Mama Bear to the Max

Mama Bear and Cub • Photo by Robert Anthony Carbone

My kids sometimes call me Mama Bear.

I generally let them figure things out on their own and fight their own battles. But every once in a great while, I’ll get involved, especially if I think someone has hurt them without cause.

Then I’ll go Mama Bear on them.

But I think the original Mama Bear has to be Jochebed.

Wiktionary defines Mama Bear as “a woman, especially a mother, who is extremely protective of a child or children.”

Jochebed was not only fierce, she was smart. And courageous. I’m not sure I could have done what she did. I probably would have spent the three months sitting in a corner, my baby held close, sobbing.

I cannot even imagine how she must have felt, holding her precious newborn son, knowing he was under a death sentence. The urge to protect him surely was overwhelming. But when the king of the most powerful empire (at the time) wants to kill your son, what do you do? The pharaoh had armies, money, power . . . and she had nothing.

Nothing tangible, anyway. But she had El Shaddai, God Almighty.

Turns out that’s all she needed.