Poor woman! Not so long ago she had buried her husband. She had been left to take care of their only son by herself. He would soon be old enough to start working, maybe he already had begun. That would bring some relief to the hand-to-mouth existence they were forced to live. Now they would have some income and be able to earn a little bit of respect in the community.
But this morning her young son had suddenly died. An accident? A sickness? We don't know. But now, overcome with grief, uncertain about her future, she wept loudly as men carried the body of her boy to be buried next to his father.
At that moment there took place one of the most amazing divine appointments that we will ever be able to imagine. Jesus "just happened" to arrive in the town at that moment. When this strong man saw the mother crying over her son, he was moved to tears. He felt her loss. And he was the one who could do something about it. "Jesus gave him back to his mother."
We can only inadequately imagine the reaction of the mother as her son began speaking to her. But we are told that the crowd of people reacted in interesting ways. They were afraid, and they praised God. What were they afraid of? It is probably true that if we ever are present when God performs a powerful act, it will shock us with his greatness and our smallness. The praise that resulted from that fear of God was pure and God- centered.
Jesus had performed an act of mercy out of a heart that completely identified with the hurting person, and his act resulted in people glorifying God. May we too be sensitive to the hurting people around us, and as we reach out to help them, may it result in people glorifying God.
- 5 MARCH -