PODCAST TRANSCRIPT | EPISODE 245: Mothers Are the Transmitters of God’s Truth to the Next Generation, Part 3
LIFE TO THE FULL w/ Nancy Campbell
EPISODE 245: Mothers Are the Transmitters of God’s Truth to the Next Generation, Part 3
The greatest arrival into this world was the entrance of the Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords, and the Adoration of Eternity. But He came as a baby. All the great things that happen in the world continue to happen through babies. Without babies coming into the world through the wombs of mothers, nothing would happen in this world! It would come to a halt.
Announcer: Welcome to the podcast, Life to The Full, with Nancy Campbell, founder and publisher of Above Rubies.
Nancy Campbell: Hello, ladies! Wonderful to be with you, to talk to you about motherhood and home, this wonderful place where God has planned for us to live our lives. Of course, we’re going to go out and do many things, but the home is our root. It is where we’re meant to be.
But before I get talking about some of these things today, I want to take you to a passage in Luke. I’m reading through Luke at the moment. As I read this passage this last week, I was dumbfounded! I realized that I was believing a lie! Because what I read what different to what I thought. It’s amazing how we can be deluded by the images, the pictures we see, the words we hear.
Let me read you this passage. You most probably were not deluded like me. Here we go. Luke 2:8-15: “There were some shepherds in that neighborhood keeping watch through the night over their flock in the open fields. And an angel of the Lord stood by them.” Wow! I was arrested just reading those words, because I had always imagined in my mind that the angels came to the shepherds, and they were there in the sky, praising and glorifying God.
Well, why wouldn’t I think that? All the pictures I see, and all the Christmas cards all have the angels there, praising the Lord in the sky. But then I read, “an angel,” only one angel. “An angel of the Lord stood right by them.” He came, right next to them! Wow! That was different to what I imagined. How could I have not noticed that all my life? Wow!
Then it says: “And the glory of the Lord shone around them.” Right around them! It wasn’t up in the sky. Now, if it was up in the sky, they would have looked and, wow! They would have been amazed. But the Bible doesn’t say that. It says that they were terribly frightened. They were scared out of their wits! One translation says: “They were awe-stricken,” because imagine! The angel came, and then the glory of the Lord was shining all around them. It must have been unbelievably amazing!
Then the angel, only one angel at the moment. Do you notice? He said: “Do not be frightened, for I bring you good news of great joy that is to be felt by all the people. For today, in the town of David, a Savior for you has been born, who is your Messiah and Lord.” Oh, I love those words! “A Savior for you.”
When I read that, I usually read the King James. But I’m reading a different translation at the moment. Every now and then I like to read something different. This is the Goodspeed translation. But when I read those words, “A Savior for you,” it was so personal.
I thought, “I’d better check it out.” I found that so many other translations say that very same phrase. “A Savior for you.” Oh, this was such a personal message to the shepherds. And the angel continued: “You will find the Baby wrapped up and lying in a manger.” And then, “Suddenly there appeared with the angel, a throng of heavenly army, praising God and saying ‘Glory to God in the highest! Peace, goodwill to all men.’”
And once again, it doesn’t say that the angels were all up there in the sky, praising the Lord. It says, what does it say here? That “suddenly there appeared with that one angel, a throng of the heavenly army.” Yes, with the angel. They came with the angel who was standing right next to them. All this happened right there where the shepherds were with their sheep.
You most probably all knew that, but I had always just imagined it was all up in the sky until I read the Word. It made me realize how careful we have to be, because we can be so easily deceived, just by pictures, by images. We see the pictures of the Three Wise Men, but nowhere in the Bible does it say there were three. There could have been . . . there could have been a lot more. We don’t know. We have to get back to the actual truth, don’t we?
