Happy Mother’s Day to all you mamas out there!
I would have thought that after almost three decades of being a mom I would have it figured out by now. But parenting adult children has taught me this job keeps on changing. The role changes. The rules change. While I still get to be their mom, I also get to function as coach and friend. And there is a lot of mutual learning and growth that happens in these evolving relationships.
That kind of formative, developing relationship isn’t unique to family life. Some of the most meaningful growth in our faith happens the same way–through someone who is simply a little further down the road, willing to walk with us, encourage us, speak the truth of God to us.
If you’re newer in your faith, you need a spiritual parent like this. Not a perfect person–just a faithful one. Someone who has navigated the various seasons of life you’ll face–doubt, loss, disappointment or fear–and come out still believing. That kind of wisdom can’t be found on Google or your social media. It has to be lived personally and then shared personally. Don’t let intimidation keep you from seeking it out.
And if you’ve walked with God for a while, this one’s for you too. You may not feel qualified, but discipleship was never meant to be reserved for pastors and theologians. Spiritual parenthood is the responsibility of everyone who has received the grace of God and the life wisdom that comes from following Him for years. It doesn’t require you to be a perfect person–just a faithful one. Willing to be present and honest with another person about what you’ve learned on your faith journey thus far.
This isn’t a new idea. This has been God’s biblical design all along. In Titus 2, Paul describes a community where the older invest in the younger, passing down not just knowledge but how to live. It’s one of the most powerful pictures of what the church is meant to be: not a crowd of spiritual individuals, but a family across generations. Spiritual moms and dads. Grandmas and grandpas. Brothers and cousins. Goofy uncles and cool aunts. 🙂
So here’s a gentle challenge. If you’re young in your faith–is there someone whose life and faith you admire? Don’t be afraid to reach out. Consider simply inviting them to coffee and asking them to share their story.
Or, if you’ve been walking with God for years–you have a gift of wisdom and a faith legacy to share. Someone in your circle needs what you’ve lived. Don’t wait for them to ask. Consider simply inviting them to coffee. Your story, faithfully shared, might be exactly what blesses theirs.
Here’s how the apostle Paul gave this challenge to Timothy, his spiritual son:
“What you have heard me teach publicly you should teach to others. Share these teachings with people you can trust. Then they will be able to teach others these same things.” (2 Timothy 2:2, ERV).