Mark 1:29-39
There is something that has always bothered me about this story, it is Jesus healing the mother-in-law and then her serving them all. It's convenient isn't it? She's healed and they get food, the extra bed made up, and taken care of. Everyone is in their assumed roles and the boys don't have to cook and make a mess.
Now as a feminist this just rubs me the wrong way. As a person who like to explore things that rub me the wrong way I start to dig for what the problem might be. As I was sifting through commentaries one decided to use this as an example of the many times Jesus heals women and interacts with them. Another had quite a different take though.
Could it possibly be that Peter's mother-in-law wanted to serve them? That she chose to serve them hadn't occurred to me. I think sometimes we get carried away under a banner of justice and we forget to ask whether a person chooses the role they are doing. Or we can just out and misjudge who a person truly is.
There once was a man who was told in high school that he would never be able to go onto college. He didn't have the grades, didn't have the ability, and didn't measure up to college material in all of his teachers estimations. He decided to prove them all wrong. He went to a two year junior college and then went on to Tuft's dental school. He didn't accept the role they had in mind for him. He went on to give back to a community that had no dentist and would give free or discounted care to those who came to him.
Sometimes the gospel, good news is for us just to accept the roles others choose for themselves. It is not our place to take away the gift that they want to give to others. Accepting this may just reveal to us a bit of who Jesus is.
There once was a man who was told in high school that he would never be able to go onto college. He didn't have the grades, didn't have the ability, and didn't measure up to college material in all of his teachers estimations. He decided to prove them all wrong. He went to a two year junior college and then went on to Tuft's dental school. He didn't accept the role they had in mind for him. He went on to give back to a community that had no dentist and would give free or discounted care to those who came to him.
Sometimes the gospel, good news is for us just to accept the roles others choose for themselves. It is not our place to take away the gift that they want to give to others. Accepting this may just reveal to us a bit of who Jesus is.
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