MOTHERS OR MURDERERS? (2 Chron. 22:10-11)
10. When Athaliah, the mother of King Ahaziah of Judah, learned that her son was dead, she began to destroy the rest of Judah’s royal family. 11. But Ahaziah’s sister Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Ahaziah’s infant son, Joash, and hid him away from among the other royal children, who were about to be killed. She hid Joash and his nurse in a bedroom, ensuring that Athaliah could not murder him.
The presence of a womb in a woman symbolizes tenderness, compassion, empathy, and all the qualities that reflect a heart meant to preserve life. Women are naturally inclined to be soft-hearted and compassionate. They often do everything in their power to nurture and protect life. The Bible affirms this by asking, "Can a woman forget her nursing child?" (Isaiah 49:15). A woman is inherently designed to be gentle and nurturing.
During a moment of reflection, I asked the Lord why He created women with one rib fewer than men, apart from the various interpretations I had heard. In His mercy, the Lord responded, "I made it so that their hearts could have more flesh, signifying compassion. I created them to be more loving, kind-hearted, and compassionate." While men may have a naturally strong and protective nature, it is abnormal for a woman to be harsh or unfeeling. If you encounter a woman who is hard-hearted, it could be due to external factors, perhaps even a demonic influence, that have distorted her true nature. God designed women to be mothers, to be the preservers of life.
However, there are times when women can become “murderers” due to wickedness. Their hearts become hardened, and they act in ways that destroy life. This was never God’s original intention.
Let us reflect on the Bible passage above, where we find two women: Athaliah and Jehosheba. One was a murderer, while the other was a mother. Unfortunately, both women were women.
Athaliah sought to destroy life to further her own ambitions, while Jehosheba sought to preserve life.
What kind of woman are you? A Mother or a Murderer? Every child you encounter is a "Seed Royal"—a prince or princess of the Most High, a priest, or even a savior of a generation. We live in a time where many women, unfortunately, have become "murderers," unknowingly slaying the destinies, dreams, and glories of the children entrusted to their care.
Athaliah murdered her grandchildren and close relations to advance her political ambitions, but Jehosheba preserved the life of Joash, who eventually became king, and through him came the Messiah, the Savior of the world.
Are you a life preserver or a life destroyer? What ambitions are driving you? Are you pursuing your goals at the expense of the lives you are meant to nurture? The child you hold in your arms today may be the Messiah the world has been waiting for.
What steps are you taking to ensure that the lives entrusted to you as a mother are preserved and nurtured?
It is never too late to start.
God bless you as you reflect on these words.
Maranatha.