Matt 20:20-22 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. 21 And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom." 22 But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able." NKJV

This Sunday is celebrated by many in the world as Mother’s Day, a day to honor mothers and motherhood for the inestimable value they have and are in the rearing of children and in keeping the family together. There is no way that we can put a monetary value on mothers and the efforts and energy they put forth in their children, and one day out of the year is in no way sufficient to honor their sacrifice and love. Having lost my mom three years ago, I think daily of her trying to teach me, and praying for me when I messed up. I still remember her kneeling in prayer on numerous occasions when Dad was in Vietnam, praying for him and for us. These are things you don’t forget!

I suppose every mother wants what is best for her children, and in the passage above cited we find that Salome was no different. As you see her kneeling down before Jesus, she asks some great things for her sons, James and John. At the time she did not know what she was asking, nor did they. Before their lives were over, however, they all began to glimpse what it would cost to be a part of Jesus’ kingdom.

The first thing Salome asked for was that her sons be “in the kingdom.” It is often the case that women think more about eternal, spiritual matters than men. Yet, from Scripture, it should be the men that lead their families in honoring God and his way (Deuteronomy 4, 6; Ephesians 5 and 6). Today, the greatest thing that parents can do is teach and pray that their children be “in the kingdom” of God. How often do parents teach their children how to live and make a living, but fail to teach them what is really important and what is eternal. Parents, pray daily for your children – that they be in the kingdom and useful servants of God. Pray that God will use them as he sees fit, and exemplify that manner of life before them daily.

Secondly, she prayed that Jesus would use them – that they would be involved. Of course, she desired that they sit at the Lord’s right hand and left. She wanted great things of them, as all parents do. But sometimes we need to teach and emphasize that it does not matter if they become great or well known in the kingdom – what matters is that they use the gifts God gives them for the glory of God and his kingdom. If we but give a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, we will not lost our reward. For far too long in the church we have tried to take the world’s idea of success and transpose in onto the church. We want greatness, and prestige, or we won’t do anything. This has crippled the church, and this is exactly what Jesus warned about earlier in Matthew 20. Let’s get involved, and FAITHFULLY do what God has given us to do in the church.

Thirdly, Salome asks that her sons sit at the right and left hand in the kingdom. She has great expectations of them. We mentioned above that we must not seek prominence or prestige; at the same time, however, we do need to seek excellence in our work for the Lord. We must not “settle” in our work for God, we need to give him the very best that we have to offer.

Thank God for mothers who help their children to reach their potential in Christ. May God give us many, many more godly mothers!