You know it’s there. A struggle between women. An unspoken tension between moms of different camps. There is the classic stay-at-home mom versus the “working” mom conflict. There is the natural childbirth versus the drugged way (which I personally prefer). Bottle or breast-fed. Homeschool or public school. Vaccinate. Don’t vaccinate. Natural foods or processed food. The disagreements go on… and on.
Sometimes these disagreements become hostile, especially in an internet forum. YIKES! I have seen some seemingly quiet, gentle spirits unleash the beast because another mom wants to use Pampers instead of saving the planet and pennies with cloth diapers.
But I want to bring something else to your attention. Other mom’s aren’t your enemy. There should be no camps among God’s people. I am pretty sure that mom you think is neglectful because she let’s her baby cry it out is a good-willed mom who wants the best for her baby. I’m also pretty sure that the mom who picks her baby up whenever he fusses isn’t created an irreparable spoiled brat.
I want us moms to quit dividing ourselves and start recognizing the real enemy. Yes, there is a war, but it’s not mother to mother. No, the enemy is much more formidable and the war has farther reaching consequences than organic milk. This war on mothers is eternal.
Revelation 12:
Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains and the agony of giving birth.
Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born.
She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days.
Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.
Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens,
“It has come at last—
salvation and power
and the Kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters
has been thrown down to earth—
the one who accuses them
before our God day and night.
And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
and by their testimony.
And they did not love their lives so much
that they were afraid to die.
Therefore, rejoice, O heavens!
And you who live in the heavens, rejoice!
But terror will come on the earth and the sea,
for the devil has come down to you in great anger,
knowing that he has little time.”When the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But she was given two wings like those of a great eagle so she could fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness. There she would be cared for and protected from the dragon for a time, times, and half a time.
Then the dragon tried to drown the woman with a flood of water that flowed from his mouth. But the earth helped her by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that gushed out from the mouth of the dragon. And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children—all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus.
Then the dragon took his stand on the shore beside the sea.
This holy piece of scripture reveals what happened on a well-known night of human history. The woman is Mary. The baby is Jesus. The enemy is Satan. Mary was rescued. Jesus was saved. But the war continues on those who those of us who proclaim Jesus. The dragon has taken his stand. Against you.
I believe that Satan’s hatred of woman is especially ravenous. We continue the legacy of the world’s most essential mother. As we bear and nurture life, we carry on an irreplaceable heritage. He hates that. He hates mothers.
He hates me. He hates the mother next to me who has never breastfed a baby. He hates the mother across the room doesn’t discipline her child the way I would. He hates us. He is relentless in his attacks on us.
So I have made a pledge. I will not play into the enemy’s plan to destroy other moms. I will not criticize or judge mothers who do it differently than I do. I will not think less of mothers who have different opinions and methods. Today I choose to lay down the arrows of condemnation and pick up the shield of defense. Today I will defend and protect mothers from the real enemy. I will carry the shield of faith for another mom who is under attack. I will do my part to extinguish the fiery darts of Satan that are being hurled at her today (Eph.6:16).
Moms, let’s stand shoulder to shoulder. Let’s defend each other. Let’s make our shared interest in the eternity of our kids our common goal. Today, we storm the gates of hell as one (Mt. 16:18). We claim our victory in Jesus name. Our kids are worth it.
A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. Ecc. 4:12
