The Servant

A late Mother's Day post...Motherhood is my favorite thing to do in all the world.  However, at times it is exhausting, heartbreaking, and messy.  I am thankful the Lord can take even my failures as a mom and turn them into miracles!  

She cleaned up milk for the third time that morning. The baby had been teething all night and was crying in his crib. The breakfast dishes were in the sink, and the fire needed to be replenished. Her oldest was out chopping wood, so she could get the bread baked for the next meal. Exhaustion filled every fiber of her being. Her "to do list" was an impossibility. Of all days, Matthius, her husband had been called to the temple for a meeting. That meant she would be responsible for the outside chores, as well.

A cool breeze floated through her Bethsaida home. She sat down for a moment to enjoy it and rest her aching feet. The baby had stopped crying, and she closed her eyes in the stillness. However, the quietness lasted only a second. "Mama, come quickly. We must hurry!" The voice of Joshua, her oldest son, came through the window. He was flushed, breathless, and full of boyish excitement. "Let's go, Mama. He is here, in our town! I have heard so much about him! Oh, I can't wait until he speaks to the crowd." His energy level made her feel even more exhausted. "Joshua, slow down! Tell me, who is here? What is so special about this man?" Joshua answered, "Jesus of Nazareth! He is the prophet that father has been telling us about, the wise one that knows all things. The crowd is gathering! Hurry, Mama!"

A peaceful afternoon on the hillside sounded wonderful! Sadly, she looked around at all the things needing to be done. The chores inside the house were mounting, and the animals outside needed tending. The baby's stubborn new teeth were causing a fever. She looked at her flushed first born. Oh, how she loved him. He was born with the gift of a generous heart. She knew from the moment she saw him that Jehovah had great plans for him. Now he had an opportunity to learn from the great Rabbi. How could she refuse him?

"Son, I can not go. A mother's job is never done. I will allow you to go if you stay with the crowd. Do not wander off." Joyfully, he went running toward the door, "Thank you, Mama! Thank you!" She laughed and told him to wait just a moment, so she could fix him a lunch. After all, breakfast was several hours ago, and she knew what an appetite her hungry boy had. "Hurry, Mama! I do not want to miss one word that Jesus says!" She quickly packed him a lunch of five small loaves of leftover breakfast bread and two small fish. With a quick peck on the cheek, he was out the door.

She watched his bare feet stir up the dust as he ran to meet a group of boys. With a heavy heart she went to the well for water to wash the breakfast dishes. The sun rose in the sky as she accomplished her tasks for the day. Thankfully, the baby's teeth broke through, so he wasn't as fussy as the night before. She began to wonder when motherhood had turned to servanthood. She was so excited with the knowledge of each new baby added to their family. But, with each bundle came more responsibility. Every day was filled before the sun rose. Each night ended with tasks left undone.

As a young Jewish girl, she felt she had a great mission to fulfill. She longed to be a part of a miracle, to fulfill the will of Jehovah. There were times when she felt so close to Him. Now, when she had a moment to give Him, she just fell asleep in exhaustion. Long ago, she had talents to offer. Now her talents consisted of preparing meals, washing laundry, and collecting eggs from her hens. Her frustration seemed to mount on the days that her family went to the temple. Her husband sat with the Rabbis, leaving her to tend to the restless children. Many days, she had to take the baby outside the temple gates during the reading of the scrolls. Often, she wondered why she bothered going at all! So much for her being a part of a miracle.

She heard a commotion in the midst of the village, as she carried laundry out to dry in the late afternoon sun. Everyone was talking and several of the ladies were carrying large baskets. She ran to see what had caused the excitement. The baskets were filled with fresh baked bread and others were filled with delicious fish! Such bountiful blessings! She asked one of the elderly ladies in the village, "But, where did it all come from?"

She received answers at once from every direction.

"There were thousands of us on the hillside."

"We were mesmerized by this man called Jesus! I felt such peace while sitting at his feet!"

"We were so enthralled that we didn't realize how hungry we were!"

"There was a boy from this very village that gave his lunch to the great Rabbi."

"Jesus, blessed the boy's lunch and began to break it. The more he divided it, the more plentiful the lunch!"

"It was a miracle, one like I have never seen before!"

"Jesus fed over 5,000 of us with one generous boy's lunch!"

The busy mother began to feel her exhaustion slip from her. With breathless excitement, she asked if the lunch originally had five loaves and two fish. "Yes," a friend said, "that is the one!" Her tired feet began to run with renewed energy towards the hillside. She knew that bread had baked in her very own stone oven. As she made her way out of the village, she counted twelve baskets of leftovers! Her Joshua was a part of the miracle. His generous heart was used by Jesus! She wanted Jesus to know who she was. She was the mama of the generous boy. She made the miracle lunch! He must know!

As she ran, she repented of her earlier frustrations. The servanthood of motherhood was not a burden. What a beautiful reminder this miracle was! Everyday, mundane moments are merely opportunities to serve her children with the love of God. This love will one day shape their own hearts to serve. More importantly, they will be used in His kingdom to make a difference, to be a part of the miracle. There is no greater calling than to serve the ones the Lord gave especially to her. Deep inside her heart she knew Jehovah blessed her when she served. She knew she was her happiest when she poured her heart into her family.

The hillside was crowded. She knew who Jesus was the second she saw Him. There was a special presence about him, although he looked like the other men. In frustration, she pushed though the crowd, but could not reach him. He was getting into a boat and leaving. The people were wading into the water, trying to touch him. As loudly as she could, she called his name. The wind whipped her voice away and hid it in the midst of the people. And yet, he turned and looked straight at her. His eyes looked deeply into her soul. He smiled. She was the boy's mama that he chose to use that day. There were even greater things in store for her son, because of the things she had instilled in him. He saw her daily acts of servanthood and turned them into a miracle. Jesus knew, that like him, she was called to serve.