Mothers; good mothers; have to make difficult decisions. I think this is always true, but there are varying degrees of difficulty. One year, when my family and I were on a mission trip in Honduras we visited an orphanage for special needs children. In this area, it was the first of its kind. We listened in horror as the director of the orphanage told us the stories of these precious children. These children, because they were born with special needs had been abandoned. Wait! Before we become all indignant, we may need to walk a mile and all that. The families are poor, barely existing. They already have five or six children and along comes another one who has needs that you cannot pay for. There is no welfare system. There is no place to find help. As a mother what do you do? You have five healthy children who are barely getting enough to eat. If you spend the required money on the baby, your other children don’t eat. I believe that most of these mothers did not callously leave their babies on the street, devoid of emotion or care. I believe their hearts broke in a million pieces. I believe a part of them died as they left this struggling for life child. I think they prayed for a quick death, because the alternative is too horrible to consider. Happy Mother’s Day everyone!
Moses was born in one of those very difficult moments. The Pharaoh had commanded that all male babies were to be cast into the Nile River. Okay, notice that he gave the command to his people. This command is for the Egyptian people. He is not trusting the Israelite women to cast their own babies into the crocodile infested waters. He may be ruthless, but he is not stupid. So, in the midst of this horrible command, Moses is born. Now, think of his mother giving birth fully aware of the command. Did she stifle the cries? I’m guessing she did. Other mothers have had to give birth in similar situations. They silently scream out their pain. Did she pray that this baby would be a girl? That seems likely, doesn’t it? There was no ultrasound. There was no baby reveal party. “Please God, let the baby be a daughter so that it can live.” Yep, I can see that prayer being fervently offered up. Did she hide out in the house throughout her whole later pregnancy? Maybe her family spoke of illness so that the Egyptians would not investigate or wonder why she didn’t work in the fields. Already, this motherhood thing is difficult.
When Moses is born, we are told that his mother saw that he was beautiful. Well, okay then. Isn’t that every mother’s view of their baby? I mean, they have these mother colored glasses. I’m talking about most mothers here. The word “beautiful” can mean “pleasant, agreeable, good.” But again, don’t most mothers think their babies are the best? And maybe that is the point. She was a good mother and she saw her baby with mother eyes: beautiful, pleasant, agreeable, the absolute best baby. I don’t think we are to imaging that if Moses were an ugly baby, she would have chucked to the crocodiles. If Moses had been a sickly wailing baby, his mother may have still tried to save him, but it would have been much harder. Maybe that is another point being made here. He was a healthy content baby and hiding for three months was easier than it might have been. Oh, and by the way, the word “hide” can also mean “to treasure.” It means both here. She is hiding and treasuring her son. Well, that is what mothers do, isn’t it.
But even good babies become more active and vociferous after three months. Now what? Moses’ mother has to make a horribly difficult decision. She made an ark for him. It is the same word from Noah fame. She waterproofs it. And she puts it in the Nile. This is irony boys and girls. In order to save her son, she is actually carrying out the command of Pharoah. The plan was most likely to place him in a remote area, hidden among the reeds and having Mariam watch over him. His cries would be less noticeable here. Maybe, just maybe, they could keep this boy alive. It doesn’t seem likely that she planned on the Pharoah’s daughter to find him. That was divine happenstance. It most likely scared her socks off. And the good news is that Mariam was bold and quick-witted. She asked the princess if she needed a wet nurse. And Moses’ mother is able to keep him until he is weaned. Can you imagine the gratitude?
So, what is the point here? Why are we covering this ground on Mother’s Day? I believe that all mother’s live here. They treasure their babies; they do their best to hide them from danger. They see them with those mother-colored glasses. They are beautiful; the best of the best. And mothers are pressed to make difficult decisions. When one child needs attention, will she have to neglect the others? This is not easy stuff; this being a mother. So, God bless you. And Happy Mother’s Day everyone!