It is sometimes hard for younger brothers and sisters when they have a “perfect” older sibling. Can you imagine how hard it was for Jesus’ younger siblings to grow up with an older brother who was PERFECT. Not only was he PERFECT but he could walk on water and perform miracles. Were they resentful of Jesus? Did they feel that their mother loved their older brother more? Were they embarrassed by the way he hung out with sinners and did they consider him “odd” when he was doing these miracles? John 7:5 talks about how “even his own brothers did not believe in him”. Their family was spiritually divided. I can only imagine how Mary must have felt by having her beloved family torn apart by different religious beliefs. I am sure her heart was broken and I am also sure that she devoted much time praying that her family would be united.
We know that Mary was a very strong lady. Can you imagine watching your son die on the cross? She was there. I cannot imagine the pain she must have felt nor the Joy she felt when she saw Jesus when he arose. Her other children did come to believe but only after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Did they regret the time they had wasted while he was with them? They had the opportunity to ask and receive the answers to all of life’s questions and they did not take advantage of it.
We know that Jesus’ half-brother, James, did become a leader of the church in Jerusalem and even wrote a book in the New Testament. The book of James is one of the easiest books in the bible to understand and one of the hardest to apply in our lives. I think James wrote such practical advice because he had lived it first hand. He knew what it was like to go from a non-believer to a believer. He not only knew what to do but he also knew how to apply it to his life.
Acts 1:14 reads "They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers." Mary’s prayers were finally answered.
No comments:
Post a Comment