My maternal grandfather, Michael Essey Hanna, immigrated from Damascus, Syria. I was the last grandchild he kissed, but I don’t remember my Jiddo (Syrian for grandfather). He died of a heart attack at age 71 when I was just two months old. My maternal grandmother, Anna Sarah Hanna, was born in America to Syrian immigrants. I remember my Situ (Syrian for grandmother) like it was yesterday. I spent most of my childhood and young adult life with her. Our normal Sunday routine after church was to visit Situ for a homemade meal. My mom was born in Donora, PA, and is 100% Syrian. The influence of my Jiddo and Situ on her is undeniable, and she is the epitome of a Godly woman. She fears the Lord, speaks and behaves wisely, does not behave foolishly, keeps an inner beauty, works hard, takes care of her home, and protects her family. My mom “owns” being a mom, and I am grateful that she does. My mom is a leader. She taught me, “Everything is permissible, but not everything is helpful.”
Ancestry.com reports that 51% of my DNA originates from the Northern Lebanon & Northwest Syria regions. In Biblical times, Antioch was a city in Syria and is considered the origin of the Christian church.
The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
Acts 11:25c
I am very grateful for my Syrian and Christian roots. As I have grown and matured, I strive to be a continuous learner. In that spirit, I honor these five women from the Bible who are the only women mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy in the book of Matthew. They are remarkable women and may their stories reorient how we see and value the women in our lives.
Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.
Proverbs 1:5
Tamar
Tamar was the mother of twin sons, Perez and Zerah, direct-line ancestors of Jesus. Tamar was widowed twice before giving birth out of wedlock to Perez and Zerah. Judah was the father, yet he wasn’t Tamar’s husband. Justice for widows is important in God’s eyes, and God’s ultimate judgment was in her favor. Psalm 68:5 refers to God as “a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows.” James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.”
Rahab
Rahab is described as a prostitute who helped two Israelite spies infiltrate Jericho. Her home was an ideal place for gathering information and lying low. Facing the likelihood of a siege and battle, she wanted to protect her family and expressed belief in the God of Israel. She later made a home in Israel, married Salmon, and had a son, Boaz, who is in the line of Jesus.
Ruth
Ruth was a Moabite who immigrated to and settled down in Bethlehem. She was poor and a stranger, but her faithfulness impressed the community and especially Boaz, the owner of the barley field where she worked. She eventually married Boaz and they had a son named, Obed, another direct-line ancestor of Jesus. You can find people like Ruth today in our community grocery stores, coffee shops, doctors’ offices, and dog parks.
Bathsheba
Bathsheba had an affair with King David, however, she was the victim. She found herself pregnant and in danger of death for adultery. David tried to cover up his sin by having Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, killed at the battlefront. Uriah was an officer in King David’s army. When she delivered a son, her joy was short-lived as the child became sick and died. Now, she was grieving the loss of a husband and a child. People are hurting everywhere today like Bathsheba. May we receive them with gentleness and be a safe space that encourages their healing, just as Jesus served as a model for us to care for the brokenhearted.
Mary
Mary, the mother of Jesus, watched her Son’s ministry and likely felt a range of emotions from motherly pride to worry and fear. When Jesus was being crucified on the cross, she undoubtedly felt anguish watching Him suffer. However, she didn’t endure it alone, as she was taken into John’s loving care (“the disciple whom Jesus loved”) and was surrounded by a growing community of believers.
As we reflect on these women’s stories, let us ask the Lord to reveal ways we can care for the women He has placed in our lives. Let’s seize the opportunities within our reach to impact the lives of those we serve. Nobody’s perfect and everyone has a story worth knowing and using for the good because we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
Happy Mother’s Day.
MindWolves 