Missions Textbook 23
and Mother

We Never Saw It Coming: An Introduction to Christian Missions (textbook)

Whenever people in Austria would ask, “Your husband’s a student? What do you do, dear?” I would answer, “I’m a wife and mother.” At first, I was surprised by their response – the look of “you poor thing.” It took a while before I learned that every Austrian woman had a profession, even if she was not practicing it. If she had been trained to be a florist, that was her answer to the question, even if she had never worked in a florist shop. By their definition, I was very uneducated, and I certainly was not going to tell them I was educated to be a missionary.

In the 21st century, it is not very popular to be “just a wife and mother.” Certainly, women are just as capable as men to learn and do any job they find interesting – with a few exceptions involving brute strength – and many of them do. Biologically, however, women were created to have babies, and while some women tragically can’t, we need to embrace this God-given ability wholeheartedly. Even ministry can supplant our ability to do our best as a mother, and we need to guard against letting our children know – or perceive – that they are not as important as the people to whom we minister.

Children are, in fact, our first disciples, and it is no accident or unpleasant chore that they are in our home. Raising children is hard work, and requires creativity, vision, stamina, and patience. The mother of tiny children often has no time for a decent Quiet Time, a peaceful shower, or an uninterrupted meal. Her only time to read is after the children are in bed, and then she only manages a few pages before she nods off. Being a mother is a constantly changing job, one filled with challenges and surprises. It is filled with variety and boredom, but the rewards of doing the job well can make your heart burst with joy.

Adam, after The Fall, gave his wife the name Eve “. . . because she was the mother of all the living” (Genesis 3:20). It would be through her offspring that Someone would come to vanquish Satan once and for all. As missionaries, we are a part of that vanquishing. As mothers we can also watch our sons and daughters give their lives to that Someone – Jesus – and cooperate with Him as He snatches unbelievers out of the grip of Satan.

Practically, this means choosing a mission field and a mission agency that will allow you, as a mother, to do your job as a mother to the best of your ability. There will be a million decisions and dozens of paths down which you can go – regarding living situations, schooling, and ministry. But always remember that your children are your first disciples. If you train these little disciples well, this will be witness to almost any culture in which you choose to live.

Sue wrote me:

The wife and mother sets the “tone” in the home. Sure, the husband is the head, but the wife creates the “climate,” and can choose a storm or sunshine. We have the power of the Spirit of God – so – let’s get on with it. If the husband wants to slog along, that’s his choice, but the woman can rejoice in the Lord and enjoy life. Her “ministry” is the training of the children; her life will have an eternal imprint on those little people.

Dave and Sue’s son, Scott – along with his wife Leslie, of course – was raised in such a home, and the impact his life has had on Austria and Central Europe cannot be written about enough. Many hundreds have been saved and matured in their faith through his ministry and the ministry of those he and Leslie have trained. Although Sue has been in heaven for many years now, her legacy and prayers as a dedicated mother have continued through her son, their three sons, and probably will move through her great-grandchildren as well.

We Never Saw It Coming: An Introduction to Christian Missions (textbook)

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