While living, traveling in Vienna, I am always struck by the beauty and quality of design in the buildings downtown. Each building was constructed with an elaborate plan that not only considered structural strength, but also beauty that validated the skill and craftsmanship of the architect.
Design takes intentionality, focus, purpose in mind. Intricate design creates beauty and form that give substance and long lasting elegance to place. I have been struck with how much we have lost the ability to value God's original elegant, purposeful design for home and family, yet we are not even aware of what we have lost because we lack a perspective or memory of the beauty of the original design and what God intended it to be.
When God created the heavens and the earth, He created it with minute and detailed intricacy and order. There was color and form and beauty woven into every aspect of His creation, as an expression of His own life.
The pinnacle of creation, though, was crafting man and woman in His image. And with this image, and relationships amongst those who would be His children, He created order and beauty within the structure of relationships called a family--a father, a mother, and children, and generations of family connections.
God's design is intricate, beautiful, complete. The purpose in giving these relationships was to provide a community of security, comfort, pleasure, inspiration, purpose, and belonging. Family was the perfect design before the fall, before there was any sin in the world.
Mother was the first name of the woman. Mother, by its very nature, embraces the giving of life to another outside of herself--a real live human being whose life will have implication for all of eternity. Motherhood requires accepting children as a gift, and giving them life--spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and moral.This is the greatest civilizing and most beautiful work a mother can perform. And when she skillfully builds a soul, by taking the time to give structure, beauty, and excellence to the life of her children, their souls will emerge with the very imprint of God's image and capacity for excellence in their lives.
And that is why we must return to the original design of motherhood and family. We must get into the heart of God's design if we are to manifest His purpose in relationship to our children, and value them appropriately, as God intended us to do.