I taught school in rural Oregon for several years. One of the families at our church had a rebellious teenage daughter who began to identify with her secular, drug-using step-mom instead of her Christian, single mom. A sudden job loss caused the mom to have to move away, and her daughter chose to stay behind and live with local friends.
While that tore the family apart, the Lord raised up a woman in our town who welcomed the girl as her own. The teen began to call the woman “Mom” and found stability and purpose anew. I’m sure the girl’s birth mother was crushed to be replaced by a stranger, but what a relief she must have felt to see her daughter straighten up and pursue a healthy life.
Similarly, I have wondered how Jesus’ brothers felt when He gave His mom to His young disciple, John, at the foot of the cross. We know from Scripture that Jesus’ brothers did not initially believe in Him and scorned His ministry.
When differences in values, beliefs, and expectations tear a family apart, how do we cope? Jesus acted. Knowing the agony Mary was suffering while seeing her firstborn tortured to death, Jesus tucked her under the loving care of His tender-hearted disciple.
We don’t know how Jesus’ brothers felt about Jesus giving their mom’s care to someone else. We know that after Jesus’ resurrection, they were praying in the upper room, along with Mary and the disciples. They had finally believed in Jesus. Tradition holds that Mary moved to Ephesus with John, who provided for her until her death. Ephesus may be where the good doctor Luke encountered her and transcribed her story in his gospel.
Jesus practiced adoption, giving his own mother to a new son. In fact, Jesus died so that God could adopt us into His family. Jesus always provides space for repentance, salvation, and new direction.
In places of unresolved family brokenness, look for Jesus’ grace, adoption plans, and provision.
Kim Robinson is a former schoolteacher who has taught in rural and central Oregon, Alaska, and with Mercy Ships in Africa. She currently lives in Salem, Oregon, where she is delighted to serve the Lord as a mom, grandma, writer, copy editor, and encourager of others.