As
a mom of young children, I feel like I’m going, going, going all the time. On
a typical day I have devotions to be done, breakfast to make, chores to
supervise, reading to do, games to play, school to teach, lunch to make,
diapers to change, dishes to clean, training to do, gospel conversations to
have, naps to enforce, peace to keep, dinner to prepare, family bonding to
facilitate, laundry to fold, and so on and so on.
Where
in that long list of important activities can I find time or energy to disciple
younger women? How
much should helping other Christians grow factor into my daily plans? What
could this discipleship look like?
Discipleship
looks different in different seasons and as a Christian woman who desires to
see the gospel magnified, being a part of the growth of other Christians is a
privilege and a necessity. When
Christ came, he died for a people. At the end of time, Christ will present his
bride, the church, radiant and blameless to himself (Eph. 5). There is no such
thing as lone-ranger Christianity! Especially
in this season of motherhood with young children (which itself can tend to be
isolating and lonely) involvement in another believer’s life can refreshingly
lift our gaze from the mundane tasks of the day to the bigger reality of what
the Lord is doing to make a people for himself.
What do young moms have to offer to younger women?
Because we get the privilege of serving
little ones day in and day out, often with little self-initiated appreciation,
we get the opportunity to live out the gospel before watching eyes.
As
Christ came not to be served but to serve (Matt. 20:28),
our dying to self to serve our children displays Christlikeness. As believers
we are all being made more and more into the image of Christ, by the grace of
God.
Motherhood
in the young years lends a unique crucible into which our selfish natures are
refined to be more holy. That should be shared with others!
In
the area of biblical womanhood, the “younger me “would have benefited hugely
from a true picture of what young motherhood looked like. I loved children and
wanted a family. But I think a realistic idea of the work involved in raising
children and keeping the home would have informed some of the choices I had
made. I had an inflated view of what I could accomplish in my waking hours. I
thought I could be a doctor, a pastor’s wife, and mom-extraordinaire all in
one.
I
had spent much time shadowing doctors, but I hadn’t initiated much to spend
time with a mom. I think if I had, her life would have offered much wisdom to
me as I considered what kind of degree I got, what career I pursued, or how
much I financially invested in my education. Seeing a real-life picture of
biblical womanhood and having realistic role models would have challenged my
proud thoughts of being able to do all and have all and be all.
Discipleship
should be happening in all seasons of life: single, married, having young
children, having teenagers, growing old, retiring. Each season brings its own
freedoms and limitations. Because of the unique season of young motherhood,
discipleship will probably not look like formally sitting down with a younger
woman and digging into the depths of Scripture for hours.
More
likely this discipleship will happen in intentional conversations and pictures
of gospel application facilitated by opportunities to correct children or pick
up toys. You can pray for one another woman and lift each other before the Lord
even with your two-year old wiggling in your lap. Being a young mother is not
an excuse to not disciple younger women, it is a reason to do so.
Orginally posted by Melanie Young on domestickingdom.com
