Whose Advice Do You Want to Take?

When His relatives heard of this they set out to seize Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.” // Mark 3:21

When I took a job with the Church, living below the poverty line in a small, rural town, I had loved ones who thought I was out of my mind.

When I became engaged to a man I’d dated for six weeks, many of the people who came to our wedding six months later thought we were out of our minds.

When I had eight babies in twelve years, I basically set myself up for always having someone who thinks I am out of my mind.

When my husband and I load up the van and take our eight kids to 7 a.m. Mass each Sunday morning, there are people who think we are out of our minds.

As my family and I live our lives within the rich teachings and rhythms of the Church, a great multitude think we are out of our minds.

But I know that I have been doing the sanest thing in the world: wholeheartedly following the Lord. I don’t worry what all those people think. Jesus Himself had family members who wanted to stop His ministry because they believed He was out of His mind. If the Lord Himself had people who knew Him, but thought He was crazy while doing God’s will, of course I will too!

If I had followed the advice of my loved ones, the culture, and complete strangers, my life would surely be messier, lonelier, and filled with more heartache. I look at the decisions I’ve made and can see the abundance of grace and goodness that has come from them. Today let us thank God for the paths He’s led us down and the blessings that have followed.

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