I decided to look at some of the Mothers in the Bible for Biblical mothering advice.
To start at the beginning, let’s look at Eve. Poor Eve has been thought ill of by every laboring woman. I remember trying to reason with God during one of my own labors. I told Him that I didn’t eat the apple…couldn’t he suspend the curse just for me? Yep, It is all Eve’s fault! Let’s look beyond the apple. Okay, Her son was the first murderer… maybe Eve was a bad choice as an example? Let’s keep trying. She led her husband in sin, disobeyed God, tried to hide from Him and then lied to cover. This isn’t getting any better for her, is it?
But I kept looking. One author said: “If man represented the supreme species, created in God’s image, Eve was the living embodiment of humanity’s glory. Adam was refined dirt, Eve was glorious refinement of humanity itself. Eve was Adams necessary partner to make his existence complete and to complete creation itself.
Mathew Henry said: “The woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.”
She was the flawless example of feminine excellence. We don’t know of her physical appearance but in a sermon by Dr. Bill Barrick he said that the original Hebrew expresses Adams response as an enthusiastic, “This one!” with the implication that it was said with the same inflection as “WOW!”
Eve is called “the mother of all living.” Still we don’t know how long she lived or where. We don’t know how many children she had, or how and when she died. But her life teaches us several truths: Her fundamental equality with her husband, being taken out of man means being made of the same essence. She was not his inferior but rather his spiritual counterpart, his perfect mate and companion. Her creation teaches us about the divinely designed role of a woman: Mother, comforter, nurturer and helper.
Eve knew that her children were a gift from God. Genesis 4:1 “…and she said, "I have gotten a man-child with the help of the LORD." In naming her son Seth which mean ‘appointed seed’, it is evident that she was laying hold of the hope and believed that her seed would indeed someday overcome the curse and destroy the destroyer as the Lord had said to the serpent in Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."
Another example from scripture of a Godly mother was Sarah. Sarah didn’t have an easy life. She started wandering around with Abraham when she was in her sixties! There were no rest stops or Denney’s. She left everything familiar as a faithful wife and followed in dangerous situations. She even posed as his sister instead of his wife, TWICE! She risked her life in obedience to her husband.
Much of her life was consumed with the desire for children and the grief of barrenness. She knew of God’s great promise in Genesis 12:2-3. “And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."
She must have contemplated this promise and as time went by, this no doubt only increased the weight of the burden. She had fits of temper and finally took things into her own hand and played god by scheming and orchestrating the ‘Hagar Maidservant Fiasco’, resulting in 1000s of years of mid-eastern Jihad. After Ishmael was conceived we find that Sarah can be downright heartless and cruel.
Still God is faithful. He blessed her with laughter and with Isaac. He keeps His word no matter how we try to go our own way with our own plans. He forgives our sins and forwards His purposes. Sarah’s life on the whole is characterized by humility, meekness, hospitality, faithfulness, deep affection for her husband, sincere love toward God and hope that never died. After all this she is mentioned in the hall of faith. Hebrews 11:11,12 “ By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE. “ Sarah believed God’s promise.
Then there is Mary. I read recently of Mary being described as: “a little lying Jewish minx. “ No surprise that that quote was written by an atheist. Even now she is slandered with unjust accusations. Mary is a great illustration of faith and perseverance. When told the life altering news by an angel she only asked, “How.” Not “why?” and not “why me?” From the outside she was a teen suffering from a crisis pregnancy. No doubt ostracized and under scandal, fearing rejection and even death but she still believed. Joseph only believed her after an angel visited him.
Mary is recorded in scripture as trying to guide Jesus at the Wedding in Cana. Jesus gently corrects her as He did when He was in the temple as a twelve year old and they had ‘misplaced’ him. He was letting her know that any plans of His earthly parents could not override the higher authority of His heavenly Father. Just because she was His mom did not give her any say in His mission. As a man He was her son, but as God, He was her Lord. Never again in scripture does she try to influence His actions.
As a relatively young widow, she witnessed her eldest son killed in a time when the loss of an eldest son meant losing everything: Home, security and provision. As she stood at the cross, there were those shouting ugly taunts, as the sword pierced His side it must have pierced her heart. She must have felt the injustice, having known better than most His sinless and divine nature. She stood and witnessed His death with dignified grace and courage.
One of Jesus’ last acts on earth was an expression of love for His mother, John 19:26-27 “ When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.” He made sure she was going to be cared for.
She was blessed and she knew it, she praised God and submitted to His leading.
Luke: 1: 46-55
46And Mary said:
"My soul exalts the Lord,
47And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48"For He has had regard for the humble state of His slave;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.
49"For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
50"AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION
TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.
51"He has done mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.
52"He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has exalted those who were humble.
53"HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS;
And sent away the rich empty-handed.
54"He has given help to Israel His servant,
In remembrance of His mercy,
55 As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and his descendants forever."
Mary understood her place in the plan and yet remained humble.
Like all these women, none of us are perfect but their lives are designed by God Himself and we can learn from their examples. Like Eve, Be a woman living by traditional design. Thanks God for your children and place your hope in Him. Like Sarah, know your life is in His hand and every good and perfect gift is from Him in His time. Believe His promises, especially, Philippians 1:6 ”being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
And lastly, like Mary, practice a faith that is persistent, quiet, dignified, strong and courageous. Know your place in His plan is to trust, obey, hope and believe. So the Biblical mothering advice is simply this: “Lean on Christ. Trust and obey, He’ll lead the way.”
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