As moms, these milestones cause us to look back. For 20+ years I've been a professional stay-at-home mom. As I've applied for a handful of jobs lately, I realize I do not look good on paper! Not much experience there to speak of. I don't blame them for not calling on me! Haha! There are moments I wish I would have gone to college and with that degree been able to influence others. (And I am grateful for those who did who have influenced mine!) But then, I look at my boys. And I realize they've been my students.
Many of us, including me, did not realize that when we are handed our babies after carrying them for 9 months, God is handing us seeds. Full of potential. Full of promise. But these little seeds cry, demand so much of our time, make us die to self; they require so much from us! And we don't feel like teachers. We feel like chopped liver! No sleep, frumpy clothes, not a stitch of makeup--we are in survival mode. And we are wondering what happened to our neat little lives. This, my friends, is what a life of influence looks like. And I had no clue.
But this new opportunity presented before us is really a chance to be more like Christ. It is a picture of what salvation looks like all over again. New life. And death to self. "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). The picture of the crucified life. A life given over to Jesus, all for the sake of influencing others as He did. With a life of influence, we sign up to gain a greater understanding that our lives are not our own. We are living for others. Like Jesus did.
What phase in mothering are you in? The beginning stages of changing diapers, rocking, burping and sleepless nights? The stage of first steps and picking up Cheerios off of the floor? First book sacks and school shoes? Junior high years full of changes and challenges? High school years that bring driving privileges and a little less of our control? The independent college years where faith is tested and new philosophies are presented? Maybe yours are in the work force or married themselves. This wonderful-scary-exhausting-but-we-wouldn't-trade-it-for-the-world-life-of-motherhood = INFLUENCE. We remain, to some degree, our children's teachers all of their lives, remaining sensitive to their ages and needs as we do.
By the grace of God, we are handed seeds. A seed has to die to grow. Maybe that's where we come in the picture. We die to ourselves to see someone else grow healthy. That's exactly what Jesus did for us. He was handed the choice to influence, or not. He chose to change the course of our lives by dying for us. And now we live! So our children are the seeds. We nurture, care for them, teaching them right from wrong, watch them grow, change, develop, give their lives to the One who changed ours; they then begin their own journey in Him, discovering Who He is and learning to trust and obey Him. And they become oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
Yes, we will see this life of influence as a mother was all worth it. We will have seen every stage of growth in a human life until the day God calls us home. There is no greater influence and privilege than that. No other job on this earth can provide that opportunity! And I am honored beyond words. Motherhood is a beautiful, although costly, role. Embrace it, and watch those seedlings grow into oaks. As we do, in hindsight, I think we'll find we've grown more like Christ. And that's exactly what He's looking for.
"They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor."
Isaiah 61:3
Afterthought: For anyone who has not been able to be a mother by birth, but is a mother figure in someone else's life, thank you! I know many who have not had a proper mother figure and have leaned on another woman for nurture and guidance. Or have adopted a child to taken them in as their own. This is a beautiful picture of how Christ adopted us into His family. Motherhood comes in many packages with the same heart and purpose. I celebrate you, and so does God.
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