You may have heard about her and probably developed some contempt for her action. The mother of James and John; Her name was Salome.
Let’s tell her little story again.
She went to Jesus one day and requested on behalf of her children. She asked that they both be seated at the right and left-hand side of Jesus when they went to heaven. The other disciples were disgusted at her action, and probably everyone who reads that would be too. However, Jesus made her understand that it depended not only on their level of suffering for the kingdom’s sake but that ultimately, that decision is taken by His Father, God.
Before we begin to analyse her behaviour, let me give you a little context of her time and what it must have been for her.
Israel was a long time under terrible captivity under the Roman empire. Their livelihood was greatly threatened by the taxes that were levied on them. However, they knew of a prophecy of a Messiah that would come and free them from the clutches of the Romans and make things right. Again, at least that was their understanding of the prophecy. She knew that too well.
Now imagine when she learned that the expected Messiah had chosen not one but two of her sons to work with Him, and better still, He spoke of a new country that would be established after this world had passed away. She did what she could to secure a future for herself, having experienced the hardship under the Romans.
Imagine yourself as a contemporary to her and as a woman. Do you see so much wrong in her actions as you did before?
Well, I don’t.
You see, a woman is one of the most wonderful creatures made by God. Her devotion to the well-being of her family is unrivaled by any. Read proverbs 31:10-31. You will see the level of foresight and wisdom she applies just for the benefit of her household. She has the ability to go into the future and assess what could be expected and starts to prepare for them now. She can do the dirty work and take the shame just to see that her family prospers.
Salome saw the number of disciples Jesus had and how everyone clamored to be associated with Him. In her minimal understanding of how God works, she believed she had a role to play in securing her sons and, by extension, family’s future, and she tried to partner with Jesus to make it possible.
As a woman, wife, or mother, what step have you taken so far to secure your family? What have or are you investing in their future? It is your duty to partner with God to better your household. If your children must grow to be outstanding, then you must partner with God to declare what would be in their lives, and how do you do that?
- Saturate yourself with God’s Word and find His promises relevant to your household.
- Bringing your family constantly before God is the best investment you can make for them. Submerge yourself in prayers and cover them. Shape the future through your prayers.
- Invest time teaching your children the right thing to do and giving them access to quality mentorship. This would keep them away from evil communication and make them always ahead.
- Always be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. He speaks to you about them.
Dear Moms and Moms-to-be, you have a significant role only you can play in your family. Negligence can expose your family and make them vulnerable to destruction and stagnation.
