Motherhood is one of humanity’s oldest, most respected — and essential — human institutions, as Moms infuse and shape their children’s emotional, physical and spiritual well-being. Fortunately, there are numerous mother’s in the Bible whose incredible reactions, decisions and overall life trajectories provide important and timeless lessons for humanity.

We look at five great mothers in the Bible this week whose stories offer up some important guidance worth exploring and integrating into our own lives:

Mary is, without a doubt, the most well-known and revered woman in the Bible. The scriptures explain that God chose Mary to be Jesus’ mother — granting her one of the most important and transformational roles in human history.

The gospel account in the Book of Luke is quite revealing. It shows the grace with which Mary took the shocking news that she would be Christ’s mother. The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, who was a virgin at the time and committed to be married to Joseph. Gabriel told Mary that she was “highly favored” and revealed that she would be expecting.

Mary questioned how pregnancy was possible and was initially troubled by the angel’s appearance. But once she learned of the reason for Gabriel’s visit, she responded to the life-changing news with a heart that was fully open to God’s will.

Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.” Luke 1:29-37 (NIV) sheds more light on what preceded Mary’s open-hearted reaction:

“Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.’

‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’

The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.’”

Mary’s reaction is a lesson in our own lives when we find ourselves faced with a difficult or challenging call from God. In this instance, she chose to trust and obey — setting an example everyone can learn from.

Portrayals of Mary can be viewed in “Joseph & Mary,” “Full of Grace,” “My Son, My Savior” and “The Chosen” series on Pure Flix.

Credit: Pure Flix