The Mothers Who Shape Us
Mother’s Day can bring many different emotions. For some, it is a day of celebration and gratitude. For others, it carries grief, longing or complicated memories. Wherever you find yourself, this day invites us to reflect on something deeper than one relationship. It invites us to consider the kind of connection God is forming among His people.
In Matthew 12:48–50, Jesus says, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And then He answers, “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Jesus is not dismissing His earthly family. He is expanding it. He is showing us that in Him, we are part of something larger, a spiritual family where love, care and belonging are shared.
Many of us have experienced this in quiet but meaningful ways. There are women who have encouraged us, prayed for us, listened to us, guided us and shown us what it looks like to follow Jesus. Some are mothers. Some are not. But all have reflected something of God’s nurturing and faithful love.
This is part of the beauty of the church. We are not meant to walk alone. God places people in our lives to care for us, and He invites us to do the same for others. Older women are called to invest in younger women (Titus 2:3–5), and all of us are called to love one another deeply. In this way, the church becomes a place where meaningful connections grow and lives are shaped over time.
Even as Jesus calls us into this larger family, He also shows deep care within His earthly relationships. As He hung on the cross, He looked to His mother and to the disciple whom He loved and said, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother” (John 19:26–27). In that moment, He made sure His mother was cared for, forming a new connection of love and responsibility. Even in His suffering, Jesus was connecting people to one another.
Mother’s Day can be a moment to pause and give thanks for the women who have “mothered” us in different seasons of life. It can also be a moment to consider how we might step into that role for someone else, offering encouragement, presence and care.
God’s family is bigger than we often realize. And in that family, there is room to belong, to be known and to reflect His love to one another.
