“Woman Behold Your Son!…Behold Your Mother!”

Scripture Text: John 19: 23-27

When I was a child, I used to appreciate my parents – they were the ones who gave me security, love and provided me with most of my needs. However, as I grew up, I began to get irritated by some of their ‘unreasonable’ demands and soon, battles fiercer than the ‘Gulf War’ ensued. It was only when I became a parent myself that I started appreciating them once again, as I realised that sojourning and trudging my way through parenthood, was certainly not easy.

The Bible clearly states that we are to honour and obey our parents – the first commandment that God has given that comes with a promise. From the life of Jesus, we can clearly see what to honour and obey them involves. If there is one word that sums up how we should honour them, it is to CARE for them. We cannot say we CARE, without Caring, that is without DOing it.

We are reminded often that when Jesus hung on the cross, it was to die for our sins, to show us His love. However, many of us will not associate the cross as a poignant example of Jesus’ love and care for His mother. From Jesus’ words, “Woman, behold your son… (and to the disciple) behold your mother!”, Pastor Leslie shared a powerful insight into Jesus’ care and concern especially for His mother.

How did Jesus show His love and honour to His mother? It is through CARE.

1) C – Caring for our parents with a Compassionate heart.

Even as Jesus was gasping for every breath, He still beheld His mother with such compassion in these tender words, “Behold your mother”, directly asking John his disciple to take over a son’s responsibility. What a fine example for us to follow – to look at our parents with compassion, i.e. ‘a sensitivity to see their need and an ability to meet that need’. Jesus saw His mother’s pierced heart and met that need by gasping out those tender words, forgetting His own agony and torment!

2) A – Availing ourselves to serve our parents.

During the first thirty years of Jesus’ life, being the eldest son, He availed Himself to His mother and family by most probably, doing all the mundane chores from drawing water, bringing bread and butter, to chopping firewood etc. Another example of His availability was when He obediently returned home with them, having been found by them in the temple, when He was 12 years old. In the midst of our ‘busy-ness’, in our work, our own families, we too, should avail ourselves to our aged parents when they are in need.

3) R – Being Responsible for the welfare of our parents.

Jesus again showed His sense of responsibility toward His family when He took upon Himself to support His family as a carpenter. It was likely that Joseph, His father, died at a young age. He most likely stopped doing the family’s business only when His younger siblings became old enough to look after Mary and themselves, when He was 30. He then moved on to do His Father’s business and started accomplishing God’s mission for mankind. Is not this a heartwarming example for us, that we too, should continue as much as we can, to support our aged parents, financially?

4) E – Emulating Jesus’ Example.

The last words of Jesus were indeed impressionable. It was uttered during a scene that showed His utmost care for His mother. It casts such a real and vivid picture of our relationship between our Heavenly Father and His children. This earthly picture teaches us to be grateful and care for the concerns of our aged parents who are the ones who gave us life in the first place.

Prayer Response:

Our Lord Jesus Christ, we thank You for Your great example of filial piety and concern for Your earthly parents. You give us our parents as an expression of Your creative power and love. We realise that as we love our parents it is also as an expression of our love to You. We are thankful for them and as well for You. We thank You for Your abiding faith that enables to see the needs of our parents and to meet their needs with Your grace and patience. We are forever grateful to You, our Heavenly Father. In the Name of the Most Compassionate Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

- Devotional based on message by Ps Leslie Lim