A Mother's Dangerous Prayer
/“Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before Him she asked Him for something. And He said to her, ‘What do you want?’ She said to Him, ‘Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.’” Matt 20:20-21 (ESV)
Does this count as a prayer request? After all, Mrs. Z was on her knees, pleading with Jesus.
I’ve heard this story over the years. I’ve read it in the Bible. Now that I’m parenting young adults, I’ve come to see it in a different light. In sermons, I’ve heard Zebedee’s wife criticized for this request. But I think I would’ve been right beside her. “Jesus, have you seen my kids? Do you know their leadership skills? They would be perfect candidates to have authority in your kingdom!”
Jesus, have you seen my kids? Do you know their leadership skills? They would be perfect candidates to have authority in your kingdom!
I can’t help wondering if she would have been as eager with her request if she knew what it would look like for them to be influencers for the kingdom of God. If she knew James would be the first martyr, murdered by the sword under King Herod’s orders, or that John would be banished to the island of Patmos for years, would she still have begged Jesus to choose them as His right-hand men?
I’ve thought about how short-sighted the disciples were and how they didn’t yet grasp the kingdom Jesus was setting up.
Were they even listening to what Jesus had said only moments before their request?
“And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way, He said to them, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and He will be raised on the third day.’” Matt 20:17-19 ESV
Obviously, they weren’t.
Did His followers realize the kingdom Jesus was building was made of hearts, not bricks? It was a kingdom of spiritual freedom while under physical persecution. Did Zebedee’s wife know her sons’ path to success would entail being mocked, lied about, persecuted, and ultimately murdered for their association with Jesus? Did she have any clue that their leader would usher in the Kingdom with His own death and resurrection?
And if she did… would she have amended her request? Would she have taken it back as the cost of following Jesus became evident?
More importantly, will I?
I have always prayed for my kids to be strong Jesus followers. My prayer as they grew up was for God to have their whole heart. It’s what I still pray today.
Several years ago, I heard someone say, “I don’t ask God to keep my children safe, I ask Him to make them dangerous.” These aren’t just words that might look good on a “Quote Inspo” Pinterest board. It’s a prayer that makes me tremble.
I don’t ask God to keep my children safe, I ask Him to make them dangerous.
The world is getting increasingly hostile to Jesus-followers. It may cost my kids everything to follow Him. Isn’t that just what Jesus told James and John? In answer to the request to rule in His kingdom, Jesus said, “'You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?' They said to him, 'We are able.' He said to them, 'You will drink my cup...'" Matt 20:22-23 ESV
And oh, the cup they would drink. A cup of suffering. A cup of death. A cup poured out for the sake of God’s kingdom. I ask myself, will I continue to pray prayers that will inevitably lead my kids toward danger?
David Platt, author of the book, Radical, Taking Your Faith Back From the American Dream, says this, “To everyone wanting a safe, untroubled, comfortable life free from danger, stay away from Jesus. The danger in our lives will always increase in proportion to the depth of our relationship with Christ.”
“To everyone wanting a safe, untroubled, comfortable life free from danger, stay away from Jesus. The danger in our lives will always increase in proportion to the depth of our relationship with Christ.”
- David Platt
I hesitate, and then remember Peter’s words, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Jn 6:68 (ESV)
Yes. I will. I will keep praying for hearts fully devoted to Jesus. I will pray for lives poured out for His glory. I will pray for blessing on their lives as defined by Jesus, not me. And I will rest in knowing a glorious, eternal future in God’s presence is far superior to the momentary comfort of a life lived in perfect safety.