Motherhood Lessons from Eve

The Bible speaks about human reproduction in the first chapter of (Genesis 1:28).

However, neither motherhood nor fatherhood is mentioned until after the fall.

Of the two, motherhood is mentioned first and .

In fact, one of the first things that comes out of God’s mouth as He is disciplining Adam and Eve is a reference to . (Genesis 3:8-21)

Genesis 2:23

Genesis 3:1

Motherhood appears to be ; it’s marked by a both pain and joy.

On the one hand, there are the struggles of (and child-rearing); on the other hand, there is the joy of giving .

For Eve, childbirth signified pain at several :

• It represented her mistakes.
• It was painful.
• Any she birthed would also experience pain.

Eve had to do what every mother has had to do: decide whether she was going to focus on the or focus on the .

are constantly before her.

Mothers who choose the promise over the pain us all (John 16:20-21; Galatians 4:19)

Look at the that Eve has set for us: (Genesis 4:25-26)

Eve even though she had multiple reasons to give up on motherhood.

It appears as if that to be a good mother, you don’t have to be ; you just have to be .

You can be patient when you know that motherhood does not rest on your capacities, but capacities.

Because of this, motherhood extends beyond the children you birth (Mark 10:29-30).

Joshua D. Smith, Ph.D., 2020