“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
Reflect
In order to outweigh the challenges of motherhood, many churches have embraced the idea that motherhood is the highest calling. I would agree that raising up young disciples is a very high calling from the Lord, but the claim that it’s the highest has a few problems.
Firstly, it leaves women who are childless feeling as if their womanhood is lacking. They begin to believe the lie that if their arms are empty, they are somehow less important in the kingdom of God. The truth is, a single or childless woman is in no way less valuable to the Lord. Furthermore, singleness and suffering are high callings, too.
Another reason we should drop this idea is if we want to be biblical, technically being a wife is a “higher” calling than motherhood. Because marriage is a picture of Christ and His Bride, the Christian is called to value their relationship with their husband more than the one they have with their children (Ephesians 5:22-33). This may be news to many, seeing that we live in a child-centered world, but the husband-wife relationship is unique in its oneness (Genesis 2:24).
The most important caution toward this way of thinking is this: our highest calling has nothing to do with our womanhood but has everything to do with our sainthood. We are called to walk in the works the Lord has prepared for us and to glorify Him in our bodies by becoming more and more like him each day (Ephesians 2:10; 1 Peter 1:15-16).
Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is our highest calling. While there are many other prominent callings, none compare to this one.
Pray
Father, help us to view our different callings rightly and according to Your Word. Thank You for calling us out of darkness into your glorious light. May we glorify You as Your disciples. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
Your Turn
Have you elevated being a mother, wife, or anything else above your calling as a disciple? I encourage you to read through Ephesians 1-3.
