Mark 7:24-37
What does it take to turn us into "mama bears?" What does it require someone to do to our child or someone we love before the 'claws' come out and we begin to lash out in protective anger? When is it ok to be a mama bear, and when is it better to keep ourselves out of it?
This month's sermon series is called "Anger Management." We are trying to decide when anger is appropriate, what kind of reaction we should have when we do get angry and how we can get better at distinguishing between appropriate responses. Like when is it better to try responding with gentleness and kindness instead of clawing someone's eyes out....
A related idea to this is the phenomenon of 'helicopter parenting.' I think I might be guilty of that. Trying to do so much for your kid that they don't have the chance to learn things for themselves. In terms of Anger Management, I think it would relate to being so involved in your kids' or grandkids' lives that you also end up fighting their battles for them. When is too much simply too much?
The Syro-phoenician woman in today's text is crying out to Jesus to heal her daughter and he has apparently not paid her much attention. The corresponding Matthew scripture of this story even says he tells her he has come to the Israelites and not to her people. Mark's version doesn't go that far, but clearly she has to get Jesus' attention.... and he says to let the children eat before the dogs.... implying that she fits in the second category and will likely not receive aid.
This story kinda makes you want to flash the bear claws, doesn't it? Makes you want to urge the woman to keep on... keep at Jesus until she gets her say. She does, and he responds, and her daughter is healed.
When is being a mama bear the appropriate response when we are advocating for the God's children? How does this differ from of "quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger" from last week's scripture? Can we heed that advice and still advocate for someone "in the moment" when that someone is being mistreated or ignored? Tough to know what to do.
Comments, thoughts, are always welcome. Email me or comment below.
This week on Monday, Snow, one of the polar bears
ReplyDeleteraised at the Denver Zoo after her mother gave birth, but was not prepared to care for her twin cubs, died at the Tucson Zoo. Klondyke, her twin lives on in Orlando Zoo. Their mother was not prepared to care for her babies, for reasons I am not smart enough to understand. She was also a moma bear, but she did not fight, she just walked away. Where does that fit in to your story
Very interesting insert into this whole "mama bear' concept. What about the mama who rejects rather than fights for her young? What do we make of that 'instinct' or lack of???
DeleteThanks for this addition into the mix. Pam