The Greatest Mother’s Day Gift

Mother’s Day invites us to pause and honor the women who have shaped our lives.  Whether your mother is near or far, living now or in eternity, this day reminds us of the deep bond between mother and child. Every mother’s story is different. Sometimes they are filled with lots of laughter, sometimes with sacrifice or pain. If your relationship with your mom is unusual, you’re not alone. Even Jesus’s relationship with His mother was challenging and yet tender.

Mary was chosen to bring the Savior into the world and raise Him. She accepted this blessing humbly and faithfully (Luke 1). She raised Jesus well and He honored her for it. Yet, His interactions with her show that she, like all of us, was human and needed a savior. 

At 12, Jesus went with his family to Jerusalem for Passover. A day into their return home, his parents realized he was not with them. When they found Him two days later at the temple conversing with the scholars, Mary reprimanded him like any mother would. But Jesus replied, “why were you looking for me? Did you not know I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2). In essence, he was saying, “you should have known where I’d be.”

Years later, at a wedding in Cana, Mary approached Jesus with a problem that she thought He could help with. His reply was unusual: “Woman (or “ma’am”), what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 

Later when His ministry was gaining momentum, his family was trying to extract him from a house where was teaching and take him home (Mark 3). They’re worried that he was not behaving normally and was out of His mind. But Jesus taught that those who do God’s will are His true family. Once a woman blurted out praise for his mother, “blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed.” Why didn’t Jesus just say, “Thank you. She sure is!” Instead, he redirects the praise: “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 3).

Each of these interactions are unusual because we don’t expect them. They’re not how we might answer. His relationship with Mary was different from ours. Make no mistake, Jesus, God’s sinless Son, loved and honored his mother. He followed the Law of Moses perfectly, including the command to honor his father and mother. Jesus was always driven by love in everything He did. While in agony on the cross, He ensured that she would be cared for after he was gone (John 19). His greatest act of honor and love was giving His life for her and for us.

The common thread in all of His interactions was His mission. Even as a young man, He knew His Father’s mission was so important that not even his mother could take him from it. In the book of John, “hour” means the cross. Once he began performing signs in public, He starts down the path of fulfilling that mission, which was the cross.

That’s why He wouldn’t let his mother, even by her presence or comments about her (Mark 3 and Luke 11), detract Him from what he was teaching his disciples. It is why he emphasized spiritual relationships over the physical relationship of mother and son. 

Mothers need our love and care, even if the relationship is complicated (Ephesians 6:1-3). Jesus did that. Jesus treated her differently because He was on earth to do something of the greatest importance. He honored his mother in the highest possible way, by giving his life for her so that she could be saved. 

Our mission in life is to live for Him who died for us. He is our mission and our life (2 Cor 5:15; Col 3:3-4). Our relationship with Him is greater than any human relationship (Matthew 10:37; Luke 14:26). Thus, the greatest Mother’s Day gift and highest honor to pay her is to honor Jesus with obedience and trust. Wouldn’t she want that?

Happy Mother’s Day!

Eric Welch