rest.

A position of permanence.

Because whatever we gain at His feet

cannot be stolen by time,

cannot be undone by busyness,

cannot be diminished by human expectations.

The world may demand productivity.

People may pull at us for tasks.

Our minds may scream with urgent things.

But time spent at His feet

is time multiplied,

time redeemed,

time sanctified.

What we receive at His feet

empowers us to go further, faster,

with less striving and more peace.

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A Woman in the Position of a Disciple

And make no mistake—

this wasn’t a small thing.

For a woman to sit in the disciple’s posture

flipped the expectations of the time.

This was radical inclusion.

This was divine affirmation.

This was the Teacher saying,

“There’s room at My feet for you too.”

Yeshua wasn’t only teaching Mary.

He was teaching everyone in the room—

and everyone who would read this story through the centuries.

He was declaring,

through her silent, listening posture:

“I’ve come to multiply what the world has minimized.

I’ve come to raise what culture has overlooked.

I’ve come to fill what has been emptied.

I’ve come to call daughters into discipleship

and sons into surrender.”

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Prophetic Insight for Today

The Spirit whispers:

“Sit.

Stay.

Listen.

Don’t let the pressure of doing

pull you from the posture of being.

I will multiply what others think you’re wasting.

I will cover your feet with My peace.

I will bless the work of your hands

when your heart is anchored at My feet.

I will redeem the time you give Me.

I will defend the space you’ve carved for Me.

Come near again.

I’m still speaking.

I’m still calling disciples

to sit where the world says they don’t belong.”

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Declarations

I declare that I choose the good part: to sit at the feet of Yeshua.
I declare that no time spent in His presence is wasted; it is multiplied and redeemed.
I declare that I am positioned as His disciple, receiving what cannot be taken away.
I declare that as I remain at His feet, He blesses the work of my hands and covers my feet with His peace.
I declare that His words spoken over me at His feet will go further and last longer than anything achieved apart from Him.

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