I’m A Consonant, And I’m Okay With That

We all want to feel special and appreciated. Can you imagine being called “less” or “the other?” How would that make you feel? Would you feel like you weren’t being valued or that people didn’t love you? Would you give up, stomp your feet, or rant and rave? Not being noticed or praised for your actions and abilities can be heartbreaking, but are we ALL supposed to be superstars?

Easter was a few weeks ago, and I did a lot of reading about the crucifixion of Jesus. Many people were mentioned either at the crucifixion or visited the tomb. Many of them were named Mary, which is not surprising since that was one of the most popular names at that time. When I read an account by Matthew, the details guy, I was intrigued when he talked about the Marys at the tomb.

Matthew 27:61

⁶¹ Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

Matthew 28:1

28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

Not once, but twice, Matthew referred to “the other” Mary as being at the tomb. Since there were several Marys in the Bible, I was curious about this one and why she was called “the other.” Obviously, we all know the Mother Mary and Mary Magdalene, but “the other” Mary wasn’t mentioned near as often.

I came to find out that “the other” Mary was the mother of James and Joseph/Joses. If that wasn’t enough, she was called “the other,” and her son, James, was referred to as “the less.” If any family had a right to have a complex, it would be this family.

James was one of the twelve disciples, so he wasn’t a nobody. Jesus knew him, and Jesus hand-picked James to follow Him. Like the name Mary, James was a popular name in those times. So, I guess the term “less” isn’t used to determine his worth but to distinguish between him and another James. Maybe it is because he was smaller in height or girth, maybe it is because he was younger, or perhaps it was because he was quiet in nature.

I saw that an author named Kuyper, who wrote many Biblical-based books, and in one (I can’t find the article), he called the other Mary a consonant and Mary Magdalene a vowel. His analogy was interesting to me because there are only 5 vowels in the English alphabet and 21 consonants.

Using this analogy, Peter and Paul would be considered vowels, and James the less would be a consonant. There are only so many vowels, but there are a lot of consonants. Is being a consonant a bad thing? I don’t think so, and here is my thinking.

For every STAR actor, you see a lot of supporting actors. Without the supporting characters, the story could not be told. Each person has a specific role, and not everyone is born to be the star. Some people wouldn’t be comfortable having the attention of the spotlight thrown at them.

The Other Mary was a great supporting character. She supported Jesus and His ministry monetarily. She had resources she could give, and her contributions helped Jesus and the disciples spread the Good News. This other Mary gave her sons to Jesus, allowing them to follow and serve the Lord.

This Other Mary was one of the women who followed Jesus to Jerusalem and was present at the crucifixion. She was at the tomb when the angel of the Lord appeared and told them that Jesus was not there. She was among the first to anoint the dead body of Jesus with spices. Even though this other Mary was not a solo artist, she was a glorious part of the chorus.

The Lord notices all of us consonants! He sees our efforts and He hears our voices, even if they are quieter than others. The OTHER Mary was mentioned in the Bible and held a special place in the Lord’s heart and ministry. There were thousands of Marys during that time, but only a few were honored by name.

I’m a consonant, and I’m okay with that. If your role is a consonant, don’t worry; the Lord loves you just as much!

To God Goes The Glory!

Have A Blessed Day!