I saw her standing there* - Tifanny

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

John 19:25-27

We were studying this passage on Monday. I have shared about this passage many times - the first time when to the youths and when i asked them what lesson can we learn from it, some smart alec said "Give your mother to John"!!!!

This passage is a wonderful example of how Jesus is always putting others first. He was going thru excruciating suffering - but he saw her standing there, he took the time to make sure that his earthly mother would have be taken cared off after he leaves, even tho he was in great anguish and agony.

But on Monday, an interesting thought struck me as i listened to the teaching leader. I have always forgotten that besides Mary and John, there were also other women who were there, near the cross of Jesus. Salome was one of them!

Now Salome was the mother of John - and we were wondering how she must have felt when Jesus asked her (Salome's) son to be the son of Mary! We were also reminded that this was Salome who not too long ago went up to Jesus asking (almost demanding) that Jesus makes her sons to be his right hand and left hand men!

We always remember Salome for that - short-sighted, not spiritual, failing to understand the plan of God.

But we see in this passage that when all of Jesus' disciples, all his closest companions deserted him (except John), only a few women stayed close by him near the cross. And as Jesus hung dying on the cross, he must have saw her standing there. She could have very well come to the conclusion that Jesus was a loser and will not make her sons great men in an earthly kingdom - yet she stayed closed to him to the very end.

As i thought about it, i wondered about myself - when Jesus is being attacked and ridiculed and mocked, will i run away quietly of will he see me standing there, identifying myself with him?

I hope it would be the latter.

*Her cover version of this brilliant song by the Fab Four!