Midwives

For a celibate, single man suscpicious of marriage customs, the Apostle Paul often utlized birth imagery when writing to his congregations.  In 1 Thessalonians 2:7, he writes, "But we were gentle among you, like a nurse caring for her own children," and later in 5:3 he describes the sudden and unexpected arrival of the new creation to come like the sudden rush of "labor pains."  In 1 Corinthians 3:1-2, he writes to that troubled congregation, "I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.  I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food."  He also uses the language of labor pains to describe the new creation in Romans 8:22 and in Galatians 4:19, going so far as to describe himself being in labor pains for Christ to be born in them.

Most of the time, however, when Paul utilizes birthing imagery it is to describe something happening outside of himself that he is aiding to come into being.  These images describe for us what we might traditionally call a midwife, a woman who assists in the birth of a child for the sake of a mother and baby that are not her own.  This harkens back to the midwives in Exodus, who saved the Hebrew babies from destruction by the decree of the pharaoh (Exodus 1:15-22).

Like all images and metaphors in scripture, they come to mean something to us only when we have experiences with the reality of the image the author utilizes.  When Rebecca and I went to Morristown-Hamblen Hospital almost two weeks ago for the birth of our son, my eyes were opened to the powerful biblical image of the midwife.

Now we did not utilize a professional "midwife" by today's description, but caring and attentive nurses came to check on Rebecca and care for her throughout the night, through the delivery, and on to the days of recovery.  And I was struck over and over again how these women would listen to us, offer any assistance they could, never seemed pestered when buzzed over and over again.

And their job is far from glamorous.  While the doctor gets to race in for the high drama of delivery and then whisks away to another assignment, the nurses remain present, utlizing their medical training, but also having to take part in the grimy, less thrilling portions of their work. 

It was in those mundane tasks, though, that we really saw the care and concern of these women.  Refilling cups with ice chips, allowing extra time for the epidural to wear off, assisting with bathroom help, changing sheets, patiently talking us through new baby care.  You would have thought this baby was related to them based on the care and dedication they put into the task of helping Simon to be born and to thrive in his first days of life.

When Paul describes the world groaning in labor pains or describes himself as a nurse caring for God's people, these images remind us that God's new creation is not something that we can bring into the world thorugh our acts of kindess, love, generosity, social programs, and worship practices.  God is birthing the new creation, and God is helping us all to be born anew. 

In the birth of that new creation, however, we have a role to play, for we are given a chance to serve as a midwife.  Holding another's hand during exruciating pain, wiping the sweat, and putting fresh linens on the bed.  The birth of the new creation may not exactly look like a holy city descending on the clouds in the midst of a regal trumpet fanfare.  Instead, the birthing of the new creation may involve a lowering of ourselves, to care for the hurting and poor, to remain focused on the Good News of God's love in the midst of the possible distractions of life, to come to worship, to serve on the committee, to chaperone the youth trip. 

These are not glamorous tasks than earn us praise or set us above others.  They are instead often a putting aside of our ego for the sake of something greater than ourselves to be born.  Birth is messy and painful, filled with uncertainty, excitement, nervousness, and great anticipation.  The same is true with the birthing of God's will into the world.  So let us follow the example of the real midwives in our world, and find how we, in our lives as disciples, may lower ourselves to assist with the birth of the new heaven and new earth God is creating.