I wonder how Mary must have felt when she heard Jesus say the words: “Who are My mother and My brothers? Look, here are My mother and My brothers! Anyone who does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.”
According to the Gospels, Mary was there with some of Jesus’ brothers and they were worried about him. Maybe they thought he was working too hard, or perhaps concerned for his safety. But since Jesus’ brothers, particularly James, did not yet believe who Jesus was, maybe it was more out of jealousy than anything else. Maybe they talked their mother into coming along, thinking Jesus would listen to her.
And as usual, Jesus turns things around. Jesus is telling us that we cannot rely on our parents’ religion or who they are to be right with God or ultimately to get into heaven. Each of us, individually, must account for our actions alone. There is only one person who can vouch for us when we finally meet God, and that is Jesus. Someday God will ask, why should I allow you into heaven despite the wrong things you have done? For those of us who know Christ, we can point to Him and say, “because He willingly took my sin.” And Jesus will respond, “I know her, she is with me and part of my family. Come on in.”
And I think Mary understood, at that moment in Jesus’ ministry, that His purpose was bigger than all of us.
Jesus taught that relationships are the most valuable thing – relationship with God and relationship with others. On this Mother’s Day, that certainly proves to be true. At the end of our lives, none of the material things will matter, but those we have around us and the memories of those in our lives, will be what matters most.
Mark 3:31-35 ~ True Relationships
Then His mother and His brothers came, and standing outside, they sent word to Him and called Him. A crowd was sitting around Him and told Him, “Look, Your mother, Your brothers, and Your sisters are outside asking for You.”
He replied to them, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” And looking about at those who were sitting in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! Whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.”
