Live Through Yourself

Luke 11:27-28 – As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

If you are a parent, I am sure you want the best for your children. Most of us genuinely want to see them succeed because we sincerely love them and want them to have a good life. However, it is tempting to live through our children and measure our status and self-worth by their achievements. Think of the sacrifices the parents of Olympians had to make to get their athlete children there. When the camera comes on them as they cheer in the stands, do they not have the right to feel proud? Is not their child’s success do in large part to their efforts?

I am sure the woman in this bible passage meant well. She was probably a mother with high hopes for her own son. She imagined how proud she would have been if she was Mary watching the growing crowds cheering on her son. Yet, Jesus corrects her as he does us. It is not our status or position that makes us great. It is not our title or the achievements of our children. Hearing and obeying God’s word is what Jesus says really matters. Let’s not base our self-esteem on living through others. Let’s live through ourselves.