Oct 15 2008
Sarah: She who laughed at God
And so Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “Now that I’ve become old, will I enjoy myself again? What’s more, my husband is old!” Genesis 18:12
Already at her ripe old age, Sarah must have felt mocked when she faild to give Abraham an heir. But we know that one day visitors passed by and on Abraham’s insistence they stayed to be served. As a rewared to his genuine hospitality they promised Abraham that his wife shall bear him a son. I could almost hear Sarah snickering at the background upon hearing what the stranger had just told his husband. But we know that later on Sarah did give birth to a son.
What I find admirable with Sarah was her ability to raise Isaac to be humble like his father, Abraham. Remember when Abraham had died and Isaac became the new patriarch he went to dig up wells and when the water gushed out the local people claimed it and Isaac humbly gave way. Prior to that when he was still a teenager, Isaac was going to be offered to God as a sacrifice. This was the most crucial time in Isaac’s life. When he let his father tied his hands and laid him on the altar, he didn’t struggle a bit. I find this very hard to grasp. But one thing is for sure, Sarah had been a good mother to him educating him with a character that would prepare him for this.
And Isaac did recognize her mother’s authority even after Sarah had died. For when he met his bride, Rebekah, he took her to his mother’s tent showing his utmost respect and honor to his mother, Sarah.
Well, some mothers are not as lucky as Sarah did on the outcome of raising their children. Remember Manoah’s wife, Samson’s mother? Well, whatever the result was, they cannot be held accountable for their son’s action later on. The point is that these two mothers did their job according to what they perceived was right.