YOU WILL FIND A BABY
But I love this other phrase in this passage. Oh, it is so beautiful. What did the angel say? “You will find a baby.” Isn’t that amazing? “You will find a baby.” Wow! I’m sure God was smiling. Oh, no, I’m sure He was laughing! Oh, can you imagine it? The Jews were waiting for their Messiah to come. They were waiting for their Redeemer, someone who would come as a great deliverer, someone who would come as the mighty warrior who was going to deliver them from the Romans! They were longing for their deliverance.
And who does God send? A baby? A baby. Isn’t it amazing? Our Savior, our Deliverer came as a baby. God came and sent this message to these very, very humble shepherds. They were nobody in Israel. These shepherds were most probably the shepherds that looked after the Temple flocks because the priests had to have all their flocks for the sheep that came in every day, because every day, every morning, every evening, they had to sacrifice the lamb upon the altar.
Of course, there were many, many other sacrifices besides that. But these were the basic ones. This was happening every day. Every lamb upon the altar was a type of Jesus, the Lamb of God, Who would come to be our Savior. Isn’t it amazing that Jesus came to these shepherds, the ones who cared for the Temple flocks? The ones who would be sacrificed to point to Jesus.
Now, God comes to them through the angel and says, “You’re going to find a baby. The Savior. The Messiah. This is the one! You are every day preparing for these sacrifices, but here comes the ultimate sacrifice.” It was to them He gave the message. But he sent a baby.
IT BABIES WHO CHANGE THE WORLD
God loves babies. God loves sending babies into the world. It’s babies, listen for it, dear mothers. It’s babies who change the world. They grow up to do amazing things, to better the world, to change the world, to bring God’s love and salvation and truth and justice to the world. They’re God’s messengers to earth.
I think of those amazing words of Mary, when the angel came to Mary. Mary’s response was a beautiful praise to the Lord. One of the things she said was: “He that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is His Name.” Well, we know it was a great thing that was done to Mary, the most amazing miracle that she conceived of the Holy Ghost and was to have the privilege of bearing the Son of God, the Messiah, in her womb. What an amazing, amazing thing!
But you know, in not such a great way, but still a great way, yes, still a great way. God comes to every mother. When she has a baby in her womb, yes, God does great things through every baby that comes into the world. Every baby has that possibility, especially as that baby grows up in a home where it can grow in the ways of the Lord. It’s as if every new baby is created and born in the image of God. Each one is a fresh revelation of God to the world.
Let’s think about this for a moment, ladies. All the amazing things that have happened in the world, that are happening, or are yet to happen, and will happen—the remarkable inventions, the amazing feats, both intellectually and physically, the astounding advancements and the brilliant discoveries! Wow! How do all these things happen? They happen through a person! And how did this person come into the world? Through a mother’s womb, as a baby. Every single great thing that happens in the world happens because of a mother’s womb.
This is the power of our womb, that from a womb comes a baby. Yes, without a baby, nothing would happen! Not a thing would happen in the world. Isn’t that amazing? And yet, so often, we don’t see the awesomeness of a baby in the womb. Today our society wants to eliminate the womb. So many mothers want to stop the function of their womb. But the womb is from where all the miracles in the world take place. Isn’t that amazing? Yes.
I love that quote of Frank Boreham. He said, “We fancy that God can only manage His world by big battalions abroad. When a wrong wants righting, or a truth wants preaching, or a continent wants opening, God sends a baby into the world to do it. That is why long, long ago, a Babe was born in Bethlehem.” Yes, everything comes through the womb.
I’d love to read you, which you know, just one or two Scriptures. Matthew, yes, let’s read, shall we? No, let’s go to Mark.
Mark 10:13-16: “And they brought young children to Him,” to Jesus, “that He should touch them: and His disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such,” get it, ladies, “for of such is the kingdom of God.”
The kingdom of God is what Jesus came to bring. The kingdom of God is the life that we are meant to live. Recently I began a study about the kingdom of God. I went into the Word and wrote down every Scripture where it mentions “the kingdom of God,” or “the kingdom of heaven,” and what it was saying about the kingdom in that Scripture.
