What’s the job of a mother?
According to my three-year-old, Judah, it can be summed up like this: “A Momma’s job is to clean blank-blanks (I.e., favorite blankets), clean messes, turn lights on, hang up some pictures and give tickles.”
If only it were that easy!!
Mother.
One name, a gazillion and one roles to play. Our job could be summed up like this, a mother is: a housekeeper, disciplinarian, teacher, chef, nurse, role model, chauffeur, maid, butler, caretaker, cheerleader, drill sergeant, prayer-warrior, social director, leader, manager, visionary, mentor, coach, clown, travel agent, banker, negotiator, technician, bookkeeper, peacekeeper, therapist, story teller, personal shopper, sports fan, activist, companion, wife...okay, you get the idea!!
I don’t know about you fellow mamas-in-the-trenches, but wearing that many different hats can be a real pain in the neck (especially so when those hats don’t always fit right and they make us itch).
There are some roles we fill with ease and usually enjoy doing. For example, I actually enjoy the role of cook: making a five course dinner (when I am not multi-tasking between my brood, food and the usual frenzy) is challenging and rewarding for me. I also love playing chauffeur; driving from here to there with the kids (usually with a phone stuck to my ear) is relaxing and enjoyable to me.
Then there are the other roles.
Maid: I would just as soon as hire Ella from Enchanted to dance around my house, magically leaving sparkling sinks and shiny toilets in her wake. Nurse: considering how I passed out when I was on a tour of the hospital and a real nurse demonstrated to us how shots are given, I’d rather pass on this one (I’m embarrassed to add it was a tour given to kindergartners using a fake needle with red water and I was one of the chaperons!)
As you read this, perhaps you identify with certain roles of motherhood you enjoy and other roles you also would like to avoid like the plague. I propose a possibility at why we woman are called to be mothers, a high calling but a very difficult one.
I believe we were called to be mothers because God knew we couldn’t do it. What?! You may be thinking, has this Momma lost her marbles (and you’re not thinking of my kid’s toy ones!)!? My response: exactly, it doesn’t make sense. If God knew that we could do it without him, in our own strength and brain-power, then He would have worked himself out of a job. I think God loves to be needed by us! He is our ever present help in time of trouble (verse here), our strength when we are weak (Psalm 46:1-3) and the very reason we were created (Col. 1:15-17).
No matter how easy you’re three-year-old may think you’ve got it as a Momma, the role of a mother is a very difficult job sometime, but is there any other role you’d rather have? Thankfully, there is help and strength available to empower us every step of the way so we never have to do it alone. And if my Judah has a say in it, as long as we get the "important stuff" right, like giving tickles and turning on the light, I think we're doing pretty darn good!!
