The Ministry of a Mother’s Hands
This week I’ve been thinking about what I do with my hands as a momma. While on a walk to meet Daddy, in the space of just a few seconds, I was holding Seth’s hand as a car passed, and then wiping Cameron’s snotty nose. As mommas, we do so much with our hands: we rub backs, cool fevered foreheads, guide, point out interesting things outside, make food for hungry little bellies, disciple, discipline, cuddle, hold, pick up, teach. There are so, so many things that we do with our hands and, I believe, we can rightly claim that as mommas we use our hands for ministry.
First the definition of minister, or one who has a ministry:
“Question: “What is Christian ministry?”
Answer: “Ministry” is from the Greek word diakoneo, meaning “to serve” or douleuo, meaning “to serve as a slave.” In the New Testament, ministry is seen as service to God and to other people in His name. Jesus provided the pattern for Christian ministry—He came, not to receive service, but to give it.” Definition found here.
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How Do We Use Our Hands for Ministry?
One of my favorite songs over the past few years has been Do Everything by Steven Curtis Chapman because this first verse almost perfectly describes my life {really the only thing that is wrong is the lipstick…I’m not really a lipstick girl.} Read the lyrics to the first verse and chorus, and see if they don’t describe your life right now too:
You’re picking up toys on the living room floor for the fifteenth time today.
Matching up socks,
Sweeping up lost cheerios that got away.
You put a baby on your hip,
Color on your lips
And head out the door.
While I may not know you,
I bet I know you wonder sometimes,
Does it matter at all?
Well, let me remind you,
It all matters just as long
Chorus:
As you do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you,
‘Cause He made you,
To do
Every little thing that you do
To bring a smile to His face
To tell the story of Grace
With every move you make
And every little thing you do.
As mommas, we use our hands for ministry every single time we do anything; as believers, we are commanded to do all with love {1 Cor 16:14, Gal 5:13-14}, to do things without complaining or arguing {Phil 2:14}, to work heartily for the Lord {Col 3:23}. We were created by God and for God {Rom 11:36} to bring His message of hope to the world {Matt 5:16}, to do good works {Eph 2:10}, and to bring Him glory {Matt 5:16}.
These verses tell us that as we are washing the dishes, folding those little potty training pants, wiping up the potty training messes, chopping up onions, drinking coffee, teaching the preschooler phonics, all the bazillion tasks we do each day as mommas, we have an opportunity to give glory to God.
Being momma gives us opportunity everyday to use our hands for ministry. How does being a minister of God to your littles change your views on your work as a mother? #motherhood #missionalmotherhood #momlife Click To TweetAs mommas, we tend to think that the things that we are doing are meaningless in the grand scheme of things…I mean, why does it matter how many poopy bottoms I have cleaned up? Who cares how many times I have vacuumed the living room?
God cares, momma. He placed you here, in this world, now, for a purpose. He placed your children in your care. You, and your husband are the first ministers that your child knows. How we act and react to things leaves an impression on the eternal souls of our littles. {I’m preaching to myself here right now…so know that as I try to hammer these points in, this is more for myself than for you.}
How Do We Start to Think of Ourselves as Ministers?
How would we change some of our habits if we started to think of our job as a momma, as one of ministry? What if we introduced ourselves like Paul did in his letter to the Romans? Think about it for a moment…how would this change your perspective on the things that you do, day in and day out, if you introduced yourself in the following way:
If we started acting like we believed that we are here as wife, mother, and daughter of the Almighty, to bring glory and honor to Him, to minister, in all that we do, how would we act? Would this change our attitude towards our spouse? Would this change our dealings with our littles? Would this change how we view and interact with the unsaved?
Motherhood isn’t always fun. It is the thing that I dreamed of as a girl- this work as a wife and mother. Staying home with my children, homeschooling, cooking and baking, hanging laundry on the line, these are things that I dreamed of since a young age. I am living my dream, but so often I get caught in the messiness of it, there are all these raw and harsh moments that I didn’t dream of. Dreams don’t show us these things. Dreams show us cuddles, kisses, love, and joy. Reality gives us those, but also anger, impatience, poop smeared on the walls, broken objects that were dear to us, pages ripped out of books, etc. These are the moments that our littles most need a minister, these are the times that we can show them Jesus.
