Spiritual Laborers: What God Teaches us about Bringing Forth Life
Interpreting Expectations
When people tell me what they expect in labor, they normally recount Hollywood’s take; women huffing and puffing, husbands speeding to get to the hospital and a chaotic delivery room with chants of “PUSH”! Perhaps for some of us, when we think about labor, we recount birth story reels we have seen. For others, it’s the thing you tried to forget about in your 8th grade health class. Whatever version of labor you have heard or experienced, it's evident that culture makes pregnancy and birth out to be chaotic, uncontrollable and most of all, painful. In the Bible, however, we hear of stories like Hannah who worshiped God even in her infertility and Mary who glorified God in an unplanned pregnancy. Even Adam confirmed his wife’s calling as the “mother of all living things”. Yet, I’ve noticed, as a Labor Nurse and Christian, that there seems to be too few differences between the way Christians and non-Christians view and approach labor and child bearing. The whole spectrum of producing life for the Christian is often met with crippling-fear, annoyance and anger when that is not what God intends for us. But what does the Bible have to say about labor? In order to answer this question, we must understand the deep rooted spiritual connection that birth has in our lives.
Two Types of Birth
If you think that the topics of labor, pregnancy, and birth do not relate to you, think again. Whether you are a guy or girl, young or old, short or tall, birth has played an integral part in your life. You were born, after all! In order for you to be reading this, someone had to labor for you to be here today. You had no say in the matter, you did nothing to assist and you were probably NOT happy about it (most babies are quite upset leaving the cozy inside). You simply were there and part of the process.
If you are in Christ, you also have been through a spiritual birth. In John 3, Jesus was talking with Nicodemus, a teacher of the Jewish law, where He was explaining this concept, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Jesus acknowledges that we are all born physically, but some are reborn, not in flesh, but in Spirit. If we profess Jesus as Christ and believe in the gospel, we go through a spiritual birth where we are delivered from sin, and made new in the Holy Spirit.
Labor in Light of the Gospel
It is no coincidence Jesus uses the idea of physical birth (our physical beginning) to help us understand our new birth (our spiritual beginning). We, and our mothers, are tangible symbols of the salvation story. From the beginning, God desired us, much like (hopefully) our earthly parents desired us. God created us in the image of himself, similarly to how we are made in the genetic images of our parents. The Holy Spirit softened and grew us to be prepared for our spiritual birth, much like our mothers grew us for nine months in their wombs. Jesus labored on a cross atop Golgotha's hill, our mothers labored for hours on end. Jesus’s blood spilt to bring forth life for all, our mother’s blood brought forth life for one. Jesus’s suffering led to eternal life for all, our mother’s suffering led to life for us. Physical birth is gospel radiation.
Our Role in Spiritual Labor
Now what is our role in our Spiritual birth? The Answer: Simply being there. The beauty of God's love for us is displayed only by our mere presence in our own spiritual birth. God doesn’t ask us to put in work for our own birth. How absurd would it be for an OBGYN to stop what they are doing during a delivery and ask a newborn to crawl out, or pull itself out? Funnily enough, as God’s children, we often make that attempt when it is not our role in our spiritual delivery.
Our roles are minimal when it comes to our own salvation. Yet, we have a high calling in the labor and delivery of others. Paul called himself a doulos of Christ (Philippians 1:1) which leads him to be a doulos of others (1 Corinthians 9:19). This Greek word doulos literally means servant or slave, and it’s where we get our modern day word for doula, or “birth servant”. The role of a birth doula is to support the laboring mother physically, mentally and emotionally. They help reposition the mother, guide her to focus through every contraction, speak positivity, and even support her after the baby is born. We too, are called into this role of doula, as we assist in helping people become spiritually reborn. Like doulas, we are not the ones laboring, but we are there every step of the way to guide someone to “new birth” in Christ.
