The Seven Last Words of Jesus #3 “…Behold your son!”
“Woman, behold your son,” and to John, “Behold your mother.”
In great suffering, Jesus still cared for others and regarded their experience even more highly than what He was going through at the time. Jesus never stopped connecting on a human level; with those God had placed in His life. John 19:26-27
Consider the fullness of this picture? Over three years, Jesus, a young man of 33 years, developed close relationships with 12 men who lived with Him and studied His life and His teachings. A public icon of His day, crowds of people followed, watched and listened to His words. While many people were drawn to Jesus and loved Him, respected religious leaders were jealous of His following and hated Him. And this controversy brought Jesus to the place of hanging on a cross to die.
Giving His life to people, from some He experienced genuine love, from others infatuation, while others heralded His potential expecting something other than God’s plan. As Jesus suffered the physical pain of crucifixion, He also experienced the emotional pain of disrespect, rejection, and betrayal. Knowing and understanding what He was called to do, Jesus felt utterly alone. Yet, in the face of this, Jesus turned. Seeing Mary the woman who bore Him, raised Him, and loved Him like no other, and His most beloved friend, a disciple who He trusted and could confide in, to these two, people who probably understood Him better than any others,
He said: “Woman, behold, your son. And looking at John, “Behold, your mother!”
Who among us would be able to disregard personal suffering of such magnitude long enough to recognize and address someone else’s need? In the face of such anguish, my tendency is to become absorbed by personal circumstances and despise personal ridicule, misunderstanding, and pain of the present.
In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul encourages us to follow Jesus’ example in our relationships. Will we follow Jesus’ example, even to such an extent of prioritizing others? Can we do it?! I dare say that such compassion for others is outside our capability if we have focused on anything other than Christ Himself. Only by God working through our life and experience does God by His Spirit enable us to act in such a way. And this is the power of Christ!
May you be blessed, upheld, motivated, and rooted in His power for love even in your relationships today!
John 19:26-27, Philippians 2:1-11, 19:1-27