As another Mother’s Day approaches, it is appropriate to show appreciation for all the mothers out there who are taking on this wonderful yet challenging mantle. What is the significance of motherhood in the Bible? I am going to answer this question in two ways. The first is to consider a few verses in the Bible that talk about motherhood. The second it to consider three different mothers in the Bible to see what we can learn about motherhood from them. The combination of these two things will give us a clear picture of the significance of motherhood in the Bible.
Verses That Help Us Understand the Significance of Motherhood in the Bible
Mothers Are to Be Honored
“Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you” (Deuteronomy 5:16).
When you consider the word honor in the Hebrew, it means to give weight to someone. One way you can honor someone is to give them weight in your life. You do this by giving that person respect or authority in your life. When you are younger, a mother is a central authority figure in your life. The respect and honor you show her often shows up in your obedience. As you get older and become an adult, the role of your mother shifts from one of central authority to one of respect in your life. You may no longer be bound to obey, but you are always bound to respect.
Mothers Offer Comfort
“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem” (Isaiah 66:13).
One of the more significant roles a mother has is to offer comfort. This comfort often comes as nurturing. It is highly proper for mothers to nurture their children. Nurturing can involve a word of encouragement or challenging a child to become who God has created them to be. When done properly, nurturing is an essential part of helping a child to grow healthy.
Mothers Are Carriers of Life
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13).
Perhaps one reason mothers are so nurturing is because, for most mothers, the child they are caring for is the child that came out of their womb. I say most because every mother is not caring for a child they gave birth to. The fact is, God created mothers to be the carriers of life. All of us are here because there was a mother who carried us and helped give us life.
Mothers Are Teachers
“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).
“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck” (Proverbs 1:8-9).
The last thing to highlight is that mothers are teachers. Mothers can teach in a variety of ways. Regardless of how they do it, one responsibility of a mother is to be a teacher in the home.
3 Significant Mothers from Scripture and What We Can Learn from Them
Sarah - The mother who didn’t fully believe the promise
The story of Sarah is interesting. When you read through her life in Genesis, it is clear she has a desire to have children. However, what we also know is she struggled to believe God would ever give her the opportunity to experience this. After Abraham had received the promise and eleven years had passed, Sarah remained without a child. This means Abraham and Sarah were trying to have a child but could not do it on their own. In Genesis 16, eleven years after the promise here is what Sarah said.
“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, ‘The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her’” (Genesis 16:1-2).
Sarah didn’t fully believe the promise, so she tried to make it happen on her own. As you know, that didn’t turn out so well. It wasn’t until thirteen years later that God came back and told Abraham he would have a son next year. Here is how Sarah responded.
“Then one of them said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.’ Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, ‘After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?’” (Genesis 18:10-12).
In Sarah’s life, we see that for most of those twenty-five years of waiting for God to fulfill his promise, she wondered if it would ever happen. This reminds us that motherhood is an imperfect journey. As a mother, you may be clinging to promises God has made concerning you or your children. Sarah’s story proves we don’t have to be perfect in our belief, because God’s promise is greater than our momentary struggles with unbelief.
If you are praying for your child, you don’t have to get all the prayers right, and there may be times you will wrestle with unbelief. Sarah’s story encourages us to know that your struggle does not cancel out God’s plan.
Hannah - The mother who knew how to pray
We find in Hannah the mother of Samuel, the power of a praying mother. Before Samuel was born, the inability to have children tormented Hannah. There is no record in Scripture of Sarah praying earnestly for a child, however, that is quite different in Hannah.
“In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly” (1 Samuel 1:10).
While God gave Sarah a child as she wrestled with her unbelief, he blessed Hannah because of her belief. In Jewish culture of that time, one of the worst positions to be in as a woman was to not be able to bear children, and Hannah felt that grief. However, in her grief, she did what we all should do. She cried out to the Lord in prayer.
Hannah’s life tells us that motherhood isn’t about having all the answers, but it is about knowing how to connect with the one who does. As a mother, your children may do things that you have no answers for and may even go astray. In those moments, knowing how to go to God in prayer can make all the difference.
Mary - The mother who cherished it all
“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19).
“Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart” (Luke 2:51).
On two separate occasions, we see Mary treasuring things about Jesus in her heart. One was shortly after Jesus’ birth, and the second instance was when he was twelve years old. I wonder what it must have been like to be the mother of the one who would eventually become your savior. While we don’t know all, we know Mary was one who cherished these moments. I am sure even though they are not all recorded in the Bible, there were plenty of other moments that Mary treasured in her heart.
This teaches us that motherhood is about the moments. There will be things that happen in your life with your children that will be markers and will create memories. Long after the children are grown or the excitement of the new toy has worn off, you will have these moments stored up as treasures in your heart. As a mother, be intentional about making those moments and, like Mary, be intentional about treasuring them in your heart.
Final Thought
To all the mothers out there, including my wife, who is mother to our two children, and to my mom who raised me in the things of the Lord. I wish you all a joyful Mother’s Day. Keep being the mother God has called you to be. Don’t worry about being a perfect mom, just be a present mom and trust that God will make up the difference.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images /RyanJLane
Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose which will help you understand how God leads you into his will. His most recent book is The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. This book will teach you how to put the pieces together so you can live a victorious Christian life and finally become the man or woman of God that you truly desire to be. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has just released his first Bible study course called Bible Study Basics. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com.