The Mother of a Meanie

03.28.12

Judges 5.28-30 28 “Out of the window she looked and lamented, the mother of Sisera through the lattice, ‘Why does his chariot delay in coming? Why do the hoofbeats of his chariots tarry?’ 29 “Her wise princesses would answer her, indeed she repeats her words to herself, 30 ‘Are they not finding, are they not dividing the spoil? A maiden, two maidens for every warrior; to Sisera a spoil of dyed work, a spoil of dyed work embroidered, dyed work of double embroidery on the neck of the spoiler?’ NASB

Deborah, Barak, and the people of Israel had a great victory over Jabin, the king of Canaan. It was so good that the judge of Israel, a woman named Deborah, orchestrated the victory. It was so good that Jabin’s evil henchman, Sisera was killed by a woman named Jael; she pounded a tent peg into his head. First, what a way to go; and second, this guy is killed in a tent under a blankie, with a stomach full of warm milk. The victory was so good that Deborah sang a song about it and (I’m sure) all the people joined in. It sounded something like, “Our God reigns, narney, narney!”

Except not everyone was singing – Sisera’s mother wasn’t singing. A proud mother was fretting that her boy was late in coming home from work. I have often thought about this passage and it speaks to my emotions; it conjures up a picture in my mind. Even evil guys like Sisera have mothers who are proud of them. But what a proud mother is proud of may not be something the Lord is proud of: don’t mess with God’s possession. Momma’s don’t let your babies grow up to be henchmen. Especially henchmen who decide to oppress God’s people.

I’m assuming Sisera was proud of his mother too. I’m assuming that he came home from battle and gave his mother the gifts of a victor. Even evil henchmen have a weakness for their mom. But it is the object of the henchman’s wrath that is the problem: God. Don’t mess with God’s people and don’t mess with God no matter how good your relationship is with your mom; not even being mommy’s prized possession will save you on the day of wrath. A mother’s love is one thing; God’s judgment is another. Familial affection doesn’t make up for being a meanie.

And so, Sisera’s mother said, “Why is he so late? Shouldn’t they be done splitting up the plunder by now? Isn’t he going to bring me something nice from all of his raping and pillaging? Where is he for crying out loud!?” And she asked these questions and never got the answer: Sisera paid for his crimes with his life. And one day before God she was told: Your son chose to severely oppress My children and you approved because you waited for his gifts.

The greatest thing we parents can do is to give our children to the Lord and teach them about Him. The greatest blessing a parent can have is to know that despite their trials and errors, the kids are safe in God’s will and that even if they are late someday – we’ll meet them again in heaven. The proud mother of Sisera was a meanie as well – she had no sympathy for the mourning mothers in Israel who asked through their horror and tears, why is my son so late in coming home today?

All Sisera’s mom had was this life, and when it ended, all she was left with was judgment. For the believer, all he has is heaven and when this life has ended the next one starts and never ends – no more crying or sighing, no more dying…