Mother's Love
Mary the mother of Jesus had heard the rumours that were going around that Jesus was ‘beside himself’ and out of love for her son, she went with her other sons to support him.
The Bible says, “Then Jesus went home; and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. And when the family heard it, they went out to seize him, for the people were saying, “He is beside himself.”
Mary was not standing idly by, she went to find Jesus. When she found him he was surrounded by many people, so she asked to speak with him. I do not think that Mary went to apprehend Jesus, she went to protect him, out of concern for him.
Jesus’response maybe would indicate that he was looking for the support of those who were sat listening to him. “Here are my mother and my brothers! Who ever does the will of God are my brother, and sister, and mother.” Mark 3: 20, 21, 34, 35.
The Scribes were behind the rumours
The Scribes and the Pharisees were trying to discourage the people from going to Jesus for healing. As a result there was a division amongst the people over him. Refer to John 10: 19-21.
Jesus was healing people of all kinds of sicknesses and diseases and hundreds of people were going to him. The problem for the Scribes was that Jesus healed on the Sabbath Day and this caused them to seek his demise. Under Jewish Law the people earned their righteousness, so to please God, the Pharisees, Lawyers and Scribes had added extra laws to the Laws of Moses.
Jesus was ignoring those extra laws by healing on the Sabbath Day. “The Messiah’s Secret” page 27 “Kingdom Teaching.” “The Scribes and Pharisees were overburdening the people with added rules, under law they earned their righteousness through keeping the law, their traditions made void the word of God.” Mark 7: 13
We must call for Christian mothers and fathers today to protect their children by supporting the report by Mothers’ Union Chief Executive Reg Bailey on the “Sexualisation of Childhood,” “Sexualised and gender stereotyped clothing, products and services for children.”
Mothers’ Union ‘BYE BUY CHILDHOOD CAMPAIGN’
“We believe that children should be valued as children and not targeted as adult consumers. Children have become a marketing opportunity worth £99 billion in the UK and £350 million is spent in the UK each year persuading children to consume. Manipulative techniques exploit children’s natural credulity and use them as a conduit to the household purse. The materialism this encourages has negative effects on children’s physical health, mental and emotional wellbeing, on their values, educational development and relationships with families and peers. The use of sexualised content to sell to children and the imposition of sexuality on children to market goods is particularly abhorrent.
How can you make a difference?
This campaign guide which outlines three ways in which you can make a difference:
• Analyse your consumer habits.
• Challenge retailers and advertisers who sell or advertise inappropriately to children.
• If you are concerned about the inappropriateness of an advert aimed at children; contact the relevant regulator with your concern.
For print, press, posters, television, radio, cinema, internet (banners and pop-ups etc), emails text and sales promotions, you can log your complaint online: http://www.asa.org.uk/complaints-and-ASA-action/How-to-complain.aspx
Contact Mid City Place, 71 High Holborn, London. WC1V 6QT Phone 020 7492 2222
The Mothers Union supports families by serving the church and the community in practical ways:
‘Freshers’ Week – University Students especially overseas students are given support by receiving gift parcels containing : coffee, tea, pasta, rice, mugs, pans and other basic needs to help them settle in to their new homes.
The Mustard Tree is a Manchester based organisation which helps to support refugees in Manchester. They asked the Mothers’ Union in Manchester to supply ‘bras’ for refugee women and in response over 5,000 bras from MU members were sent by the Manchester office to help these women.
