Comforting Friend

And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on, this disciple took her into his home. (John 19:27)

It seems the natural response when confronted with a life-changing moment is to focus on self. We are thinking of what we are supposed to do, and make decisions and give primary attention to our personal situation. After all, we are the ones in the hot water, and thoughts of others are blotted out. We all have some kind of survival instinct, and extreme times cause that instinct to surface.

In this text from John 19, we hear amazing words from the cross. Concerned about his mother, he reached out to “the disciple whom he loved”. (John? The scholars are fairly united that it seems clear that he is the unnamed one.) Jesus could muster enough compassion from the cross to tell the thief, “Today, you’ll be with me in Paradise.” He spoke to his mother and acknowledged her. Now he speaks to the disciple and acknowledges him, and gives direction to take care of his momma.

I love this! In his darkest hour, just before his death, he’s thinking of others—the thief, his momma, his disciple. He’s getting his house in order before dying, both in terms of mission, in which he talks about eternity to the guy beside him, and practically, as he is concerned for the ongoing care for his mother. He’s making sure that people are cared for, down to his last breath.

While we are consumed during Lent in mediating on the events and meaning of Jesus’ torture, suffering, and sacrifice, here we glimpse His compassion for others, demonstrated in a powerful way that cannot be matched! While he’s being tortured, he’s very deliberate in helping others to find their way, either in eternal or personal matters.

In our dark moments, we need comfort! But one big surprise of the cross is that the one under extreme duress, in his final hours, is the one who provides the comfort for others. Thus, the one who needs comfort is the one who does the comforting. John, the disciple and friend, models his teacher and takes responsibility for the teacher’s mother to comfort her.

How do you describe someone whose entire focus in life is on others, even as he’s being tortured to death?

“Father, thank you for the self-less and never-ending compassionate caring of Jesus, demonstrated even in His final moments.”

Copyright 2019, Freddy Boswell. From the book, Torn Curtain.