Bio & Spir Moms

In the well-known Psalm 23, David portrays God as one who “sets a table” in the presence of danger. In that cultural context, preparing and setting the table was traditionally a woman’s role, yet God freely identifies with acts of nurture, care, and provision. In the New Testament, Jesus offers a similar image when he says: “How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing..” (Matthew 23:37). Nurturing and protective roles are deeply divine roles; they are not merely physical realities, but spiritual ones as well.

I have a theory. I believe one of the many reasons Jesus chose not to have biological children was to make a statement: that through him, family would no longer be limited to biological bonds. No more following geneaologies so closely. After all, Jesus said of his disciples, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:49–50). Family exists wherever there are followers of Jesus. Isn’t that beautiful? I have had the privilege of experiencing that truth personally.

My wonderful loving mom  lives in Bolivia, yet through the presence of many followers of Jesus, I have felt nurtured, supported, and cared for. When my daughter was a toddler, there was a Korean older lady  in our Bible study who was very mothering and we saw regularly for activities that felt very much like mother-daughter-granddaughter moments together. To this day, I still think of her as a spiritual grandmother to my daughter.

I am grateful that God—who is neither man nor woman—created mothers, both physical and spiritual, to reveal something of God’s nurturing, protective, and tender nature. An eternal "thank you" to my biological mother, who, despite living far away, continues to be emotionally close in my life.  Another eternal "Thank you" to God for the miracle of becoming a biological mom myself.  And, finally a heartfelt thank you to the spiritual mothers who go the extra mile to extend hospitality to me, making room for me in their schedules and at their tables.

During this Mother’s Day season, may we be especially sensitive and caring toward those who:

1. Feel pain or disappointment for not having become biological mothers.

2. Carry complicated or painful mother-child relationships.

3. Long for or deeply miss a loving mother.

4. Long for or grieve loving relationships with their children.

May we discover creative ways to both receive and extend spiritual motherhood.

May we, like God, gather people together and set the table for others, so that their souls may be nurtured and cared for.

May we be willing to let Jesus gather us under his wings to be nurtured and protected by Him.