The Great Need for Godly Mothers!
Sunday,
May 9, is the day that the world has set aside to honor
mothers
who discharge their responsibilities toward their children
with
great love, wisdom, and devotion.
Today,
more than any time in history, our society needs the influence
of godly
mothers. This writer is thankful to God for both a mother and
grandmother
who taught me God’s truth, not only verbally, but by
example
as well.
Mothers,
do you want to be a godly mother in the Lord’s eyes as well
as in
the eyes of your children?
Here are
six great needs that need to be visible in your life:
1) Model Yourself after Godly
Mothers
Strive
to be as humble as Mary (Luke 1-52), as prayerful as Hannah
(1
Samuel 1:1-28; 1 Samuel 2:1-11), as faithful as Sarah (Genesis 17:19;
Genesis
18:11; Genesis 18:9-14; Hebrews 11:11), as kind as Ruth
(Ruth
1-3), as sacrificial as Jochebed (Exodus 6:20; Exodus 2:1-3),
as
courageous as Rahab (Joshua 2:1-22), as instructive as Eunice
and Lois
(2 Timothy 1:5), as wise as the mother of Lemuel (Proverbs 31:1-9),
as
joyful as Elizabeth
(Luke 1:36-44). Rise to the challenge of being the kind
of
person you would want your children to imitate, by imitating these righteous
women.
2) Obey the Lord Yourself
It’s
pointless to try to persuade your children to do what God commands
if they
don’t see you obeying Him in all that you do. There’s much truth
in the
old axiom that states, “Children become what they see”
(cf.
Philippians 4:9; Philippians 3:17). If you want your children to grow
into faithful
Christians, they need to “see” their mother faithfully following
Christ.
Children come equipped with a powerful hypocrisy detector and are
not
easily fooled by any “do as I say and not as I do” behavior.
3) Teach Your Children God’s Word
Moses instructed
the Israelites with God’s wise counsel, “These words
which I
command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them
diligently
to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house,
when you
walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up”
(Deuteronomy
6:6-7 KJV). The world has much to reach your children…
you have
to get to them first. And note the word “diligently” in the above
passage.
This means “more often than once in a blue moon.”
4) Honor Your Own Parents and
Husband
If you
want your children to respect you, they need to see you show the
proper
honor to your parents, living or deceased. The principle found in
Ephesians
6:1-3, has lifelong application. If you want your children to
eventually
become loving husbands or wives, they need to observe your
example
in the conduct of your own marriage. Let them see the truth and
beauty
of Ephesians 5:22-33 at work in your home.
5) Encourage Your Children Often
Children,
like flowers in the garden, need nurturing. Let your children “hear”
that
they are loved and valued, and let them hear it often. Praise their good
efforts,
and help them learn from their mistakes. Show them that you regard
them as
a heritage from the Lord (Psalm 127:3).
6) Rebuke When Necessary
Don’t be
afraid to admonish your children for wrongdoing (Proverbs 13:24;
Proverbs
22:15; Proverbs 23:13). Correction must be done without breaking
the
child’s spirit, but if the child never receives correction, he or she cannot
mature
(Proverbs 13:24; Proverbs 19:18; Proverbs 22:15; Proverbs 23:13;
Proverbs
29:15; Proverbs 29:17). Respect for the laws of God and society
grow out
of a healthy respect for the authority of parents in the home.
The joys
and blessings received by children who have experienced a godly
mother
and grandmother, cannot be over emphasized (cf. 2 Timothy 1:5;
2
Timothy 3:15). In the words of the old song, “Put them all together, they
spell
M-O-T-H-E-R.” Next to “Christian,” it’s the most beautiful title any woman
on earth
can wear.
- Mike
Riley
