last week as I was reading the bible something caught my eye: a very rare mention of King David’s mother. We do not know a lot about her, we do not hear stories of her but over the past few weeks she has become my unsung hero. Let me introduce you to David’s mother:

Turn to me and have mercy on me; show your strength in behalf of your servant; save me, because I serve you just as my mother did.

Psalm 86:16 NIV

We do not know much about David’s mother and her relationship with God but we know a whole lot about David and his relationship with God. We know that David was so close to God, he was known as a man after God’s own heart- a beloved of God. We know that David served God wholeheartedly and even when he strayed he was still connected to God. David’s life is a role model of friendship, communion and relationship with God. But this scripture tells us a little more about his relationship with God.

David credits his relationship to God to his mother. He did not get there on his own- he observed and perhaps was taught to love and serve God the way he did by his mother. And in a time of distress, he calls on God to remember him and draws on the connection his mother had to God.

Some translations say… “save the son of thy handmaiden” (in reference to is mother). Whenever, anyone is described as a handmaiden in scripture- it connotes humility and a life of surrender and servitude. However we dice this, it says a lot about David’s mother whose name is barely mentioned in scripture if even.

I have learned this week the value of my ministry to my kids- I am their role model- the person they look up to and would one day exemplify. As they observe me everyday- who do they see? what do they see? Are they one day going to be able to pray “Turn to me and have mercy on me; show your strength in behalf of your servant; save me, because I serve you just as my mother did”?

Food for thought.

Yours Truly