Happier those who hear the word of God put it into practice!

Luke 11:27-28

As Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, ‘Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!’ But he replied, ‘Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!’

Food for thought!

Two persons. Two views. One happiness. As Jesus was talking a certain woman shouted loud and clear: Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked! She was saying in other words, happy the woman who mothered you. She was referring to Mary. And she was saying that Mary is happy because she physically carried Jesus in her womb and breast fed him. This is true. Mary did all of this and she is a happy woman for bearing Jesus.

However, Mary is not happy just because she carried Jesus in her womb and then breast fed him. Mary is happy because of something else; she is happy because she heard the word of God and took it seriously. This is what makes Mary a happy woman. If Mary had not taken the word of God seriously, if she had ignored it, who would have known about Mary? Mary's greatness began when she heard the words of the angel and said, “Let it be done me according to thy word!”

What sets Mary apart from many of us is that when we hear the word of God, when we get any inspiration from the Lord, when we get any new idea, we don't take it seriously; we are afraid of experimenting on it; we doubt if it will really work. We question if it is indeed true and genuine and viable.

JESUS says that everybody, not just Mary, can be happy, can be successful, can make a difference in his or her life and living if and when we "hear the word of God and keep it." The word of God can come in many ways. For Mary it came by the angel. But many times it comes by our colleague, our spouse, our sibling, our neighbour, by a dream. Look at this story:

Elias Howe, American inventor of the sewing machine, was experiencing a major problem in determining the appropriate location for the eye of the needle in his new invention. He was rapidly running out of money and ideas when, one night, he had a peculiar dream. He was being led to his execution for failing to design a sewing machine for the king of a strange country. He was surrounded by guards, all of whom carried spears that were pierced near the head. Realizing instantly that this was a solution to his problem, Howe awakened and rushed straight to his workshop. By nine o’clock that morning, the design of the first sewing machine was well on the way to completion!

All successful people of all types exhibit an important factor. In each instance, the person took some kind of action to bring the dream into manifestation! This can be an encouragement to each of us that your dreams can come true when you activate them! And this is what Jesus is saying: happier those who hear the word of God put it into practice.