Are You My Mother?

  Out of context, it seems a very strange question Jesus asks in Matthew 12:48, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?" When you add on the fact that those very people were standing outside the door, having come to take hold of him because of the rumor circulating about his insanity (Mark 3:21), it makes it seem all the more suspect.

  Yet Jesus here is making a very profound statement to all of us.  He says in verse 35, For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother." Jesus isn’t confused, he’s explaining that spiritual family is of higher concern than physical. 

  Later Jesus would exclaim "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple”(Luke 14:26). Family can’t be first, God has to be.

  I love my mother. I hope you do too. However, a mother’s love no matter how great isn’t higher than the love of God. Honoring father and mother are part of God’s command but not above honoring Him.