And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they *spoke to Jesus about her. And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she waited on them. Mark 1:29-31

There’s an old movie called Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, a story about inter-racial relationships. Here Simon brings home Jesus for dinner, to an unprepared wife caring for her ailing mother.

Knowing women as I do, the presence of three unexpected dinner guests in the house was enough to send a wife into a panic, but how could her impetuous husband extend such an invitation knowing mother was sick? And what’s this about leaving your nets?

Jesus took matters into his own hands. It doesn’t say that Simon’s mother-in-law was sick unto death, but that she had a fever. Compared to casting out demons, this would be easy.

I think this “minor” miracle was designed to get Simon’s wife on board and no doubt, acquire the blessing of the matron of the family for the drastic changes that were coming.

We know elsewhere that Simon (or Peter) was taking along a believing wife (1 Corinthians 9:5). Well here’s where it all started. Behind every great man, and so forth. Peter was the kind of man who was going to need backup, and now he had it.

Incidentally, his mother-in-law did what most mother-in-laws do, instantaneously serving up a banquet meal.