MIDWIFING CHANGE

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you – Galatians 4:19

A midwife is a person, usually a woman, who is trained to assist women in childbirth; one who helps other women in bringing new life to the world. She is a person qualified to deliver babies and to care for women before, during, and after childbirth. Midwifes can sometimes possess the power of life or death, as the case was with the midwives to the Hebrew women (Gen.1:16). In a general sense, a midwife is one who assists in producing or bringing about something new.

God intends some of His people to be “Midwifes of Change,” whose skills are not directed only towards women, and whose concern is not just with the body but with the soul that is in travail of birth. At any point in time, you and I are either midwives of change or we are in need of the helping hand of such. Conversion is the miracle of a moment; but maturing takes a lifetime. Therefore, we must take heed to the very delicate art of midwifing spiritual change.

Paul expressed a similar idea when he said, “My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you” (Gal.4:19). He compared his strenuous efforts in winning over converts to Christ to the process of birth by which “a man is born into the world.” In the case of the Galatians, after their relapse, Paul’s struggle has all to be gone through again. His concern and passion was for each believer to grow to spiritual maturity in Christlikeness (Eph.4:13). In our days, we could refer to these as disciple-making or mentorship.

Becoming like Christ is a lifelong adventure, not a quick-fix. Just as the formless embryo by degrees takes the human shape, so the unformed Christian by degrees takes the likeness of Christ. As he grows in grace, that likeness becomes better defined, in pursuit of the “stature of the fullness of Christ.”  This process of change requires patience and perseverance on the parts of both the ‘Discipler-mentor’ and the ‘Disciple-mentee.’ All of us, imperfect as we are, will likely face challenges and disappointments along the way. As we put our trust in God, He’ll ensure that we grow spiritually and develop character traits that will radiate the Christ-life. Who is travailing for you? Who are you travailing for?