“Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!” Mt. 12:46
Have you ever felt like the best seats in the house were for the men? God is a father. Jesus is a son. The apostles are men.
Growing up with a lot of liberal feminists, one of the persistent criticisms I heard of the Bible is that it discriminates against women. I struggled within myself, hoping that it didn’t.
Am I invited on a journey with Jesus? Am I welcomed at his feet? Am I given a spot at his table?
YES! YES! YES!
Not only am I given a spot, but the Lord himself looked at me and said, “If you do my will you are my sister and my mother.”
If I choose to follow Jesus I don’t just get to sit at the table, I get to sit in the family section. Family is special. Family gets the front row seats.
My 14 year-old son was the drummer in his school’s Christmas program. I kept telling him that I was going to wear a t-shirt that said, “I gave birth to the drummer.” I didn’t do that by the way, but isn’t that what Jesus is talking about? I get to be the mom.
I am an only child. I am not a sister. I am a mother. I am a mother of 7 amazing people. And Jesus says I get to be his.
In 14 years of motherhood I have labored in pain. I have wiped tears, bandaged wounds and kissed a lot of boo-boos. I have hugged a lot. I have stayed awake all night a lot. I have nurtured, fed and cuddled a lot. I have stroked hair out of the face of sick and sad children. I have wept at their graves.
Jesus says to me, “You are a mother. You were created with life in your touch. Be my mother.”
Today I tell him, “I will!”
I will endure the pain for you. I will wipe your tears and bandage your wounds that were inflected for me. I will hug you. I will stay awake all night with you. I will weep at your grave.
And Jesus, I will thank you for giving the chance.
I love you more than I even I know.
