As Paul continues to wrap up his letter to the people in Rome, he tells them to greet Rufus and his mom too. Then Paul explains why he mentions her. She is like a mother to him.
We don’t know if Paul’s mom is alive or not. And if she is living, we don’t know if they are on speaking terms, for she could have rejected him when he decided to follow Jesus.
What we do know is when Paul needs a maternal figure in his life, Rufus’s mom is there, caring for him as any good mom would do.
Regardless of our age or situation, we can be spiritual parents to others. Do you know someone who needs a mom or a dad in their life?
[Discover more about Rufus’s mom in Romans 16:13.]
Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.