We mothers are proud of our children. We have big dreams for them. We hope and pray that they would do something important and make a difference in society. And how do we do that? We encourage them with words and actions. Well done! Good job! Proud of you, son/honey/sweetie. We bring them to piano lessons, swimming lessons, violin lessons. We attend their recognition, moving up, graduation ceremonies. We cheer at their basketball games and applaud at their performances on stage.
As I read what the mother of Jesus said and how she supported her son in his ministry, two sentences stood out:
1) ‘They have no wine.’ This she said to Jesus. They were at a wedding. The wine ran out. She told her son of a problem. The one sentence held implication even though unspoken. Son, there is a problem… do something. This is implied because of how Jesus replied her: “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” Paraphrase: That is not our concern. Not yet my time. Now what? In spite of Jesus’ reply: he even addressed her as ‘Woman’ – not mother. Quite something… she was not offended with that. She did something more.
2) “Whatever he says to you, do it.” This is her 2nd statement – to the servants of the wedding function. Very supportive of her son, she instructed the waiters to follow whatever Jesus is going to tell them to do.
Implications and application:
Mary’s example reminds me to use my words wisely. Sometimes or often times, we mothers think we get our children to do things by many constant reminders.. in short nagging. I am guilty of it. We also impose our desires and our dreams on them – we tell them what to do. Honey, do this, do that. When our children are grown, we need to treat them as adults. We share with them our burdens, our load, our ‘problem.’ And if we train them right, they will get it. They will do something.
Aside from few words, a mother supports her child with full confidence that he will do something. Mary supported Jesus by getting him helpers to do the task. She knew that Jesus would do something – and even though she did not know what it was – she just knew it would work. Many things in life, I as a mother could not and should not do for my children. Another confession, how often I thought that there are things I need to do for my children to help them. In the end, I was not helping them. I need to learn from Mary how to support wisely. My way is not always the best way. The servants would be more efficient and capable of filling up water – lots of it in the big jars than Mary could.
Bottom line: Mothers need discernment and wisdom – by God’s grace and mercy to be good mothers so that their children will do great things in life. Jesus’ mother was instrumental in His first miracle. How should I as a mother help my child to bring blessing to the people around him/her? Not with nagging but with confidence and prayerful support.
