A Mother’s Faith
“And when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river’s brink.” (Exodus 2:3)
You may recall this scene when Miriam kept watch over the basket where her baby brother, Moses, was placed in order to protect him from the slaughter of the innocent babies. Before we highlight Miriam’s heroic actions, can you imagine what it must have been like for Moses’ mother to place her baby in such jeopardy?
Trusting God for our children’s safety and redemption is not easy, especially in a culture that is trying to destroy any semblance of the family—especially a woman’s God-given role of nurturing. The culture wants to convince us that such roles are confining and offensive. Yet within the ancient story of Exodus we read of a bold woman who lived out this role in daring faith and strategic action.
I sometimes wonder why God chose to highlight Moses’ mother and not his father. Both his mother and father were from the tribe of Levi, the text reveals, but that is all we know about Moses’ father. Although we don’t know why, what we do know is that a mother’s influence in early childhood is one of the most important and most powerful influences in the world. Studies show that adults who commit evil atrocities in society have a background in poor relationships with their parents.
In Proverbs 1:8, God warns children to embrace the correction of their father and not neglect the Torah/teaching of their mother. This verse presents the idea that it is the father’s role to correct the children’s behavior while the mother teaches the children. The father’s actions would reinforce his wife’s teaching. It is only natural that the mother would be the primary teacher in early childhood since she would spend the majority of time with her children. Truly, not enough can be said for a mother’s influence. The Apostle Paul speaks about the redeeming faith of a mother in I Timothy 2:15:
Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and love and holiness with sobriety.
This verse speaks of a mother’s redemptive influence upon her children—she shall be saved, or better translated, delivered, in childbearing. How is a mother delivered in childbearing? Certainly, giving birth resembles painful labor more than deliverance! This verse is teaching that bringing children into the world is a two-edged sword—IF the children continue in faith and love and holiness with sobriety, THEN a mother has raised a child who can be a powerful, godly, redeeming force upon the culture.
A godly child who possesses the three character qualities presented above—faith, love, and holiness—has been equipped for a life of powerful influence and blessing. And though Moses wasn’t perfect, that first year that his mother spent with him was what prepared him to become the meekest man in the world.
Can you imagine the tender care Moses’ mother must have given to him, knowing that as soon as he was weaned, she would have to give him up forever? I wonder what would happen if all mothers gave this kind of attention and care to their babies during that first year. The famous painter, Benjamin West, put it this way, “A kiss from my mother made me a painter.”
Moses’ mom feared God more than man, and as a result, God protected her son. Many moms face a variety of stresses and pressures that can distract them from their primary roles of help-meet and nurturer. Both of these roles require sacrifice—a sacrifice that a mother makes as she gives up her life to raise and prepare her children to be an influence of faith, love, and hope in the world—sacrifice that can in return lead to redemption.
A mother’s faith and influence are an essential part of the redemptive process of our great God and Savior. Though Christ is our ultimate redemption, a mother’s sacrifice was what God used to deliver a nation. What an amazing responsibility and opportunity!
We are very thankful for each of you.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Dr. Mark Hamby
Top Picks for Moms:
Secret Bridge book/audiobook
Chateau by the Lake book/audiobook
Treasure of the Secret Cove book/audio drama
