The Sacrifice of Motherhood

Happy Mother's Day!

In celebrating those precious people God has elected to raise civilization, it often good to recognize motherly giants as examples to follow. For example Susanna Annesley Wesley was a woman of deep faith, praying that God would use her to spark a movement of God in the churches throughout the English world (Mother's of Influence--Inspiring Stories of Women Who Made a Difference in Their Children and Their World, 2005). Little did she know that she would indeed profoundly influence English Christianity and indeed global Christianity through two of her sons, John and Charles Wesley. They were only 2 of her 19 children ... actually only 9 survived until adulthood. At any rate, she spent an hour praying for her children each day ... and an additional hour per day with one of her children. Wow.

But what about our moms who don't feel they measure up to this spiritually giant status? What about our moms who upon looking back realized they royally screwed up their children? What about our moms who have tried their best and yet their children have become children of the devil?

And what about our moms who feel put-down and spat upon from the ultra-feminist culture for devoting time to their family instead of their careers?

I think we find in the woman who anointed Jesus with expensive perfume a healing example for us to follow. Let's look at Mark 14: 3-9.

And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, "Why was the ointment wasted like that? for this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor." And they scolded her. But Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her" (ESV).

Now we don't know is this woman was a mom or not, but we can find in her a balm of healing. Notice that she comes in and anoints Jesus ... in the midst of protests."Why was the ointment wasted like that?"I think our wonderful "femi-nazi" society looks upon moms who give up opportunities for full-blown, self-pursuit, career as rather wasteful. Let's don't even mention those moms who choose to raise their families full-time!!! "What a waste!" "She could have really made something of herself!"

I also think that many moms look at their current motherhood status and/or perhaps look back on their past motherhood exploits and cry out in despair, "What a waste!" "I could have done better!" "I am such a failure now ... what a waste!"Now this sermon isn't to justify evil ... as some mom's have much need for repentance. Yet, many moms are naturally idealistic and feel they don't measure up to some artificial ideal ... often imposed by other people.

In the same vein as Jesus, I want to emphasize, "Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her?"

The present-day dollar amount might well be nearly $25,000 for the perfume she poured out on Jesus.

"Let her alone. Why do you trouble her?"

I want moms to understand that the sacrifices they have made for their families is like this perfume poured out over the body of Jesus.For our moms who have been less than perfect, please allow Jesus to pour out the perfume of his Holy Spirit over you and feel his forgiveness running down your tear-stained face.

This is not at all to alleviate of our dear moms their responsibility for confession of sin and pursuit of repentance.

Yet, as an engine without oil will only lock-up and remain that way, our moms need to feel the forgiveness that Jesus offers, so they can do what comes naturally to them ... properly love their families. Jesus offers that forgiveness and transformation today. Will you reach out and take his outstretched, nail-scarred hand?

Happy Mother's Day