Aren't you glad you're not Mary?

Can you imagine being Mary the mother of Jesus? Remember that Jesus, while being 100% God, was also 100% human yet without sin. And, it's that without sin part I'm talking about.

Imagine you're Mary and Jesus is a toddler. You're sitting down in your kitchen taking a break with some good friends, and you start complaining because you were up all night with Jesus who had an earache. And, your friend is sympathizing because she too has been there, done that. And, so she, like we women do, shares her story, she says, "I know just what you mean, I was so mad at little Zach last week. I've told him a thousand times to stay out of the donkey trail running through town, and yet Wednesday I look out the window and there he is standing in the middle of the trail, he would have gotten run over if it weren't for our big black dog that was standing there barking at all the donkeys! I just get so exasperated with that child. It seems like he spends his life not obeying me."

And, another friend chimes in, "yeah, I can so relate! Little Sarah is into everything! Yesterday she had my makeup out all over my bedroom. I spent HOURS cleaning everything up. She was kind of cute though with lipstick on her nose, and eye shadow clear up to her hairline. Of course I had to punish her so she'd know that was naughty, but I was hiding a smile while I did it. "

And yet another friend chimes in, "last week my Ezekiel got sent home from his Sabbath classes because he said a bad word! I have no idea where he heard that! I had to wash his mouth out with soap and then he was spitting soap bubbles for hours! It was kind of funny though."

And, on and on your friends go, and you realize, like Mary did (scriptures say she pondered these things in her heart) that you really don't have any "naughty" tales to tell about Jesus. In fact, the very thing you were complaining about has nothing to do with being bad--but instead being in pain--being miserable. And, you realize that the "sin" was indeed yours for being impatient with his pain.

And, as Jesus grows a bit and is now in school, you're gathered around the well getting water for your family and chatting with another group of friends and you hear, "John got in trouble at school because he made Mary cry by pulling her hair. I don't know what I'll do with that child. He's always getting his name on the board at school!" And as they always do, someone else chimes in, "I'm so frustrated with Zebediah, I tell him every single day to make his bed before school, and then the one day I forget to remind him he doesn't make it! Will this child ever learn to be responsible and obey me?" And, yet another jumps into the conversation, "yes, I think my Rhonda will be grounded until she's 35! She just can't seem to stay out of trouble!"

And, again Mary's left thinking about Jesus and realizing she has no stories to tell. Jesus is instead always nice to his classmates, and always obedient to whatever she tells him to do, and he's kind and gentle with his siblings (about whom she could tell tales and has to resist the urge to compare them always with their older brother)! And Mary reflects on her own attitude just last night when she was grumpy with Jesus' little sister and yelled at Him instead, and He didn't even get mad at her, but instead just gave her a hug and went to bed quietly like she had told him to.

And when Jesus is a teen Mary's out at her grinding stone grinding corn with the other ladies in the town square, and the ladies are again talking about their teenagers. "I caught Jacob trying to watch our neighbor girl bathe the other day! I was so upset with him! Can you believe it?" After commiserating for awhile and sharing about this situation, another friend mentions, "I'm struggling with Betty too. She has the biggest crush on a Roman soldier--can you imagine? He's too old for her and he's NOT Jewish. But, she sneaks out nights while we're sleeping and talks with him! We really don't know what we're going to do about her." And once again Mary reflects on how Jesus is helpful with the younger children, how He doesn't seem to do anything improper with regards to girls, and is always obedient. And once again she becomes convicted of her behavior just this morning towards Jesus when she jumped down his throat for spending time in the Torah when she thought he should be out enjoying the sunshine.

Can you imagine? Can you imagine having a child who never, ever sinned? A child who was never arrogant, or selfish, or rebellious? I sure can't. But then again I've never had a child who was God--God made flesh.

I imagine though it was a bit hard for Mary. I imagine too it might have pointed out her own sinfulness when she was impatient with Jesus, or when she was cranky and he never, ever responded with anger to her. Can you imagine being the mother of God? I sure can't. Mary though lived it every day.