What can we learn about maternal instincts from 1 Kings 3:20? Backdrop of Solomon’s courtroom Two women appeared before King Solomon, each claiming the living infant was hers. The living mother’s description in verse 20 becomes the pivot that exposes truth and highlights how powerfully a mother knows, loves, and safeguards her child. Verse spotlight: 1 Kings 3:20 “She got up in the middle of the night, took my son from beside me while your servant was asleep, laid him at her breast, and put her dead son at my breast.” Insights into God-given maternal instincts • Immediate awareness of her child’s presence: even in sleep, the mother kept her baby close “beside me.” • Physical closeness as protection: placing an infant “at her breast” shows an instinct to shelter, nourish, and comfort. • Recognition of the child’s identity: although it was dark, she later discerned the dead infant was not hers (v. 21), revealing a mother’s deep familiarity with her own child. • Emotional urgency: the living mother’s testimony carries urgency and grief, underscoring how maternal love responds instantly when a child is threatened. • Willingness to appeal for justice: she bravely approached the king, reflecting a built-in drive to defend her child, whatever the cost. Scripture confirming the pattern • Isaiah 49:15 — “Can a woman forget her nursing child…?” The rhetorical answer is no; maternal love mirrors God’s covenant love. • Exodus 2:2-3 — Jochebed hid baby Moses for three months, risking her own life. • 1 Thessalonians 2:7 — Paul likens gentle, sacrificial ministry to “a nursing mother caring for her own children.” • Luke 2:51 — Mary “treasured all these things in her heart,” showing the contemplative, protective aspect of motherhood. Living out the lesson today • Celebrate the God-designed bond between mother and child; it reflects His heart for His people. • Provide space and support for mothers to nurture, protect, and advocate for their children. • Recognize maternal insight as a gift; a mother often discerns her child’s needs before anyone else does. • Encourage sacrificial love in every believer, modeling the mother’s readiness to act for another’s good. |
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