Selflessness as a Mother Leads to Abundant Life

Let’s listen in on something Jesus shared with His disciples shortly before His death. He was explaining why He was about to die and He was urging His disciples—including you and me—to follow His example. Jesus said,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also.” (John 12:24–26)

Here, Jesus is reaching out to people who want everything He has to offer: people like you and me who want to love God, be remade in His image, do good works for His kingdom, and love people for His sake, and He’s saying, The only way for you to truly live is through My death. If you want to bear good fruit, do as I do and lay down your life.

Soon after, Jesus died and was buried in the ground like a grain of wheat. Then, God raised Him from the grave and He sprang forth with abundant life. That He would “bear much fruit” is the understatement of the ages. By laying down His life, Jesus produced a staggering amount of fruit, and Scripture is replete with what He has done. See Colossians 2:13–15, Luke 4:18, and Mat-thew 28:18–20 for just a glimpse. Jesus makes one thing abundantly clear: selflessness is not the endgame. It’s the beginning of something glorious.

When a grain of wheat is buried in the soil, nutrients feed it until it grows and swells. Its skin stretches, puckers, and cracks open. Roots venture into the soil, searching for water and nutrients. A stem sprouts, tender and thin at first, but soon large enough to push through the soil and unfurl in the sunshine. It grows a sturdy stalk and long leaves. In time, it flowers and goes to seed—and each seed carries the hope of multiplied life.

Who could possibly produce this much growth from one surrendered seed—from you, from me? God alone.

This simile of what it takes for a grain of wheat to bear fruit helps us to understand what Jesus has done to secure our eternal life and, consequently, what happens in us as we walk with Him through motherhood. First, we place all our hope in Jesus who died and rose again for us.

Then, we lay down our lives, dying to self for our children. We truly suffer, keenly feeling each loss, but Jesus employs every hour of lost sleep, every ounce of physical wear and tear, every emotional up and down, and every act of service to blessedly rid us of our-selves and make us more like Him. He tends us like a garden, causing us to bear good fruit like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Under His care, we become wholehearted, generous, and brave. Life begins to make sense. Our presence at home and abroad suggests His presence there too. Who could possibly produce this much growth from one surrendered seed—from you, from me? God alone.