Walking in the Valley A weekly column for those who live and walk in Silicon Valley by Barbara Dahlgren

What do men such as Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight David Eisenhower, and John Fitzgerald Kennedy have in common? Yes, I know they were all presidents but they also share another commonality. Let me add Douglas MacArthur and George Patton to the list. Give up? Well, they were all considered "mama's boys." I'm not sure if the Wallace poem line "the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world" is true, but the mothers of these men certainly had a hand in shaping our world. Lyndon Johnson even wrote a paper in school entitled, "I'd Rather Be Mama's Boy." Abraham Lincoln said "All that I am or ever hope to be, I own to my angel mother." Andrew Jackson had this to say about his mother. "There never was a woman like her. She was gentle as a dove and brave as a lioness. The memory of my mother and her teachings were, after all, the only capital I had to start life with, and on that capital I have made my way."

I'm not sure if Jesus would fit into this category or not. He was definitely a great leader and he was definitely quite close to his mother. No one is sure when his father, Joseph, died but we do know he isn't mentioned again after Jesus, at age 12, astonished the learned men at the temple. (Luke 2:41-52) Some traditions say that Joseph died shortly after this incident. If that is the case, all of Jesus' parental training after that time came from his mother. Although Joseph and Mary did not fully understand what Jesus meant at the temple when he said, "did you not know that I must be about my Father's business," Luke 2:51 says that Mary "kept all these sayings in her heart." Some translations say that she "treasured" them. I like that best. Mothers tend to treasure things in their hearts about their children. And through Mary's teaching and training Jesus "increased in wisdom and stature." (Luke 2:52)

My favorite motherhood story happens much later after Jesus is a young man. (John 2:1-11) When he and his mother, Mary, are attending a wedding celebration, Mary says to her son, "They have no wine." That's all she says. "They have no wine." The implication seems to be "and what are you going to do about it?" Jesus says, "My hour is not yet come." This seems to indicate that he's not quite ready to reveal himself as God. This doesn't seem to deter Mary who proceeds to tell the servants to do whatever Jesus tells them to do. Jesus instructs the servants to fill six stone jars full of water. Then "presto, chango" Jesus makes wine. Now this was not just a bottle of wine. These stone jars held 20 to 30 gallons each. We are talking mucho wine here. I love it! I love it that Jesus' first miracle is changing water into wine to keep the festivities festive. And I love it that his first miracle honors his mother's request. Jesus is not quite the fuddy-duddy that many would have us believe. And his love for his mother is quite touching. In fact his last thoughts on the cross were for her welfare. (John 19:25-28)

A man such as this would be worth getting to know better!

©May 2001

Next week: "Neurotheology"

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