Numbers 27: 1-11
I wonder what you have inherited from your mother. Maybe you have her eyes, her hair-type or a similar smile. In my case, I have my mother’s short stature and envy people who don’t need to stand on chairs to reach things. What about non-physical characteristics? Do you have you have your mother’s laugh or her way of seeing the world? For example, I’ve inherited my mother’s loud singing voice (yes, it’s her fault!). You might have been passed a pearl of wisdom, a passion for something or an attitude towards others.
For some of us, Mothering Sunday is a time to reflect and give thanks. I think of Timothy (1 Timothy 1:5) who had a faithful mother Eunice and grandmother Lois who encouraged him in the faith.
Of course, not everything that’s passed on to offspring is good and beneficial. I don’t hold with the sickly-sweet side of Mothering Sunday. Some of us will have deeply problematic relationship with our parents. Fears, a lack of self-worth or unhelpful patterns can be passed on too.
Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah in Numbers 27:1-11 deserve to be better known. Their names appear after a long line of inheritance passing from father to son to son to son until there are no more sons. What happens then? They come before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders and the whole assembly at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting to plead their case - that their father’s inheritance should come to them. It’s still on the basis that their father’s name should not die out but still, their names are now recorded forever in the biblical account. How brave were they! How wonderful that they stood together as sisters. How clever to plead a case that might appeal to male leadership (keeping a name alive) while securing their own independent financial future. I wonder where they got their courage from. Was it passed down from their mother? An unseen inheritance as opposed to physical property but just as valuable. We’ll never know. Their case reminds me of women throughout the world who cry out for justice today - women who take courage from each other and those that have gone before.
Moses doesn’t decide the case on the spot but brings it before the Lord. God hears the sisters and upholds them. Not only that, God gives a law is that improves the position of all daughters. Our God hears the cry for greater equality.
When we are bereft, when we do not know what the future holds for us, we are reminded that we have an inheritance in Christ (Ephesians 1:11-14). We are heirs and heiresses of the kingdom and fellow heirs with Jesus (Romans 8:17). It might be an unseen inheritance at the present time, but it is more valuable than anything. It gives us strength, courage and hope.
So, what positive things have you inherited from your mother or mothering figures in your life? What difference do those things make in your living?
What have you inherited in Christ? What difference does it make in your living?
Suzanne Nockels
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