Mothers of the BibleНамуна

Pharaoh’s Daughter: A Different Journey to Motherhood

She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said. —Exodus 2:6, NIV

We come to motherhood in many ways. Some through birth, and some through adoption, fostering or mentoring. Some find themselves stepping in to care for a child who isn’t physically their own but needs someone to look after them. I watched my niece and her husband step into parenting this way. They had prepared to be foster parents, readying their home and hearts to care for a child who needed someone to love them. When the sweet baby arrived, there was instant love and commitment to her well-being, whether for a little while or longer.

We see a mom like this in the story of Pharaoh’s daughter and the life of Moses. In Exodus 2, we see their story take shape and see her example of loving someone else’s child as her own. We do not know her name, but we know she came from royalty and was the daughter of the most powerful man in Egypt. The Pharaoh had decreed death to every first-born Hebrew boy. The story tells us that “Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe ... She saw the basket among the reeds ... She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him” (Exodus 2:5-6, NIV). She knew it was one of the Hebrew children, but instead of putting him to death, she took him in.

This was the beginning of the story God was writing for Moses. Pharaoh’s daughter made a decision in that moment to disobey her father’s directive and instead chose compassion. Her willingness to embrace this child who was not her own allowed God to use her in the life of Moses—to teach him, provide for him and nurture him, so when the time came, he could be used by God.

I love this picture of what love and motherhood can look like. Being a mom is not defined in traditional ways or through biology. Motherhood is defined by love. Maybe you find yourself raising a stepchild, loving a niece or nephew as your own or standing in the gap for a neighbor or friend. These acts are not insignificant; in fact, they are sacrificial and the deepest expression of love.

Challenge: This week, find a way to bless a child (in a tangible way) who isn’t yours.