It is hard not to stop for a moment on the journey of Jesus from Mt. Hermon to Calvary and not wonder about this unnamed woman and her shouted out word of blessing. Who was this woman who proclaimed the mother of Jesus a blessed woman? She spoke while Jesus was teaching a growing crowd of people and it took some measure of boldness to raise her voice so that it could be heard in that male dominated world. "Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!" she cried out. In response Jesus said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey it." (Luke 11:27-28)
While it is a rather strange verbal exchange, one can only wonder if was not one of those "good an better' moments such as we hear in the Sermon on the Mount, or one of the "good, but better" moments such as we heard in the home of Martha and Mary. He certainly did not dishonor women as mothers. He did not deny the values and goodness of a woman who brought life into the world and nurtured it. Such is a good thing, but what He did do was to say an even better thing was hearing the Word of God with an obedient heart. If being a mother is a good thing, then a better thing is to please God.
It should be no surprise that Jesus would be focused on the obedient life. Obedience was the thing which was keeping Him moving steadfastly toward Jerusalem. He understood an obedient heart brought great spiritual blessing, a blessing that was even greater than giving and sustaining life. An obedient heart enables us to move forward into God's future without looking back. Truly, we are more greatly blessed when we are able to walk after God in such a way.
While it is a rather strange verbal exchange, one can only wonder if was not one of those "good an better' moments such as we hear in the Sermon on the Mount, or one of the "good, but better" moments such as we heard in the home of Martha and Mary. He certainly did not dishonor women as mothers. He did not deny the values and goodness of a woman who brought life into the world and nurtured it. Such is a good thing, but what He did do was to say an even better thing was hearing the Word of God with an obedient heart. If being a mother is a good thing, then a better thing is to please God.
It should be no surprise that Jesus would be focused on the obedient life. Obedience was the thing which was keeping Him moving steadfastly toward Jerusalem. He understood an obedient heart brought great spiritual blessing, a blessing that was even greater than giving and sustaining life. An obedient heart enables us to move forward into God's future without looking back. Truly, we are more greatly blessed when we are able to walk after God in such a way.
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