Eve The First Mother
Eve was the first earthly woman and was created by the LORD God. There was no instructional manual for Eve to follow. There was no role model or life coach to mentor Eve in the care or instruction on pregnancy or child rearing.“And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.” Genesis 3:20
Eve was the first earthly woman and was created by the LORD God. There was no instructional manual for Eve to follow. There was no role model or life coach to mentor Eve in the care or instruction on pregnancy or child rearing.
The LORD God said unto Eve “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” (Genesis 3:16).
It was just Adam and Eve together to gain the understanding of conception; Eve had to endure the pain of childbirth and the rearing of her children. Adam had to work the cursed ground to grow the food that would feed them.
Eve realized the baby Cain was a blessing from the LORD God because she said “I have gotten a man from the LORD.” (Genesis 4:1). How heart breaking when Cain murdered Abel, his brother. This would be true sorrow and suffering.
Genesis 4:25 tells us that Adam knew his wife again; and she bore a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. The Jewish nation and the Son of God, Jesus Christ would eventually come from.
The problem of today finds that woman has forgotten that their desires shall be to their husband not the desire of their children. (Genesis 3:16). There are examples everywhere that mothers are living vicariously through their children. The husband takes the back seat to the whims of the children. This is not the way the LORD has intended.
The role and the responsibility of a mother should be that of a loving, nurturing, teaching and disciplining mother. Mothers are responsible for the whole training, the whole education, of her children. The role of the mother goes beyond being a friend it is so much more elevated. A good mother is not self-serving and is not concerned whether her desires are being fulfilled. There should be no concern with how much attention she is getting from her children.
Good mothers cultivate the mind and the moral values of her children. She is the example for her children.
The responsibilities of being a mother are great because mothers are dealing with fragile human children who need love to grow by. Children thrive on love and wither in hate. Mothers love is that first contact of love a child experience. It is the tender loving care of a mother that is the first example of the love of Jesus that children experience. Mothers care for the development of the minds, bodies, and their very soul of the children under their care. This is a responsibility which cannot be taken lightly. Being a mother takes sacrifices, an unending faith, and a patient heart, and lots and lots of prayers.
Nurturing begins with the very first touch exchanged between mother and child at birth. I have personally witnessed frail newborn babies flourish at the touch of a loving mother. On the same hand, I have personally witnessed healthy new born babies die because of a lack of a mothers loving touch. The inbreed instinct of a small flicker of life knows and responds to that outreach of love. They are bonded as if by magnetism.
The gentleness of guiding the children through the educational part of their existence helps to establish how the children will be able to cope with and communication with other human children. It is through nurturing and encouraging by the mother that the example is set for children to follow as they grow into adults.
It is my moral conviction that children should be instructed to follow the teachings of Jesus, to walk in His ways and to read the Bible every day. When life throws children a curve the first thing you want your children to do is to turn to Jesus for their strength, tranquility and hope that would enable them to conquer the trials and tribulation the world would dump on them.
Teaching and understanding goes hand in hand. Teaching is more than the ABC’s it is in understanding and gentleness that a child will learn the ways of the Lord. Children that are taught about the love of Jesus are children who will grow toward the LORD. This is done not by pounding, but through a life of faithful serving on the part of the mother. Teaching children how to walk, talk, feed themselves, how to dress themselves, even potty training are difficult beginning teachings that is well known by most mothers. Teaching goes beyond the fundamental training of children. It is building trust in other people, recognizing and discerning people to whom to put trust in. Teaching when it is proper to make an impression and when it is time to pull away. Teaching children how to get along with others in the different setting life will throw at them in their adulthood. It all starts with the mother. Children emulate their mother’s; they can become carbon copies of what they see and what they hear. Mothers give their children insight into their future by training them in their strong points and correcting their weak points. Children are molded and shaped into their reality of life.
Discipline is an important tool that a good mother uses to instruct and correct their children’s behavior. I truly believe that children need and want to be disciplined. Show me an undisciplined child and I will show you a child without growth. It is easier to allow children to go through their lives without any type of disciple it might even make a mother feel like she did a wonderful thing not having to disciple her children. They will find in the long run those undisciplined children will not have an understanding or will they have the coping tools to survive in an adult world. Sometime discipline takes the form of an iron fist; sometimes it takes a little stroke. Sometime the toughest turmoil situation can be defused by a hug and a smile. The most powerful tool a mother can use is “I love you”. Those three words can and will sustain the children all through their lives.
Being a mother takes dedication and a strong dose of faith, praying often for the strength and endurance needed to finish the task of raising her children to adulthood. Just like with Eve motherhood do not come with a “know how manual”. It’s all done by trial and error. No two children are the same and need to be handled on an individual basis. There is no right or wrong method of mothering. The only wrong way would be not to mother at all, or to throw the responsibility off on either the children to raise themselves or on another person or being a mother who is not willing to accept that responsibility. Good mothers who are loving, nurturing, teaching and disciplining are always aware there will come a time when she will have to loosen the reigns and stand back. She endeavors to allow her children to make their own decisions regarding the path they choose to follow. Praying the children will make their decisions wisely and becoming all they can be. The children have to experience life with all its up’s and down’s their way. The mother now has given guidance, confidence and faith to her children so they will have the tools to tackle the unknown challenges life has in store for them.
No matter the relationship between children and their mother the role of a mother is important. It is that human desire to be accepted and loved by a mother. When there is no mother in the life of a child that child can only survive by filling that void with the love of Christ.
A perfect mother is not a person who does not make mistakes in raising her children, but the mistakes she does make are made out of love. My personal prayer as a mother is that all my children make it to the arms of Jesus when the final roll call is sounded. God Bless all mothers everywhere.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Eve The First Mother:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Oct 2014.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1697,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2014, October) “Eve The First Mother:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1697,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2014) “Eve The First Mother:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (October), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=1697, (accessed).
Joanne B. Holstein is a Becker Bible Studies teacher and author of Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. She has received her Master of Science degree in Psychology/Christian Counseling with honors from Liberty University. She is well-known as a counselor to Christian faithful who are struggling with tremendous burden in these difficult times. She is a leading authority on the history of development of the Christian churches and the practices and beliefs of world religions and cults.
