Proverbs 31:10-31, paints a beautiful picture of motherhood but it may be impossible for anyone but Wonder Woman to achieve. “She rises before dawn, fixes everyone breakfast, makes clothes for the whole family, tends the family farm, starts new businesses, and makes her husband look good!”
Fortunately the Bible also contains the stories of mothers who were not Wonder Woman but who still made a difference in the lives of their children and, through them, an impact on the world.
Hannah – a model of sacrificial love.
“I asked the LORD to give me this boy, and He has granted my request. Now I am giving him to the LORD, and he will belong to the LORD his whole life” (1 Samuel 1:26-28).
Hannah longed to be a mother. She prayed until God answered her prayer and she gave birth to a son. But when Samuel was still a boy, Hannah gave him back to God to serve him in the Temple. Samuel grew to be a man of spiritual wisdom and served his people as the first great prophet of Israel.
Jochebed – a mother of unrecognized love.
“A woman from the tribe of Levi gave birth to a son. She saw he was a special baby and kept him hidden for three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she got a basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile River” (Exodus 2:1-3).
Jochebed saw something special in her son when he was born. In order to save his life, she allowed another woman to adopt him – although she arranged to be his nurse. Jochebed’s son grew up to be Moses, and God used him to lead his people out of slavery.
Mary – a women of undying love.
“Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often” (Luke 2:19). From the moment the angel Gabriel told Mary she would bear a son who would “save his people from their sin”, her love was tested.
Mary saw Jesus perform miracles that astounded everyone and she saw him mocked and ridiculed as a fraud. Mary heard Jesus teach in the synagogue with authority and she heard him accused of blasphemy. Mary watched as Jesus was beaten and crucified. She also watched him ascend into heaven and, she never stopped loving him.
Lois and Eunice – examples of faithful love.
“I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother, Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you” (2 Timothy 1:5).
Lois was Timothy’s grandmother. Eunice was his mother. The faith that filled their family shaped Timothy as he grew up. As a young man, Timothy served as the Apostle Paul’s assistant and later became one of the second generation leaders in the New Testament church. It all began with his grandmother, Lois.
These women share one trait. Their love faced whatever challenge life brought their way and overcame it. As a result their children – and the world – rise up and call them blessed!