Not so many months ago we were happy to pay millions of dollars to see someone slam dunk a basketball but we gave little thought about how well we paid nurses or personal support workers. All that has changed now. The global response to COVID-19 is revealing how important certain types of work are; work that we’ve often taken for granted and undervalued. One of the things this pandemic has shined a spotlight on is the important work of mothers.
Mothers have been thrust into managing their homes and serving their families at a whole new level during this lock-down. Mom, you are now home 24/7 with children, feeding them, caring for them, and educating them now that school has gone online. Some Moms are doing all this and are also expected to work another job from home. I can’t even imagine the burden of being a single mom with a toddler right now.
To make things even worse modern-day philosophies and values marginalize the hard work associated with raising children and managing homes as if such things are primarily a burden placed unfairly on many women. This work is often viewed as something that holds women back keeping them from living a good life. But Jesus gives us a different perspective. In fact, he taught us that the greatest in his kingdom is the one who serves.
It turns out the hard work that mothers do has never gone unnoticed or lacked honour. God sees it all and in reality, it is of eternal value and importance. It is accomplishing nothing less than Christ's mission for his church! Which might be hard for you to see right now so let me help you make the connection.
My local church refers to itself as a ‘Family of Families’ because The Bible teaches that the basic building block of any local church is the believing family or household (And by the way, a household can include a single person who lives alone). The truth is, the ministry, testimony and mission of the church are accomplished through the combined efforts of many households working together as a family of families. Have you ever noticed that when Paul is teaching about the church he is also teaching about the family? (Eph 5-6). This is because the underlying organizing principle of the church is the extended family.
The Bible also teaches that local churches are God’s plan for making disciples of all nations. Jesus said he would build his church (Matt 16:18), the coming of the Holy Spirit launched his church (Acts 2), and God’s eternal plan is to reveal his wisdom through his church (Eph 3:10-11), which he also calls his household (Eph 2:19-22, 1Tim 3:14-16). All of this means the work and activity of our households including the work of Mothers are essential for carrying out Christ’s mission for his church. The household is the basic building block for ongoing ministry and mission in our world.
So, Mom, your work is mission-critical. It might be hard for you to see it right now but without your work, the mission suffers. This truth was probably more obvious in the early church. Did you know that everything that is taught in the New Testament about being the church assumes that there is no special building or any staff or any other kind of infrastructure other than believing households?!
The first person to become a Christian in the ancient city of Philippi was a Lady named Lydia. Her story is found in Acts 16. After she was baptized she insisted that Paul and Barnabas should make her house their home-base. Later after being released from prison, it says they “...visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.” (Acts16:40 ) Lydia’s home hosted missionaries and church gatherings. Others did the same, for example in Colossians 4:15 Paul sends greetings “...to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.” This means The New Testament puts everyday housework at the front-lines of the mission!
Even today a well-managed home acts like a mini-resource center that supports and sustains the life and mission of the church!
- It’s the learning environment for true discipleship,
- the perfect context and resource for one-another care,
- and the natural links a household has into the community makes it an excellent outlet of witness and good works in the neighbourhood.
COVID-19 is helping us rediscover the important role of our homes in God’s plan for his church as we are forced to literally do everything from home including the education of our children. All of a sudden, our homes are centers for our children’s education, whether we want it or not. Now, this is very challenging! And I know some families are really struggling with this. But as difficult as this may be, it is also an opportunity. Christian parents have the opportunity to bring faith into school studies by showing their children God’s order in the maths and sciences, his creativity in the arts, his hand at work in history, and to share his wisdom for navigating the challenges of life.
Whether schools are open or not - it has always been God’s design for parents and churches to be at the heart of our children’s education. The principle in Ephesians 6:1-4 is for children to obey their parents because parents are commanded to bring them up “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” In 2 Timothy1:5-6 Paul says to Timothy, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you…” The New Testament places parents at the heart of discipleship and leadership development. The work of Timothy’s grandmother and the work of his Mother was used by God to bring Timothy to faith in Jesus and to prepare him to be a missionary and leader in the church - the work of these ladies was truly mission work!
Mom as you work hard to try and get your kids to do their homework, as you deal with the frustrations and struggles of raising your children, know that you are not just raising your kids. You are partnering with God to make disciples and train future leaders, even missionaries! Your hard work does not go unnoticed; it is work that brings glory to God.
But this is difficult work; work that is often undervalued and leaves many moms feeling overwhelmed and alone especially during a lockdown! Our situation today is also reminding us of how much we need each other. God’s design for his church is for no family, no mother, to be serving alone.
Paul in Titus 2 lays out a pattern and a strategy for establishing a strong church that is a witness in their community and a partner in the mission. Key to this strategy is the work of Experienced Mothers, “...They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home....” (Titus 2:3–5) Most modern people read this passage and react thinking, ‘how sexist’ and totally miss the point. Experienced faithful mothers in the church are a resource and support to other families - especially other moms!
More than ever we need faithful moms to come alongside other moms. Even during this lockdown, there are ways to encourage and help other mothers work things out, to lend a hand, to give a listening ear, and to help moms apply the good principles of God’s word to their specific situation. God’s design for his church is to be a family of families. This means the work of a mother extends beyond her immediate family; it is an essential, invaluable resource for building up the family of families, that supports and strengthens the mission!
Luke seems to be emphasizing a similar point in Luke 8:1-3 where it says Jesus “...went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.” The ministry of Jesus was supported by working women who served the family of disciples! Jesus relied on their service to carry out his ministry and the training of his disciples! Let's not forget that this same Jesus said, “The greatest among you shall be your servant.” (Matt 23:11) It may be hard, it may be discouraging some days, but the work of a faithful mom is worthy of great reward in this life and in eternity!
Mom, the hard work you do is great work. Hang in there because your work is accomplishing great things in the kingdom of God. Don’t give up Mom, because your work is helping sustain the mission.
On this mother's day, after months of seeing a little more clearly all the hard work our moms do, let's thank God for all those hard-working faithful moms who according to Jesus are among the greatest in the kingdom of God.
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