In God’s economy, meaningful work is not in vain!
As Mother’s Day approaches, I’m sharing this devotional with a heart full of reflection.
I miss my mum every day, and I know that will remain with me for as long as I live. Grief and love often sit side by side, and for many of us, this season brings both gratitude and ache.
At the same time, I recognise that Mother’s Day is experienced differently for everyone. For some, the relationship with their mother has not been easy or even present. If that is your story, I honour that too.
And yet, I also believe that many of us have been shaped by mothering in its broader sense—an aunt, a sister, a grandmother, or someone who stepped in with care, guidance, and love when it was needed most.
My hope is that we learn to treasure those who have nurtured us in whatever form they came. And where healing is needed, I pray for gentle hearts that can make space for forgiveness, peace, and even reconnection where it is safe and possible. ❤️🙏
Bible reading 📖
Psalms 127:1-5 NIV
[1] Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. [2] In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves. [3] Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. [4] Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. [5] Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.
Reflections 🙌
For week 17, I was inspired by a question from James Clear and I found myself reflecting on a career that has spanned more than 30 years—since graduating university, becoming a CPA in PNG, and more recently in Australia. It has been a journey marked by deadlines, long nights, and countless responsibilities.
Psalm 127 gently reframes that kind of striving:
“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain… In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling…”
How familiar those words feel.
And yet, when faced with – “what would you choose for work, if everyone earned the same salary?” – my answer came simply and without hesitation: motherhood—and now, grandmotherhood. Or more broadly, being a parent or grandparent.
For most of my working life, I balanced motherhood & work with the support of a whole village—extended family who helped carry the load. That changed when we uprooted our lives, leaving behind that support system to begin again as migrants in a another country. The place we call home now. The role didn’t get easier—but it became even more meaningful.
Right in the middle of the Psalm above comes a quiet but profound truth:
“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from Him.”
My mother (and father too) helped raise our kids while we were at work. We didn’t pay her or them any wage or salary, yet we always arrived home from work with kids who we were well looked after. While away on countless & long work travel, leaving a 3 month old – was difficult, but knowing they were in my mother’s care was the best reassurance.
Motherhood and grandmotherhood could easily be “paid roles,” but they’re not—and perhaps that’s the point. They are shaped by love, patience, sacrifice, and quiet commitment. The kind of work that isn’t measured in dollars, but in people.
And the return? Far greater than any five- or six-figure salary I’ve ever earned.
I am surrounded by the love of my children and grandchildren—and that is a kind of wealth no market can define or take away.
So yes, in a world where everyone earns the same, I would still choose this. Because seeing my children and grandchildren grow into being simple and kind people—that, to me, is the truest form of income.
For those just starting out, and those somewhere in the middle—life, parenting, and work is often a balancing act. Especially for those navigating both paid employment and the daily, unseen labour of mothering or fathering.
There is no single formula, no tried and tested method that fits all, because every child and every parent-child relationship is uniquely formed and known to God from the beginning of time.
And perhaps that is the grace in it. What works in one home may not work in another. What feels easy in one season may feel heavy in the next. Yet in every variation, the calling remains the same—to love, to guide, to nurture, and to remain present.
Motherhood and fatherhood, whether alongside careers or in seasons of full-time caregiving, is deeply personal work. It is shaped moment by moment, child by child, with wisdom we often only gain as we go.
So make it meaningful in your own way.
Hold the tension with grace.
Keep showing up in love, even when it looks different from others.
Because in God’s design, no parent-child journey is accidental—and no act of faithful love, however imperfect or unseen, is ever in vain. ✨
Prayer 🙏
Sovereign God of all creation—our Maker, all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever-present—hear our prayer as we walk through a world marked by brokenness. Grant us wisdom and understanding, that we may reflect Your peace and love to the children and grandchildren entrusted to us, and to all we meet as family and friends. May our lives bear witness to Your grace, and by Your Holy Spirit, soften even the hardest of hearts.
In Jesus’ name, Amen. 🙏
To God be the glory always 🙏
Idau Hahine 