I’ve got them all written down, but I haven’t completed the study yet, because what I want to do, when I get time, is to go to every one of those Scriptures, and to meditate on each one, and to really get into my whole being what it’s saying, because I really want to know what the kingdom is, don’t you? The Word is filled with it, and we have to know every part of what the kingdom is.
Jesus used so many illustrations to describe His kingdom. But here He is saying very specifically that children, children are part of the kingdom. “For as such are the kingdom of God.” So, precious mothers, precious ladies, if you want to be part of the kingdom of God, if you want to be serving in the kingdom, well, right in your home, as you are mothering your little baby, mothering your children, teaching your children, you are in the kingdom. You are right there, where you are meant to be.
In fact, one translation of this passage says: “The people brought children to Jesus, hoping He might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate, and let them know it. ‘Do not push these children away! Do not ever get between them and Me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this. Unless you shall accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you will never get in.' Then gathering the children up in His arms, He laid His hands of blessing on them.”
YOU ARE IN THE VERY CENTER OF LIFE IN GOD’S KINGDOM
Precious mothers, I want to remind you today that you, in your home, mothering your children, embracing each new precious baby, you are in the very center of life in the kingdom of God. You couldn’t be in a more amazing place. You are in the very perfect will of God. How amazing!
Those words (that was in Mark 10:13-15 Msg). Jesus also spoke those words; they are reiterated again in Matthew 19:14 and in Luke 18.
Then on another occasion, we read a similar thing, but this was a different occasion. Matthew 18:3-5. Here Jesus is speaking: “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.”
Yes, Jesus is speaking. He says, “When you receive a little babe in My Name, you are literally receiving Me.” Isn’t that powerful? Yes. That passage is also repeated again in Mark and in Luke. I trust you are encouraged, dear mother.
We’ve been talking . . . in fact, last podcast we were talking about elevating motherhood and homemaking to a new level. Well, today I’m sharing with you the level where God sees it . . . the level where God sees it. You are right in the very center of life in the kingdom. You couldn’t get it better than that.
YOU DETERMINE THE DESTINY OF THE NATION
So, stop grumbling! Forget all your self-pity and “Poor me!” “Oh, I could be out doing some great thing.” No! You are in the greatest place where you are! You are serving God in the most powerful place, because as you are pouring your heart, and your prayers, and your life, and God’s ways into your children, you are preparing them to go out into this world and impact this world. You are impacting this whole nation. You determine the destiny of the nation. It’s we, as mothers, who determine what the nation will be like because it’s our children who are the next generation. You are in such a powerful place, the best place you could ever be in your life.
Another thing about this little passage I read, I was reading a commentary from Barclay. He shared how that back in those days, when a baby boy was born, minstrels would come around, singers. They would sing songs to welcome the baby into that family. Of course, Jesus did not have a band of singers around Him when He was born in the stable.
But God sent His own minstrels. Well, actually, I learned a new word. Barclay mentioned the word “minstrelsy.” I had never actually heard that word. But, of course, it is just a whole choir of minstrels. That was the choir of the angels, the minstrelsy of the angels as they sang and praised to God.
I have a few more thoughts about motherhood. Recently, well, just last week, Colin and I went on a cruise. Pearl and Charley paid for us to have this cruise which was so beautiful of them. We so enjoyed it. It was an interesting cruise.
We had three days where we went off the ship. One was to Mazatlán in Mexico, one to Cabo San Lucas, and then, can you believe it? One to San Diego, right in our own country! While we were there in San Diego. we thought, “We will go and check out the Safari Zoo.” So, we did that, and it was so amazing to see these animals, not just in a zoo, but in more of their natural habitat. So lovely. All the beautiful zebras and giraffes and gorillas and elephants and so on.
I just love, I have this great love for giraffes. They’re such a beautiful, beautiful, creature. I was thinking so much about these animals and also began to discover a little more about their pregnancies and their births. I was thinking about that and relating it to us, as humans, because these animals are all mammals.
