Mary, Did You Know?

It hurts to see your children hurt. Ask any mother whose children have been bullied in school or on the playground. Seeing your children suffer is worse than enduring it yourself.

It is with that in mind that I would like for us to consider what Mary, the mother of Jesus, must have thought when the prophet foretold the future suffering of her son. But first let’s zoom ahead in a time warp to our present day.

Douglas was having a birthday party and invited his cousin, Lech. But he didn’t invite his other cousin, Joey. To rub in the insult, Lech’s mother brought Lech over to visit Joey on the way to the party. After they left, Joey wailed, “Why wasn’t I invited??!” That hurt his mother more than anyone ever knew.

Burt and Lynn were pastoring a small church. After Wednesday evening service, the church’s young people would flock to a fast food restaurant, leaving the minister’s kids to walk home alone, uninvited. It hurt the minister’s kids, but it hurt the parents more.

If those feelings resonate with you, then perhaps you can identify with Mary, the mother of Jesus. Scripture omits most of Jesus’ childhood, but DOES tell us about times when people rejected him. He wasn't accepted by his hometown and narrowly missed being pushed over the edge of a cliff by a mob of angry churchgoers. He was gossiped about, misunderstood and misrepresented. And finally, He was killed by jealous men from His own nation.

How about Mary? Did it hurt to watch her son suffer? Did she wish she could take a little of her son’s mistreatment to spare him the pain? Did she remember the little boy with shining eyes who hugged her long ago?

We may never know the answer to those questions. But as we anticipate the season to celebrate our Savior’s birth, let’s take some time to ponder the dilemma of one little mother, living in a tiny village in Galilee. Mary, did you know?