“As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.” 1 Thessalonians 2:7
A mother’s love reflects the love of the Lord, deep in its capacity and generous in its application. She awakes in the middle of the night to nurse a hungry infant, or care for a sick child. Her intuition injects love at points of pain, and in situations that require extensive encouragement. A mother’s love lingers long in conversation and understands with her sensitive heart. She loves, because Christ’s love compels her to love like Him.
Moreover, a mother’s love is loyal and longstanding. A child may be in trouble, but mom is always close by, full of compassion and acceptance. Her love can be blind in its loyalty, but her offspring never doubt where they are welcomed. Jesus was rejected by angry, jealous men and abandoned by His closest friends, but His mother was waiting with Him to the bitter end, “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother… (John 19:25a).
A mother’s love even has the capacity to be a mother to those who are not biologically her own. Amazingly she can informally ‘adopt’ people for a season and love on them emotionally, physically, spiritually and relationally. She opens her home, shares her food, gives her time, dispenses her wisdom, and encourages obedience to follow Christ. Paul experienced this, “Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too” (Romans 16:13). Moms sometime mother greatness which is not necessarily their own.
Lastly, a mother’s love is gentle like God is gentle toward His children. He calls us to love and to the lead like Jesus. Love serves people and does not rule with rigor. “God's servant must not be argumentative, but a gentle listener and a teacher who keeps cool, working firmly but patiently with those who refuse to obey” (2 Timothy 2:24, TM). “Do I model gentle and patient love?” “Do others feel safe to share their sorrows with me?”
Related Readings: Genesis 47:12; Ruth 4:16; John 21:15-17; James 3:17
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