A Forever Family - Mother's Day

"Motherhood: Cornerstone of a Forever Family"
5.10.15

There is an old saying that you can spell love as M-O-T-H-E-R. That is or has been the reality for many. Not all mothers are loving, kind, thoughtful, and nurturing. As we consider the foundations for a family that can last forever, I believe we can begin with mom. Dads are equally important, and we will explore their role on Father's Day, but motherhood begins first so we will begin there. From the first moment of conception, the mother's body begins the role of care taker, provider, protector, and life support. Before she even knows she is pregnant, the mother is already caring for her child.

The bible has many stories about mothers. There is Eve, mother to the human race. There is Noah's daughter-in-laws, mothers to a new start for sinful man. Moses' mother who protected him from death. Issac's mom who laughed when she heard she would become pregnant. The list goes on. There is one mother who is seen as someone special in the motherhood category. She was nothing special or unique herself, but she gave birth to the most unique and special child that ever lived. I speak of course of Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus.

One of the wonderful things I love about the bible is the details of intimate moments in the life of Jesus on earth. His interaction with his family, friends, foes, etc. are revealing in the nature of his humanity as well as his divinity. Perhaps this is most clear in the stories of him and his mother. I wish to explore three stories that reveal three truths about a godly loving mother.

First, Mary shows concern for Jesus which in turn tells us that mothers are to be concerned for their children. In Luke chapter 2, verses 41-52, we read a story of Jesus visiting Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover. After the celebration, the family leaves the capitol city to return to their hometown. Once on the road, Mary and Joseph realize that Jesus did not make the return trip with them. They frantically hurry back to Jerusalem and search for him. They find him the next day in the temple listening and teaching with the religious teachers. In verse 48 we see the heart of Mary revealed when she tells her son "Your farther and I have been anxiously searching for you." We can read into this statement all the care and concern she has for her son. This reveals the first attribute of motherhood: concern.

Second, We read about Jesus as a grown man visiting a wedding with his mother and the disciples. The wedding feast is lasting long into the night and the host has ran out of wine. Embarrassing. Mary acts on the second attribute of motherhood: encouragement. She asks Jesus to do something, and he complains a bit that it is not his time yet. He means of course that it is not his time to reveal his divine nature by the performance of special miracles. I love this scene - Mary knows what Jesus is capable of, Jesus knows it too, but Jesus is not wanting to display his powers at that time. It is not recorded, but having a mom of my own, having a wife who is a mother, and being around mothers all my life, I am sure that after the retort from Jesus, "Woman, why to you involve me?" there was a look. All mom's have it. There is a look that they give us when they are disappointed, or giving silent instruction, or in this case, encouragement to Jesus to be who he is: a miracle worker. Jesus tells her that his time has not come and there is a pause. Then the look. Then Mary turns to the servants and tells them to do whatever Jesus tells them to do.

He performs a miracle that involves baptismal jars filled with water that become wine. Wine that is the best they had ever had. In this moment Jesus foreshadows the day when there will be a baptism in blood for the forgiveness of sin: his blood - shed for all mankind. It is just like a mom to encourage a child to do and or be who they are made to be, even when that child does not want to be it just yet. Moms need to be encouraging.

Third, is faithfulness. Moms are the faithful few who will be there for a child no matter their past, present, or future situation. As a jail chaplain for four years, I saw many men and women who had no one in their life except their mom. When they had done too much, offended too often, and their mom no longer came, visited, wrote, or supported them, that is when I saw grown men cry and women collapse. The final string of hope and belief that tomorrow could be better had been cut.

Mary is faithful to Jesus to the end. In John 19:25 we read that while Jesus hung on the cross his mother stood faithfully at his feet. While we see through the eyes of history that he hung there as sacrifice and we understand in part the bigger picture of his willingness to suffer as he did; it is through the eyes of a mother looking on her child that Mary stands beneath the death of her infant son. A son who was announced with angels, visited by foreign kings, adored by thousands, and who had worried her, obeyed her, loved her, and learned from her as an infant, child, and man. That was her baby there on that awful torture device.

Perhaps the most amazing and rewarding thing a mother can experience is when a child reflects back to her the very qualities of concern, encouragement, and faithfulness that she lovingly poured into her son or daughter. In John 19:26, we read where Jesus looked to his mother and to his best friend, John, and instructed his mom to go with John and for John to take care of his mother. In this scene we see the concern Jesus has for Mary. He encourages her with the knowledge that there will be someone to care for her after he is gone. And he is faithful to the end and beyond with the love that he has for her.

Not all moms are perfect. Okay, none of them are. How wonderful it would be though if we had more who were full of concern, encouragement, and faithfulness to her children. It is certainly a noble idea to hope and pray for as we develop a Forever Family.