The Role of Mothers

Departing John momentarily, I am given rise to thinking about the role of Mothers.  When the New Testament is considered, one only hears about  a single mother, Mary, while various passages from the Old Testament are hand selected for messages about Mothers.  I think, however, that one short passage from the New Testament could be critical for understanding the valuable role of mothers and mothering.

The passage concerns Paul's mother.  Wait, you haven't heard of this (feigned look of shock on my face)??? It is right in the text of the Bible, "Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine." (Rom 16:13, KJV)  Literally, the passage reads from the Greek, "You all Greet/welcome Rufus (he is chosen in the Lord) and the mother of him and of me." Why haven't there been any sermons on Paul's mother?  The text is very clear, is it not.  Paul has a brother named Rufus who is living in Rome with their mother.

If you are scratching the top of your head right now you have permission to stop.  The previous paragraph is intended to illustrate two points.  First is the irrationality of taking everything literally without concern for the original meaning. The second is to emphasize that translations vary.  The NAS95 follows the KJV, but the NIV, ESV,  and NRSV differ.  They add language (without providing any indication to the reader that the words are added to communicate the original meaning) of "who has been a mother to me as well" (ESV) or "who has been like a mother to me" (NRSV) or "who has been a mother to me, too" (NIV11).

Now back to the role of mothers.  This passage is indicative of many factors in play today.  The role of a mother in a child's life is rarely fully and completely clarified. While there are good mothers and some who are not so good this focus is on those who live in obscurity for the main part.  Mothers do not need to be saints, that rare, elevated person whom we put forth as the model to explain how we can't be like them.

Mothers simply need to be, well, mothers.  Mothers who are like this unnamed, but not unforgotten woman living in Rome in the late 50's of the first century, simply take those whom the Lord provides and do what they are to do: feed, nurture, raise.  But it is the raising part that seems to be difficult.  Raising includes teaching. Paul reminds Timothy in 2 Tim 1:5 of the "sincere faith" (NAS95) that was in his grandmother and mother, Lois and Eunice.

The most critical role of mothers is to be that first demonstration of God's embracing love, a love that doesn't require behavior or appropriate gifts to be given.  A love that proceeds forth simply because another has breath (and yes occasionally when one doesn't but that is another lesson). So to all those mothers who continue to demonstrate to their children, natural or merely embraced as, your non recognized activity and commitment does not go unnoticed by others.