Mother of all things
Mother's Day 2020
If you were to ask a long line of people who they consider their mother to be, it would not be surprising to find that a large number of those people may give the title of ‘mum’ to someone other than the woman who birthed them.
The Oxford Dictionary describes a mother as “a woman in relation to a child or children to whom she has given birth”. On paper, logically, this makes sense. This explanation is sound, but what about the millions of children that don’t identify with this definition?
The lived experience of these people have come to contradict this primary definition. They don’t subscribe to the generalised belief that their mother gave birth to them. Women who are unable to have children turn to surrogacy, adoption, or fostering – but this biological discrepancy doesn’t dilute their love. Women can step into the role of a mother when their bodies bear children, but whose minds and lives cannot fulfil the role. Women who, whether known as a mother or not, help to raise, nurture, and care for a child with selfless love. All of these women represent a mother.
Mothering is an instinctive desire to love, care for and nurture someone or something (a maternal instinct, if you will). This nature is not limited to individuals whose anatomy functions perfectly. We’ve found a fulfilling way to be mothers without actually having children.
Take a moment to think of all the women surrounding you who may not have natural children, but still nurture, push, protect and impart wisdom and vision in others.
Take a moment to think of all the people around you who may not have mothers but have a figure who fulfils that role for them, even without a biological connection.
Spiritual motherhood fits into this category. It is a type of motherhood that nurtures the heart and soul of a person, instilling Jesus’ warmth and love. We are conscious of how incredibly extraordinary and significant this responsibility is. Spiritual mums can be mother to the motherless and defender of children.
There is a spiritual aspect to all kinds of motherhood; the selfless giving of a woman to her child, encouraging that child, feeding them God’s word, and even clothing them in prayer.
Spiritual mums seek to embolden and affirm the development and progress of their spiritual child, if you will. They push them to do things their can’t yet achieve. Mothers are behind their children ready to pick them up when they fall and walking beside them as a friend. Mothers know when their children are ready to walk and lift them up accordingly. Mothers hold their hands and guide their feet. Spiritual mothers do the same.
Perhaps you fit into a category of motherhood that isn’t quite conventional?
Are you an aunty? You get to see your niece or nephew through all their milestones; the good, the bad and ugly!
Are you a grandmother? You can lovingly dote on your grandchild, feed them warm cookies and snuggle them endlessly.
Have you lost a child? You are still a mother.
Are you a foster mum? You bring security and comfort to hurt children.
Are you a spiritual mum? You can mentor and guide others to a brighter future.
Do you have a fur-baby? Much like doting mothers of humans, we can celebrate milestones with our furry friends.
Of course, we recognise not all women desire the opportunity to be maternal. And that’s okay too. We celebrate all women for all they do.
We also recognise some women struggle with motherhood. To those mothers, we grieve with you that motherhood didn’t turn out how you were expecting.
I’d like to finish this out with a few verses from Titus (2:3-5) that remind us just how important women are: Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
To all mothers, natural or not, near or far, we wish you a Happy Mothers Day.
We love you and we appreciate all you do for us.
Words by Tiarna Taylor and Amy Hacker