The Will of the Father

“And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said,

‘Here are my mother and my brothers.

For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father

is my brother, and sister, and mother.’”

Matthew 12:49-50

Today Jesus tells us who His family is. When some people hear of this passage, they feel that Jesus was dissing and disrespecting His Mother, Mary, by seemingly being indifferent to her presence outside. But Jesus was really praising and honoring Mary with what He did. When the people told Jesus that His Mother and brothers are outside looking for Him, He used it as a teaching moment.  Jesus taught about the importance of the will of the Father and of those who not only know of it but does it. Those who do the will of the Father, Jesus told the people, are His brother, and sister, and mother. In saying this, Jesus was saying that Mary does the will of the Father, and that perhaps we all ought to look to her and learn from her, imitating her humility and obedience.

The Family Jesus speaks of is not blood-related, but it is something greater, something more real. In Him we have our adoption as sons and daughters of the Father, His brothers and sisters. In the will of the Father lies our truest identity.  Jesus gestures to you and calls you His brother and sister. Let’s claim that identity today, embracing the will of the Father, to love as Christ loves, to forgive as the Father forgives us, and to encourage and inspire as the Spirit does.