As she quickly moved on to the next toy in the room, I stayed in the moment and reflected on this answer. I at first thought maybe I should be helping her to be a great physician; or a nurse to have her lean into her nurturing personality; or maybe prod her into engineering to have her lean into her analytical thinking. Or should I help her lean into her musical talent in the hopes that she would use her creative side in some sort of venue? Yes all of these careers would be great choices for her.
Why was it that my thoughts were drifting to her needing to pick a career? Was wanting to be a mother not a lofty enough goal?
I was convicted in that moment that I thought less of being a mom than my four year old.
Why did I think that a career goal had a higher purpose than a parenting role? How has a culture shifted in such a way that being a mother is less of a calling?
A college student once told me that they didn't want to be a parent until way later in life as it would just get in the way of doing great things for God. Do we imply to this generation that being a mother is doing less for God? Do we as women say to God, "here am I, send me" in hopes of being sent as a missionary to a third world country? Yet we refuse to see the mission field He is calling us to even in our own home? What if the greatest missionary field in the whole world is the 3-4 bedroom house you live in?
In the daily grind of motherhood, your sphere of influence can feel small. Cleaning the kitchen floor for the third time that day, keeping your dirty laundry from overflowing, changing diapers, little ones crying over crayons; some days it feels like the only area of influence is what everyone will eat that day. The day in and day out of being a mother, can at times feel mundane. Yet the Lord reminded me of the deeper truths of motherhood. Motherhood is a high calling. He has called you to this role. Your role as a mother has kingdom impact and purpose. There is purpose in the sometimes seemingly mundane. He has called you to be an influencer to the next generation. Moms, you are a daily character shaper. You are a missionary to your home. You want to have high impact for the Kingdom of God? Raise a child to fear and love the Lord with their whole being, who is ready to influence a generation.
In my in-laws house hangs one of my favorite pictures of a young Zac Hufty and his sister. A lanky boy holding his little sister's hand as they look out at the vast ocean. Under the picture reads, "They will touch a day that I'll never see. I pray they make it brighter." O mothers, let this be true in our families. May we see our roles as mothers as a high calling. May we use our homes as a training field for character and Christ-likeness for our children. May we develop a generation of leaders who will one day enter the world, ready to declare Christ as King. May we see our roles as touching a day that we will never see. May our daughters see motherhood as a high calling, that has the potential to forever shape our culture and generations to come.
"Your greatest contribution to the kingdom of God may not be something you do, but someone you raise." - Andy Stanley