We are ministers. Whether we want to be or not, the things that we do effect all who are touched by our lives. Let’s use our hands for good. Let’s use our hands to encourage and build up, rather than to discourage and tear down. Let’s use ALL our actions, in the messy moments of motherhood, and in the clean ones, to minister to others and point them in the direction of the Savior. We may be surviving toddlerhood, or living in the midst of elementary and high school years, but no matter where we are in this life, we can use our hands for ministry.
For further reading check out Missional Motherhood and The Ministry of Motherhood.
You may also like:
HOW A MINIMALISTIC LIFESTYLE CAN GLORIFY GOD
Encouragement for the Spiritually Hungry Momma
Articles from other mommas:
Check out how Suzanne from The Glorious Mundane decorates her home as a place for ministry.
The time when Jen from Heaven Not Harvard realized that she WAS doing the important work.
Bethany from Snapdragon of the Field shares how how her job as a momma is sanctifying her.
Crystal from Pennies and Playdough uses her time as a minister momma to teach her child about peer rejection.
Beautiful post! I love that song, too 🙂
Thanks, Kristen”
I am in this same boat with you! I struggle with the mundane neediness at this stage. I know I will miss it when it’s gone. But sometimes it’s just.. PLEASE let me put that last dish in the dishwasher before your intense neediness starts! I have a momma’s boy as my littlest one. But then I put my thoughts back in to check. Six years ago, I just wanted a baby and couldn’t get pregnant. Now I have the best joys ever. I’m so proud of them after I put things back into perspective. I also love that song!
I know!! I have to remind myself that this needy, baby-toddler stage will pass. Some days I just need that song to play all day, no matter gown many times I hear it I am reminded in a good way how things are supposed to be.
I love when people can step back from life and see things like that. My mind is always going a million miles a minute that I forget to think about the simple things in life. Thank you!
Your welcome! Thank God for the little insights He gives me on the days I need them most!
What a beautiful thought — we truly do so much with our hands. They are the carriers of our message so often.
I have the image of my grandmother’s hands engrained in my memory. I really wish I had a picture of them. By the same token, I would like to have pictures of my parents hands, but I’m afraid to ask. I don’t want them to think that I’m thinking they are about to die or anything. I know I should just do it!!
Great insight.
I’ve never thought about a picture, but I have seen several beautiful examples on Pinterest. You should do it!
Looking forward to that recipe. I love that quote “Everything, all the time, is to be done for God’s glory”. That is so true we really need to do everything for his glory.
A very thoughtful posting. I completely agree with you about thinking further how we use our hands for. They should be to the Glory of the Creator. Thank you for sharing.
This is a great reminder, Rebekah! The messy moments are a challenge to me. 🙂
Also, thank you for the mention!
I think they are a challenge for every momma, whether we want to admit it or not. 🙂
So true! It’s hard to do, but our approach to our work as mothers is so important to God. Thanks for this 🙂 I also came across this post recently that fits right in with this: https://theremedialhomemaker.wordpress.com/2017/03/01/a-form-of-quiet-warfare/
Thanks so much for sharing that post with me, Bethany!!! I loved it! I liked how the author pointed out that our posture should be one of willingness and humility. Both are areas that I struggle with at times, so I was glad for the reminder.
Thanks so much for linking up my post at the end. I know it gets exhausting how the same tasks are never done or only done for seconds. But I try to see that this family is my primary mission field. No one else is in the position I am in to care for and witness to them. I have to do this before everything else.
So true!! Our families are our first mission field!
My husband and I are just starting to try to have kids now so this was a huge encouragement to me as (hopefully) I move into that role in the next year or so.
Oh, Sarah, I am so glad that you found this encouraging!! I hope that you are blessed with a little one soon! Thanks so much for coming by!
This is truly beautiful and a great reminder that even us stay at home moms matter. Thank you. Visiting from Blogging with Heart.
This was so inspiring! As moms I think we tend to undervalue the daily tasks we do.
So true! We often don’t think about the ministry that we have as mothers because the world doesn’t think that it is important or big, I’m so thankful for women who remind me that IS my important work right now. My home is my mission field for now. Thanks for coming over, Devon, I hope to see you again sometime!
What a beautiful way to envision motherhood. Thank you for sharing!
I love this article so, so much! Thank you!
🙂 Awww. Thanks for coming by, dearie!!
Love this! It’s so easy to grow weary when we are giving so much day after day. Thank you for the reminder that even the smallest acts of service has a purpose.