MARY - A
ROLE MODEL FOR ALL MOTHERS
By Bill Ellis
SCOTT DEPOT, WV (ANS) -- Protestants
who are convinced that Roman Catholics place too much emphasis on the
Virgin Mary, especially in reference to her being called the “Mother of
God”, may err in saying too little about her. It could be that both
have a point of view that could prove to be mutually helpful.
In Protestant churches it is not uncommon to hear a prayer that
includes these words, “In the name of God the Father, God the Son, and
God the Holy Spirit.” I recall hearing sermons that speak of Jesus
Christ as being the Second Person of the Divine Trinity. Preachers
often say, “Jesus is God.”
Some Biblical passages that support that conviction would include the
following” Luke 1:41-45; John 1:1-5, 14; 8:58; 20:28.
YOUR ONE STOP GUIDE TO MARY, by Mitch Finley, released by Servant
Publications (Ann Arbor, MI) gives a view embraced by Roman Catholics.
Another point of view, accepted by most Protestants, THE 10 MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS YOU CAN SAY TO A CATHOLIC, is written by Ron Rhodes
(Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, OR).
Jesus, being the biological son of Mary, logically leads us to
acknowledge that she was the Mother of God. She was conceived and
impregnated, not by Joseph, but by the Holy Spirit. Often referred to
as the Immaculate Conception.
Mary set a good example for other mothers. As we approach Mother’s Day,
a national observance which is annually celebrated in the United States
on the second Sunday of May, it would be well to point out some of the
characteristics of Mother Mary which make her a worthy role model.
- She was a
young virgin who had lived a holy life.
- She was
obedient to the Word of God spoken to her by the angel Gabriel. The
story is in Matthew 1:16-25, 2:1-23 and Luke 1:1-80, 2:1-52.
- She gave
birth to the only begotten Son of God according to John 3:16.
- She and
her husband, Joseph, took Jesus to the temple in his infancy and during
his childhood. She taught her first born the Word of God.
- She
listened to her Son as he began his public ministry. He had left home
to fulfill God’s purpose for his life. After 30 years, presumably lived
at home with his mother and father whom most people believed to be
Joseph. Three people really knew the truth in this matter -- Mary,
Joseph, and Jesus. All three knew he was the Son of God and that God
was his Father. What others may have thought was not that important.
- Mary did
not cower when Jesus faced his greatest trial. She went all the way
with her Son to the crucifixion. Jesus acknowledged his Mother from the
cross (John 19:25-27).
- After his
resurrection Jesus appeared to one, two, 11, 12 and more than 500
people at once. I believe Mary saw him and that she and her Son talked
together. She was with those who saw him ascend into heaven (Acts 1:14).
We must be
careful that we do not become so concerned about over-exalting Mary
that we fail to pay her the honor and tribute she is due. Many mothers,
including my own and my two grandmothers, the mother of my children,
and the mothers of my grandchildren, my wife’s mother and grandmothers,
and all the mothers in our extended family, and the thousands of
mothers I have met deserve special blessings and honor.
Mothers are very special people, created by God in order to give us
some idea of how much He really loves us. A mother’s love is the
nearest thing to God’s love on this earth.
Bill Ellis is a syndicated
columnist, and convention and conference speaker on every continent. He
is the writer of more than 1600 columns and widely known as a motivator
utilizing enjoyment of life and just plain fun and laughter while
speaking to high school, university and professional sports teams as
well as to business and professional groups of all kinds. His keen
understanding of human problems make him a favorite speaker for youth,
parent, and senior adult meetings. He is accompanied by Kitty, his
wife, favorite singer, editor and publisher.
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