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In 2019, Family Court Judge Sarah Lynch praised the sacrifice of a Leicestershire, England, mother when she gave up her child for adoption.
The birth mother struggles with mental health issues and recognized that she could not consistently care for her child. To give her child the best start in life, the birth mother relinquished her parental rights and allowed her daughter to be adopted.
The mother provided a statement to the court to explain her decision. The mother wrote: "At the current time, one minute I am poorly and the next I am not. One minute I could care for her and then the next minute I would not be able to. I do not feel that this would be good for her. I feel incredibly sad about the situation but I know she is going to go to a family who will love her and give her what I cannot give her at the moment. She will have stability in her life and will not be one minute with me and then with somebody else. She will grow up being happy and cared for the rest of her life…I will always love her; she is my daughter but I am doing this for her." Judge Lynch commented that she hoped the daughter could one day read the mother's words and recognize the sacrificial love her mom demonstrated.
Good mothers make sacrifices; sacrifice is part of love.
In the Bible, Samuel's mother, Hannah, sacrificed her time with her son during his childhood so that Samuel could grow up to become a full-time servant of the Lord. Mary, Jesus' mother, sacrificed her reputation and nearly lost her husband when she accepted God's call to be the mother of His Messiah. But, often overlooked, is the maternal sacrifice in scripture made by a woman who wasn't even an Israelite.
She was a gentile. Proud of their status as "God's chosen people," the Jews sometimes disparagingly referred to the gentiles as "dogs."
But if being a "dog" was required to get help for her daughter, this mom was willing to make the sacrifice. She came to Jesus in Matthew 15:22 (NIV) with her request: "...Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly." Jesus, in answer, noted that his mission was to the "lost sheep of Israel," and he told the woman that "it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs" (Matthew 15:26).
Don't get sidetracked by the fact that Jesus called her a "dog." Jesus used the word for "puppies" and not the usual derogatory word that Jews used to describe gentiles. Remember, too, that we don't know Jesus' tone of voice or facial expression as He spoke those words. Jesus may well have been teasing and, from her response, it's safe to judge that the woman recognized that teasing. It's also important to understand Jesus' point; his earthly ministry focused on the Jewish people. Parents don't take food meant for their children and give it to puppies instead.
Notice the woman's humility. She's already addressed Jesus as "Lord" and Messiah (she called him the "Son of David, a messianic title common in the first century). Now she willingly accepts the label of "puppy" to get help for her child. "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." The woman concedes her position; as a gentile, she cannot demand anything but must ask for God's grace. But she also demonstrates her faith. She believes that the "crumbs" of God are still more than enough to satisfy her daughter's need.
Jesus not only granted her request, He praised her: "Woman, you have great faith!" (Matthew 15:28).
I hope that the once demon-infested daughter grew up hearing this story rehearsed, and that she had the chance to read about herself once Matthew penned his gospel. I hope she was able to appreciate the love her mother demonstrated as she humbly approached the Jewish Messiah for help. I hope the girl inherited some of her mother's spunk, and her mother's sense of humor demonstrated in those words, "Yes, Lord, but even the puppies eat the crumbs."
Most of all, I hope that young woman grew up imitating her mother's "great faith," a faith that earned praise from God Himself.
A mother can leave her children no greater legacy than an example of determined faith.
Mark Wilmoth
Pinehurst Christian Church
Marietta