Do you know how long a giraffe is pregnant? Well, they’re actually pregnant for 15 months! Can you believe it? 15 months. Sometimes you think it’s getting so long as you’re pregnant for nine months. Well, think about the giraffe! The giraffe mother is pregnant for 15 months!
And have you heard how a giraffe is born? Wow! Its pretty amazing. When the little baby giraffe, or the calf, is ready to come out, the giraffe is standing up. Did you know that the giraffe rarely ever, ever lies down? No, they stand up. They sleep standing up. They do everything standing up. They even give birth standing up.
And so, the little baby comes out with its feet first, with the head and neck over the feet. Then the head is coming down, and it just flies out! And bang! Lands on its head! Wow! Can you imagine that? Just landing on your head. But that’s how the giraffe is born. It’s a pretty big shock to the head, but do you know what? It’s also how God planned it.
When that baby’s head hits the ground, it kickstarts the giraffe’s internal systems, and it starts the respiratory system. Without that fall, the little giraffe would never breathe! Isn’t that amazing? Within 30 minutes, that little baby can stand up. Within 24 hours, it’s running around. That’s the giraffe.
QUESTIONS FOR YOUR CHILDREN
And they’re wonderful mothers. They develop a very strong maternal bond with their babies. Even years later, when they leave to go on, these daughters, especially the daughters, will always come back and spend time with their mothers, because they have that incredible bond.
Oh, by the way, do you know what a group of giraffes is called? Interesting. They are called a “tower” of giraffes. Well, you can imagine that, can’t you, with their big, long necks, towering above everything else. So, that’s what they are called.
And do you know what a group of polar bears together are called? They are called a “celebration.” That’s a lovely name, isn’t it? Now, there are some good questions for you to take to your family tonight. When you’re sitting around the table and sharing together. It’s so great to have questions for your family and things that you can share with them that they can learn. Try them out on those ones tonight.
What about elephants? Giraffes are pregnant for 15 months. Do you know how long elephants are pregnant for? Well, they are pregnant for 22 months, nearly two years! Can you imagine that? So, lovely ladies, maybe you’re pregnant, maybe you’re wondering when you’re going to get to the end, and this baby’s coming. Well, when you’re getting a little bit impatient, just think of the elephant. She is pregnant for 22 months. When the baby’s born, it’s only about 200 pounds, sometimes 250 pounds! But their labor lasts about two days, at least. They have a long labor to get that little elephant out.
Then they nurse their baby for a year, totally. They’ll be nursing their baby. They’re beautiful mothers, these animals. About a year, they’ll begin to supplement by adding plants, but guess how long the mother keeps nursing her baby? I wonder if you can guess. The elephant mother will nurse her baby for up to ten years! Can you believe it? Ten years!
Now, just think about it, ladies. Elephants are mammals. All these animals are mammals, as we are. Of course, we, as humans, are the highest creation that God created. But think about it. The human person will live anything from 70 to maybe these days, up to 100 years! The elephant can live for about 60 to 70 years. And yet, they nurse their babies for ten years.
Now, think of the lifespan of a human, 70-plus years, maybe 80 or 90 or so. And yet, how long do they nurse their babies? Well, some will nurse them longer, but some only token nurse their babies for about six months. Some don’t even do that. Some will just put their baby on the bottle, for convenience.
Now, please don’t be offended if you haven’t been able to nurse. I know some mothers, and I actually had a very dear friend who, well, she had nursed previous babies. But she got to this baby. She had this baby on her breast night and day, but she just could not get any milk. Something had happened. We don’t live in a perfect world, so there are sometimes when a mother is not able to nurse.
But what I’m talking about is our heart attitude and our willingness to nurse our baby, because it is how God created us. And dear, precious mothers, as you put your baby to the breast, just enjoy this time. Know that you are doing what you were created to do.
And don’t try to wean your baby too quickly. Oh, it’s amazing how mothers will wean their baby for all manner of excuses. Six months, nine months, a year. Do you know that a baby will often want to nurse for up to three and four years? Some even more? Now, we don’t see that often, but let’s begin to understand what is normal. It is amazing that what we think is normal is really abnormal.