Biblical Perspectives on Physical Labor
In order to understand physical labor, we have to go to the beginning. Right after the Fall, in Genesis 3:16, God lays out specific consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin.
“To the woman he said,
“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;
in pain you shall bring forth children.
Your desire shall be contrary to your husband,
but he shall rule over you.”
When people think of physical labor pains, they are often reminded of this verse. It may be followed up with a joking, “Thanks a lot, Eve!” And yes, physical labor pains ARE part of our sinful consequence, but unfortunately there is so much more to that. The word pain used here, in Hebrew means “to hurt, toil or sorrow” and it was used in both cases to describe bringing forth children (conception and pregnancy) and childbearing (labor and childrearing). God designed women to create and give life, but now that role, in ALL ways, has been tainted by sin. Unfortunately, many of us are familiar with pain in these areas; infertility, miscarriage, morning sickness, traumatic labors, postpartum depression, low milk supply, family financial burdens, child misbehavior and parenting struggles—to name a few. Even left-over stretch marks are evidence that creating life takes sacrifice from women, which were not part of God’s original design. Men, too, are not exempt from feeling the pains of childbearing, as they support their wives and sisters and seek to do their roles of providing care, physically, emotionally or even financially for them in these moments. We can expect, because of the curse of sin, that these struggles will continue to plague women and their families until the Lord comes and makes all things new.
What is the correct Christian perspective? This has been a burning question for me over the past two years working in Labor and Delivery. Many women in Boston come to the hospital to deliver with a lot of hope and faith placed on New Age therapies for coping mechanisms in labor. They emphasize being “one with the universe” and emphasize the mother as being a heroine or goddess. Their attitudes towards labor and postpartum are positive and focused and they often finish physical labor in joy. Yet, when I talk to expecting Christians and even consider my own feelings, they are not always full of positivity or hope. They sometimes have themes of suffering and fear. I wonder, as Christians, if we have let the curse of sin weigh too heavily on us in this area that it has obscured the joy Christ has for us.
But, this should not be so! As Christians, our perspective then should be one of unwavering hope. We should not corrupt our testimony by excessive complaining or speaking poorly about the process. Of course, there are times to mourn and grieve, but our overall attitude has room to grow. Women, especially in pregnancy, are partnering with the Holy Spirit himself, laboring in love to bring forth new life as God has promised for us since the beginning. That should turn our attitudes to be full of unwavering hope and we can be empowered to know that the Holy Spirit in us is greater than the labor pains that strike us. Romans 12:2 reminds us that it’s in light of this gospel hope, that we should be “a people set apart”. This can be accomplished through the “renewal of our minds” that extends to even the corners of things such as labor and childbearing.
What’s Our Role?
We all play a role in bringing forth life. Like Paul, calling himself a doulos of others, we too, are called to play a part in bringing forth the physical lives of children and spiritual lives of all. If kids are not in your near future, there are plenty of children in your church who need older men and women speaking truth and life into their lives. Maybe that looks like serving in children’s ministry, being a part of a family’s meal time, or even playing tag at a church potluck. Perhaps even financially supporting a family serving in ministry who have or are prayerfully considering children. For those entering the childbearing season, practical advice might be asking yourself “What is my greatest fear in this process? Why? What root sins are tainting this view?” Finding scripture that helps remind you of God’s promises would be great to meditate and regularly pray through. I know people who even hang verses in their nursery for this very purpose! Additionally, talking with other women and men in the church who have children, or even spending time with a family may help give you some perspective and process through the joys and pains that come with childbearing and parenting.
I’ll leave you with this verse from John 16:21-22. “When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” Remember Christian, our God is not one to abandon us in our hour of need, since he already demonstrated his love for us in that he abandoned his only son in HIS hour in that we might be saved. Whatever temporary affliction that the curse of sin causes you, do not fear, for our God is faithful to meet you in that very hour. Don’t let your fear hinder the joy you will find in Christ through labor in all stages.