Reflection:  My mate Russ asked me to preach a sermon recently at his church. He gave me the Mother’s Day slot. Given that my experience of being a mother is nil, I felt somewhat underqualified. However, through prayer, thinking and much scouring of concordance listings, I landed on this passage for a Mother’s Day message. Sure, I could have gone to Proverbs 31 (!!!) or done a character profile of a stand-out Bible mum, like Hannah or Jesus’ own mum Mary. Instead, I sort of skipped over how Mary is mentioned in this family scene from Jesus’ life, because I think what is happening here is about everybody outside of Jesus’ blood relatives. Look again at how Jesus responds to his own mother and brothers being unable to cut through the crowd to see him: “Whoever does God’s will be my brother and sister and mother.” In one sentence, I think Jesus articulates how any one of us can be the best family member we can be – the best child of God we can be. For, as the beloved Son Jesus perfectly did God’s will, so we also can follow Jesus’ example – as fellow children of God, seeking to do his will.

Question:  Consider how you can approach doing God’s will today, in the footsteps of God’s beloved Son Jesus.

Prayer: Our Father in heaven, I ask that you guide me in the footsteps of Jesus. Reveal to me how to be your child, as Jesus is. Provide me opportunities to help others to be brothers and sisters of Jesus. Amen.