Mission of Motherhood, Chapter One - Jul. 6, 2005
Question 3.
1Th 2:7
But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.What is the attitude or the heart of the mother reflected in his example?
Gentle.
Again another term that I am struggling with. As one who is blessed with a bold personality, I have struggled to understand what gentle is and how I am to be gentle. I actually sort of like this verse in the Message Bible:
1Th 2:7 We weren't aloof with you. We took you just as you were. We were never patronizing, never condescending, but we cared for you the way a mother cares for her children.
That actually paints quite a picture for me. We weren't aloof with you ... standing back, keeping distance. A nursing mother caring for her children ... she cannot nurse and hold the baby at arms length. She must hold the baby close, skin to skin, giving vital nourishment to the child, so close that the baby can hear the heartbeat of the mother. Wow, can hear the heartbeat of the mother ... what is my heart beating in time to?
Figuratively, how do I do this with my older children? How do I hold them close like that, giving them vital spiritual and emotional nourishment, so close that they can hear my heartbeat?
Lots of questions here that I havent worked through all the answers yet. I think I will have to come back to this one at a later time.
How does this picture compare to the way that you care for your children?
I have not always been gentle. There have been times that I have been condescending and patronizing. There have been times that I have not valued my children.
I am learning to be gentle. I am learning to hold them close just like I did when they were babies and I nursed them. As I draw closer to the Lord, learning about his love for me ... his grace and mercy ... I pray that I am leading my children there as well.
-- Cynthia
