Mother’s Day – Ps Maree de Jong
When God created man he gifted him with many attributes, talents and gifts and He also added a
valuable additional gift when he created a woman to compliment who he was, and for them together
to reflect the fullness of God’s heart and nature.
Gen.1:27 (Msg) God created human beings; he created them godlike, reflecting God’s nature. He
created them male and female.
The Bible refers to a woman being a Help mate.
The Hebrew interpretation/translation is: to be strength, to aid, to rescue.
In other words someone who brings something vital to others, someone who adds value,
someone beneficial with capacity to help.
When you Help you: Support, contribute – that strengthens and enlarges
To Meet is to: Connect, touch – knowingly, personally, willingly.
Today we are highlighting some of the strengths that we see God has placed within a woman that
contribute, bring strength, add to, and compliment others and express aspects of the heart of God
through how he has created them.
Firstly: Nurturers – Hands that care
 What comes to mind when you think of “nurturers”? what images, people?
I think of caring hands, I think of someone who gives, reaches out, hold close Mother Teresa:
“Give of your hands to serve and your hearts to love.”
I think women embody giving nurturing hands. It is innate within the feminine heart to reach out, to
hold close, to give out, to want to help in any way if you are able.
Nurturers naturally have open hands and are empathetic with others.
 What comes to mind when you think of Mother Theresa?
Mother Teresa was a single childless nun…but she became a symbol of nurturing, dignifying and
unconditional love in the slums of Calcutta…serving the dying…the mum of the outcasts…iconic of
God’s heart and touch to those no one wanted.
Article called Power to change: - Anti nurturing trends are not only changing demographics, but also
reflect a growing sense of disconnectedness felt in society in general.
Technology may have created a global village, but the connections it has wrought are often
superficial.
 Do you agree with Ps Maree’s statement that we can have people all around us yet still feel
alone? Why/why not?
Phil Baker – Book “Letters to a lady” - Speaking of women: She has the ability to turn the house into
a home. She is a star around which everyone else orbits. A cartoon that best summarises this concept
is one of a 6 year old boy on the phone speaking to an unknown caller saying, ‘Mum is in the hospital,
so the twins, and Roxy, Billy, Sally and the dog and me and dad are home alone.
(The mum brought the nurturing connection in the family).
Continued…
 What stories do you have of when you experienced or have been hands that care?
E.g. From my reference as a mum, I remember when one of our sons was a little apprehensive when
he started school. I went up to check on him at lunchtime only to find him sitting on his own in the
playground. My nurturing heart kicked in; I spoke to the teacher who in turn did something about it
by buddying him up with someone to ensure he was not alone.
I believe God placed within us all that nurturing heart and hands to make sure others are taken care
of and also that they are not left out or alone in life
This nurturing in a feminine heart is not just with natural children but with those in need around us
because that is an expression of the heart of God.
 Who in your world do you nurture or could you nurture outside of biological children?
Isabel Roland, a writer and youth worker in Brazil:
There are women who are not aware of their destiny. They are depriving themselves of a beautiful
life. This destiny, Isabel believes is to nurture relationships, children, the needy. To pour from the
vessel of ourselves into others. To help others grow. ‘To be a mother in the wider sense’.
Phil.2:4 (ESV). Each of you should look not only to your own interest, but also to the interest of
others.
Msg. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own
advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
E.g. Sistahood – Present a need, women are eager and willing to help. Singlets to babies in hospital,
cookies to appreciate teachers, food to help a struggling family etc., they want to be the answer to
that problem and will get the job done, love that nurturing heart.
Secondly: Embracers - Heart that loves
Mother Teresa: “Love is a fruit, in season at all times and within the reach of every hand. Anyone
may gather it and no limit is set.”
 What grabs you from this quote? What does it have you thinking about?
As women God has placed within our heart and lives the ability for compassion, tenderness, and
concern for others, a heart to love.
1 Cor.13:13 (MSG). But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us
toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the
best of the three is love.
E.g. As a mother I remember when I was about to give birth to our second son and wondering how
was I going to be able to love/embrace another baby – room wise in my heart. As a first time mum
you give everything to that little life and feel like your heart is full, but instantly as he took his first
breath, I fell in love with this little life, and my heart just expanded. Within us is the innate ability to
embrace and love.
Whether you have had children or not we have been given these feminine heart abilities and
attributes from God, which helps us embrace and include and make room for others.
E.g. As a spiritual mum that is no different, God brings many people into your life and you think how
can I have room in my heart for more but it is within us because He has created us with capacity to
embrace.
Continued…
Helen Keller: The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even touched; they
must be felt with the heart.
Thirdly: Encouragers: Hope bringers
Aristotle: “Hope is a waking dream”
Hope: Possibility, confidant expectation the feminine heart has the ability to call out the best in
others, to awaken the dream through encouragement. The ability to inspire others to be the best
they can be. To instil hope that liberates.
E.g. Picasso once said: When I was a child my Mum said to me, ‘If you become a soldier, you’ll be a
general. If you become a monk, you’ll end up as the Pope’. Instead I became a painter and I wound
up as Picasso.
E.g. Thomas Edison: When a young boy, brought home a teacher’s note which said, ‘Your child is
dumb, we can’t do anything for him. The mother wrote back, ‘You do not understand my boy…I will
teach him myself.
1 Thes.5:10-11 (MSG). So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be
together in this, no one left out, no one left behind.
We will all leave a mark in life. A significant life is one that has reflected some of the many attributes
of God and made a difference in the world by investing into the lives of those around them.
To quote Shakespeare – ‘A life which causes memory to take its seat’.
Questions:
 How do you help develop the qualities of nurturing, embarrassing and encouraging in the
lives of those around you? Your children, your colleges, friends, extended family?
 When the Bible refers to women being a strength, help, etc. - How do you help develop that
in the women around you?
 What support has the attributes of the feminine heart been to you personally and in your
workplace?
 What are key qualities that you see that are across the board with women in leadership you
have worked with or have had influence in your life?
 What does having women in key leadership roles release us as a ministry to be more
effective in what God has called us too?
 Being a brother of sisters and or a husband, what would you say to ladies today that you
think they need to know?