good news for bad moms.

In Luke 2 Mary and her family accidentally leave 12 year old Jesus behind on the way home from the feast of the passover in Jerusalem.  Her and Joseph return to Jerusalem to find Jesus three days later hanging out in the middle of the doctors in the church, talking with them and "astonishing them" with his understanding.  Mary, like any mom, scolds him for scaring her half to death, and he responds by asking her if she knows that he is there on his Father's business.  Jesus' response to her goes right over her head. 

So what happened there? And why is this story in the Bible?  I mean, poor Mary leaves her kid behind ONE TIME and people read about it for two thousand years.  Not the proud moment any mom would want to have, let alone to have generation after generation reading about it.  Also, why does Mary not understand what Jesus was talking about when she finds him? 

I think this story is in the Bible because Mary is just like any of us.  She heard the word of God spoken about her family by an angel, shepherds and prophets.  But she, like us, was caught up in the daily challenges and routines of everyday life.  Two separate times in Luke 2 it says "Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart".  Mary knew God had a plan for her family, she had heard the words spoken over her family's life, but she was also human and her focus could be distracted from what God had promised.  

I love this because we are reminded to keep what God has said to us in our heart, to ponder it and reflect on His words, and I love that God doesn't hide Mary's imperfections from us.  He doesn't make her out to be a saint by any means, she is basically a frazzled mom who lost her freakin kid on the way home from Christmas Eve service!

Ladies, this is phenomenal Bible reading for us.  It really is.  We get to have our dingbat moments and God still includes us in his plan. I mean, that is legit savior business happening here!   

I read this and am reminded that God's promise for our families is valid whether or not we are perfect at every single moment.  I am reminded that even though we know God has a purpose for us, we don't always understand it in the moment, and for this very reason we need to keep His word in our heart, we need to meditate on His promises, we need to think on the faithfulness of His words and ponder them until we understand that God's plan is perfect so we don't have to be.  Here's what is even better: He openly, lovingly and intentionally weaves our imperfections into his perfect plan.  

Imperfect as it gets. 

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound!
~D&H