Mother of Many

Happy Mother's Day! Have we ever thought of being a Mother of Nations? In India we know a missionary named Amy Carmichael who was called as “amma” by the kids she had rescued from temple prostitution. Teresa of Calcutta is widely acclaimed as mother even after her death. Just recently I was in the United States on a six-week duration with one, Ms Kasthuri Devaraj, who is the Correspondent of the Opportunity School in Vepery, Chennai, for raising funds for the school for the mentally challenged children. Aged eighty, she remains a single and is a mother of hundreds of special kids. These mothers did not have a biological child of their own. But they are mothers with a difference.

Bible also speaks about such special mothers. The first woman created by God was called prophetically by her husband, Adam as Eve. Eve means the mother of all the living (Genesis 3:20). Sarah and Abraham were longing for ‘one’ child. But God made them as the father and mother of nations. God changed the name of Abram as Abraham saying that, he had made him a father of many nations (Genesis 17:5) About Sarah also God said that he would bless her and she would be the mother of nations! (Genesis 17:16)

Hannah, a barren woman prayed for a child. But her prayer was with a difference. He dedicated that child for God’s service. God honoured her commitment that her child, Samuel became a mighty prophet who brought a revival in the nation of Israel. One mother-One prayer-One Nation was blessed. History has seen so many Hannahs and Samuels till date! We do not have a mention of the biological children of Lappidoth and Deborah. But the Bible tells that Deborah was a mother to her nation, Israel (Judges 5:7). She truly was a mother to the nation, bringing in order and peace in a difficult era in the history of Israel.

Jesus gave this radical definition of a father and mother, which made his mom, Mary and his siblings spell bound. Pointing to his disciples he said they are his family and continued saying that whoever does the will of the Father in Heaven are Jesus’ father and mother and brother and sister (Matthew 12:46-50). Jesus definition of a family is beyond biology and blood. Mary and his brothers no sooner became Jesus’ disciples. Mary was one among the 120 disciples in the upper room. James and Jude his siblings became his disciples too. Their epistles are a blessing to us till day. The earthly family of Jesus became a blessing to others only after becoming his disciples, not through their biological affiliations to Jesus!

It is the will of God for us to think beyond our blood and biological and geographical boundaries!We need to revere the profession of teachers in our society. We can even adopt kids who do not have parents and adopt them as our own! We can also reach out our helping hands to missionaries’ kids, tribal children studying in various hostels, help meet the need of needy schools in India and other nations. I challenge you to think beyond your boundaries and fulfil the will of God in the whole wide world! Let us become his disciples and bless the world around us!!

A Blessed Mother's Day to You!