This is part 2 of a two-part series about spiritual midwifery. Please read Part 1 if you haven’t already. I broke the series into 2 blog posts so that you could have two easy-to-read posts instead of one post that was over 1,200 words! 🙂
So I found a transcript from a speech that was given at a conference called “Midwives of Change: Progressives Shaping Religious Communities” in Australia in 2013.
Hmmm… naturally I was intrigued.
The keynote speaker, Val Web, who is apparently an author and theologian is the woman who gave the speech. To be honest, I didn’t read the entire transcript…it was LOOOONG and she was saying a lot of stuff I either didn’t agree with or didn’t quite understand, BUT she had this great quote about spiritual change from the Tao Te Ching:
“You are a midwife, assisting at someone else’s birth. Do good without show or fuss. Facilitate what is happening rather than what you think ought to be happening. If you must take the lead, lead so that the mother is helped, yet still free and in charge. When the baby is born, the mother will rightly say: “We did it ourselves!”
I was like WOAH, what an awesome metaphor! I feel like fits right in with my idea of spiritual midwifery and being a midwife of change like Shiphrah and Puah. I felt like the quote really showed 4 main ideas about being a spiritual midwife that I want to apply to my own life to help others change into a new creation and become the person they’re meant to be in Christ. Those 4 main ideas are:
1. Assist!
So often I forget how God could be trying to use me as one of His instruments of change for another person. He might put me in a relationship or situation so that I can be the light to someone, so that I can say one word or one sentence that will help them to see His Truth or Hear the Gospel. What an enormous task and responsibility! It’s something I don’t want to forget. In her speech, Web puts it like this: “Midwives are neither the one giving birth to something new, nor the ideas birthed. They are merely assistants of change“. I want to be vigilant to not ignore the gentle (but persistent) nudges from the Holy Spirit when He is so clearly pointing me to a situation or person. I want to be an assistant to God, I want Him to use me as a tool to fulfill His purpose, just as Paul describes in 2 Timothy 2:20-21.
2. Do good without show or fuss!
This ties in exactly with Matthew 6! We must love one another because Jesus loves us; and not just love each other out of obligation but REALLY love each other(1 John 3:17-18)! And moreover, we must love each other without expecting thanks or recognition or accolades! I feel like I fall into this too often. I do something thoughtful or kind for a friend and when they don’t send a thank you card or don’t acknowledge how I went out of my way, I’m immediately indignant. OH HOW PRIDEFUL I AM!
If only I would pay attention to Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:1-4: “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.“
3. Facilitate, don’t manipulate!
Going back to Web’s speech, she says, “‘Facilitate what is happening rather than what you think ought to be happening’…We are to assist someone else’s transformation without imposing control as to what should be the final result.” If I were to translate that into my own words, it’d be: “Get out of God’s way!”
So often, I feel like, in my feeble attempts to help someone or show them the “right thing” they should be doing, I get in God’s way. I muck up the situation with my own ideas, opinions, thoughts instead of just being there for the person and letting the Holy Spirit do a work in them. Because God’s ways are above my ways; whatever little idea I have about what will help someone’s life or give them peace is NOTHING compared to what God’s plans are for their life, their struggles or their successes. It’s explained perfectly in Isaiah 55:8 which says, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.“
4. Take no credit!
I could go on and on about how we need to remember that any good we do comes from God and God alone (2 Corinthians 3:5). But, instead, I’ll leave with this bit of scripture that says it all in one, perfect sentence:
“Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
but to your name goes all the glory
for your unfailing love and faithfulness.”
–Psalm 115:1
