"Jesus could have done the big thing..."

Sally Clarkson has a great post up today called The Sacrifice of Love. Here's just a portion of it that spoke to me:

"Jesus could have done the big thing, and reached leaders all over the world and brought kings to their knees. But He gave his life to the personal, the love, encouragement, instruction, service of his twelve, the common people, those entrusted into his hands, that they might know and feel the love of God, the touch of God, hear the words of God. He laid down His life in the daily that they might live a life of faith and invest in His kingdom for eternity."

This is probably the concept from Sally's books I have most cherished: that just as Jesus had his group, his twelve that he poured his life into while he was here on earth, we as mothers have our own little group to instruct-- numbered by however many children God has entrusted to us. I have five lives to pour into, day after day after day... to serve, love, instruct, build relationships with, listen to, answer questions, tell stories to, explain, eat with, laugh, discuss, admonish, work alongside of, pray with, correct....

It may not seem like a big thing. It may seem insignificant or ordinary. But look at the difference those twelve ordinary men made in the world. If we could only see our role as mothers in that way! If we purpose to invest in the lives of our children the way Jesus did with his disciples, imagine the impact our own children will have as they grow into maturity.

I think of this often as I think of the own legacy of my own grandma. My grandma was a faithful mother of eight: four sons and four daughters. She stayed home, serving her husband and raising her children. She made meals, she cleaned the house, she did the laundry. She had a garden and harvested from it. She mediated squabbles between her children. She taught them about Jesus. She prayed for them. She served them, laying down her life for them, year after year after year.

All eight children grew, got married, and raised their own children. Their children had children. Do you see the impact that "ordinary" woman had? Her life, laid down for her children, who grew to love and serve God and raise their own families to love and serve God... and on it goes.

Motherhood is such a worthy investment, dear readers. Blessings to you for pouring out your lives for your children: for doing the difficult but significant work of laying down your life for the children God has entrusted to you. He is faithful to strengthen and equip us for those He has given us. He is faithful to give you what you need. As you're wiping that runny nose, changing the four-hundredth diaper, getting your weary body out of bed to tend to a child in the dark of night, answering the endless questions of inquisitive minds, praying earnestly for their hearts, putting in the next load of laundry, or preparing another meal to put on the table... may you see all of these things as an offering of love to God.

Blessings to you today!