'Bad' Moms of the Bible: How God Works Through Our Worst MomentsSample

Salome: An Ambitious Mother

By Jennifer Huff

She had done everything to set her children up for success. From the moment they could walk, she made sure they were ahead—first in school, first in sports, first in everything. She sat in the stands, watching as her son’s team took the field. She clenched her fists as another player—a boy with half the talent—was given the starting position. How could the coach not see? Her son deserved to be at the top. He had worked harder, trained longer. She wanted to march down to the field and demand that they put him in. He deserved that spot.

Can you relate?

Salome, the mother of James and John, must have felt the same way. Salome was among Jesus’ most devoted followers. She had seen His power and believed He was the long-awaited Messiah. Like many Jews of her time, she expected Him to establish a powerful kingdom, and what mother wouldn’t want her sons at the center of it?

So she asked, “In Your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to You, one on Your right and the other on Your left” (Matthew 20:21).

This wasn’t just a request—it was a bold attempt to secure greatness for her sons. In her mind, they were better than the others. They were strong, devoted, and capable. They had left everything to follow Jesus, and she wanted to make sure they got the recognition they deserved.

But Jesus’ response must have been unexpected: “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” (Matthew 20:22).

Salome wanted greatness for her sons, but she misunderstood the path to it. She sought honor, but Jesus spoke of sacrifice. An early church father reflected on this moment, writing, “For the mother knew not what she asked … She sought to obtain them a kingdom, but heard about a cup and about suffering.” True greatness in God’s kingdom would not come through power but through humility, through serving others, through suffering for Christ.

James and John indeed drank from that cup. James became the first of the Twelve to be martyred, and John endured exile for the sake of the gospel. Their lives were not marked by earthly status but by eternal significance.

And what of their mother? Though she did not receive the answer she expected, she remained faithful. She was there at the crucifixion, watching as Jesus—mocked, beaten, and rejected—hung in the very places where she had once asked her sons to sit. But at that moment, she saw the cost of the Kingdom. Two criminals hung at Jesus’ right and left—reminders that His kingdom was not about power but about sacrifice.

And yet, she did not turn away. She followed Jesus to the end, and according to tradition, she continued as a disciple, a witness to the resurrection. True greatness is found not in status but in surrender. When we release our own ambitions and trust God’s plan, we find that His purposes are far greater than anything we could have imagined.

Let’s Reflect:

1. In what ways might God be calling you to serve rather than to be served?
2. How does Jesus’ definition of greatness challenge the world’s view of success?
3. How can surrendering your personal ambitions to God lead to a greater impact than striving for recognition or status?

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