We had a big family reunion at my in-law’s home. While all of the kids and mothers and grandmothers scurried about, each with their own to-do list in their minds, I had the privilege of sitting with my mother-in-law, watching the activities. My mother-in-law is advanced in years but she still has spunk. Every once in a while she would nudge me and make a comment about the kids playing hide-and-seek or the grandmothers still chasing after kids. A few times, I answer her questions about the youngest ones; “What’s her name?” “Who does he belong to.”
For me, this was a marvelous time to just be with my mother-in-law. I’ve known her a very long time and she has never ceased to impress me with her Christian life and unrestrained hospitality, something she successfully planted in her five daughters. This quiet time with the mother of my wife is something I will never forget. Too often, we fail to give enough honor and love to our mothers-in-law. But, consider the apostle Simon (Peter).
“38 After leaving the synagogue that day, Jesus went to Simon’s home, where he found Simon’s mother-in-law very sick with a high fever. “Please heal her,” everyone begged. 39 Standing at her bedside, he rebuked the fever, and it left her. And she got up at once and prepared a meal for them.”
– Luke 4:38-39
Notice that as soon as the Apostle Peter’s mother-in-law was healed, she started serving others. That’s the nature of my mother-in-law. Too often, mothers-in-law are the butt of jokes and disrespect, but as we see from Jesus, that’s just not right. I am immeasurably blessed by my mother-in-law, and I pray the same for each of you that have one.