Then I Arose, A Mother....

 

My sweet niece, Ellyn, asked for some encouragement on social media last week.  She's a young wife and mom, and I've grown to love her.  (She's married to my nephew, Samuel, who I love so much.  I've met her exactly once at their wedding.  But praise God for social media, where we've been able to connect!)

I've been listening to a series of podcasts by Elizabeth Woodson called "Church Mothers".  I'm not quite through the series, but the idea has intrigued me.  When I tried to come up with a working definition that I could think through, I came across this from AI overview...

"A church mother is a title of respect for a mature woman in the church, typically someone who is age 55 or above.  This role is often based on the biblical principles found in Titus 2:3-5, which encourages older women to teach "good things" and provide instruction to younger women on matters of faith, life, marriage, and family." 

(This must have become top of mind because I recently turned 55. 😊)

I long to be these things, but I'm hesitant.  I tried wading into the waters recently, but I'm not good with follow-up.  Satan sends soldiers of discouragement that march through my thoughts--"Someone else could do a better job."  "If they wanted my input, I've offered."  "I know they're busy, and I hate to bother them."  

So when Ellyn sent out a request to her friends and family on social media, I didn't stop to let those thoughts get ahead of me.  I went right to one of my favorite chapters in the whole Bible--Judges 5.

Deborah's song.  Deborah is the only woman mentioned as a judge in the early history of Israel.  The Israelites were in the downward cycle of doing evil in the sight of the LORD, and found themselves owned by a foreign king.  Deborah, a prophetess beside being a judge, would sit under the palm tree and settle disputes.  She called for Barak and reminded him that the LORD has commanded him to rise up some troops to help rescue Israel from their oppression.  Barak said he will only go if Deborah goes too.  She is glad to go, but warned Barak he will receive no honor from this conquest, because it will be a woman who takes down Sisera, the commander of the enemy's army.  Sisera found himself in the tent of Jael, the wife of someone he considered a friend.  But instead she drove a tent peg through his temple and killed him.  (The Bible can be brutal as it tells the real life story of humanity.  Imagine teaching this in children's church....) That day, God subdued the Canaanite king, and empowered Israel increasingly until he was destroyed.  

On that day, Deborah invited Barak to sing with her. She praised everyone--leaders to volunteers--for blessing the LORD for their service.  She called everyone--kings, princes--to listen and pay attention as she sings.  She gave a line of the faithfulness of God for her listeners to trace, rehearse, and remember.  He has been on their side!!  She reminded the people that there were surely bad times, but that made the good times sweeter.  She warned them (rightly so because they were prone to wander) against choosing new gods and the consequences of doing so.  Deborah's heart was with the leaders and volunteers, and she wanted their country to be in prayer for them.  And as a call back to what she sang about the faithfulness of God, she commissions her audience to tell the righteous acts and deeds of the LORD! 

The people got so used to hearing her encouraging song, they would go down to the city gates and say "Awake! Awake, Deborah! Awake! Awake, sing a song!" They came from all around to draw encouragement from her.  

Deborah wasn't afraid to see the truth of what was happening around her, good and bad.  She praised the faithful tribes and questioned the distracted, unfaithful ones.  Deborah also sang the praises of another woman--Jael-- for what she had contributed. She added a whole verse to her song just to praise Jael for her bravery.  (That's hard for me. I think it's maybe hard for us as women, as if another woman's light takes from ours.  This is a lie from the enemy and I need the reminder.)  

Deborah also had compassion for the mother of Sisera, even though he was evil and an enemy.  She imagined and felt her pain, although she had just praised the one who had unalived Sisera.  Sometimes it's hard to hold both of these emotions in our hands as women.  Knowing something is God's will, yet also being able to see the pain of humanity in that. 

I think the "hinge" verse in the whole song--the verse all other thoughts in this chapter hang and move on--is verse 7.  

"Villages were deserted, they were deserted in Israel, until I, Deborah, arose, a mother in Israel." 

Deborah was a prophetess and a judge.  She was a woman of great wisdom, talent, influence.  But when it came time to identify herself, to identify the turning point in her leadership, it's when she rose up as a mother.  

I once told one of my girls "You will be lots of things in life. A daughter.  A sister.  A friend.  A girlfriend.  A wife.  A mother. But not one of these things are ALL you are or will ever be."  When I look at all the things I am and have been, I have loved being mother to my kids, nurturing them, singing to them, loving them, even disciplining them.  But as the pink of youth is overlayed with gray that comes with age, I am ready.  To be an encouraging influence to the leadership of our church. To be a loving nurturer to the beautiful girlies God has placed in my circle. To be compassionate and brave.  To sing a trustworthy song.  Please God, let it be for Your glory.