When Jesus was talking to the people, it was in Matthew 19, and the Pharisees came to Him. They were always trying to trip Him up. They said to Him, “Well, what do you do about divorce?” On that subject, and Jesus answered them. This is all He said. “Don’t you know that He which created them in the beginning, created them male and female?” We read that Scripture, and we think, “Oh, yes, I know that. That’s Genesis 1, “God created male and female.”
Yes, and we all believe that, even in this deluded age of transgenderism, which is totally ridiculous nonsense. We believe in male and female. But we don’t always understand what Jesus was actually saying, because the Greek word that Jesus used there was not the normal word for “woman.” The normal word in the New Testament is gune, which means “woman, wife.”
But in this passage, Jesus used the word thelus, from the root word thelazo, which literally means the nipple of a woman’s breast. The word means “to suckle a baby at the breast.” Or the noun, “a suckling mother.” When Jesus said those words, he was saying, “In the beginning God created the male and suckling mother.” This is who we were created to be, a suckling mother, to be able to nurse, to give life to the babe that God creates in the womb. It’s the most powerful, glorious thing.
And it is such a glorious thing to embrace, because not only do we bless our baby, because the baby is blessed with the perfect milk that God intends for the baby, but God blesses the mother! We are blessed with hormones, with oxytocin, with prolactin, which a nursing mother has. She really has these hormones in a great way when she’s nursing a baby.
And they’re the most glorious hormones! Oh! Oxytocin. We all want oxytocin. It’s the bliss hormone, the love hormone, the relaxing hormone. God gives this glorious hormone to the mother who’s nursing her baby. Every time she puts the baby to the breast, this oxytocin is released. These beautiful feelings of bliss, and calm, and relaxation just flood over her. Many times, you know what it’s like. Many times, you just want to drop off to sleep, because you feel so relaxed.
And God gives this to the mother who’s often frustrated and overwhelmed. All the children are crying at once, and the baby’s crying, and hardly she doesn’t know what to do! She puts the baby to the breast, and oooh, wow! She can get up again and face things. And she has prolactin which makes her more motherly. They’re great hormones.
The great thing to do, ladies, is don’t think, “Oh, when will I wean my baby?” No! You just feed your baby until your baby is ready to wean. There are some babies who may wean at one year. There are some babies like that. Most babies will want to nurse until at least two years. If they are given the freedom, they will most probably nurse much longer.
I found with my babies that I nursed each baby longer, I guess because I became more embracing of it. I think when you first begin, you are learning. You don’t understand everything. But the more you nurse a baby, the more natural it is, and the more you realize the blessings of it, not only for your baby, but for yourself, and for everybody around you. You embrace it. And then, because you are freer in your thinking about it all, you just nurse longer.
By the time I got to Serene, I nursed her for four years. That is actually quite normal, although to many mothers, it’s not because they don’t see it around. We’re so affected and influenced by what we see, what we see other mothers doing.
Well, there we go, precious ladies. Just think of the elephant mom, nursing her baby for ten years. They have such a strong bond. Once the male baby is about ten, he will move off and become more solitary. But the daughters, the elephant daughters, will always stay around in the herd, close to the mothers. A herd of elephants will often consist of the grandmothers, and the mothers, and the aunts, and the cousins. They are all so bonded one to another. It’s a very beautiful picture of family life.
But I can’t believe how time has gone again. I trust you’ve been encouraged with this podcast. Let’s pray together.
“Dear Father, we thank You so much for the way You teach us through Your Word, and even through what we see in nature. Lord, You created these mammals in nature with such a beautiful nurturing ability. Yet, Lord, we are Your greatest creation. And You have put this nurturing anointing within us.
“Yet sometimes we fall so far short, even of these animals! Lord, wake us up to be who You want us to be! Show us, Lord, Your wonderful ways. We ask it in the Name of Jesus, amen.”
Blessings from Nancy Campbell
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