A Special Day
Today we honor mothers and it’s a great time to reflect on everything your mother did for you and for mothers to reflect on what they do for their children. There are few tasks more demanding than accepting the challenge of being a mother. This article discusses how a mother passes faith to her children. It is based in large part from a sermon for 1 Thessalonians 2:7-2:8 by Pastor Brian Bill as submitted to SermonCentral.com.
Pastor Bill recalls a story about a junior high science teacher who lectured on magnetic properties. The next day he gave his students a quiz. The first question was: “My name begins with an “M” and has six letters. I pick things up. What am I?” Half the class wrote, “Mother.”
By the time a child reaches 18, a mother has put in an extra 18,000 hours of child-generated work. A father was trying to explain the concept of marriage to his 4-year-old daughter. He took out his wedding album, thinking pictures would help. He explained the entire service to her. When finished, he asked if she had any questions. She replied, “Daddy, is that when Mommy came to work for us?”
There are some great portraits of motherhood in scripture. Jochebed so loved her son, Moses, that she broke the law in order to teach him the faith of his people.
Recall the sacrificial love of the mother who in Kings 3:6-28 is challenged by another woman who claims her son. The other woman accidentally smothered her own child while he slept. Both women appear before King Solomon, who after some deliberation calls for a sword and declares there is only one fair solution. The boy must be split in two and each woman receives half of the body. Upon hearing the terrible verdict the true mother cries out, “Please, my Lord, give her the live child – do not kill him!” However, the bitterly jealous woman exclaimed, “It shall be neither mine nor yours – divide it.”
What about the mother of the sons of Zebedee? She so loved her sons that instead of asking that she be given a place of honor in heaven she wanted James and John to sit by the Lord’s side.
[note]In Matthew the request comes from their mother but in Mark James and John made the request themselves.[/note]
In in Proverbs 31, the mother of King Lemuel gives her son great advice about how a virtuous king should reign and details the attributes of a virtuous wife or ideal woman.
Pastor Bill’s sermon contends a mother can make a significant spiritual impact on her children with or without the help of a father.
The Story of Eunice
Eunice was raised in a religious home and was greatly impacted by her mother Lois. As a young child, she loved the Bible and enjoyed going to services where she learned about God. Later in life she became attracted to a young man who was not at all religious. Against your mom’s advice, she married the man.
A few years later Eunice and her husband had a boy they named Timothy. Eunice and her mother, who came to live with her after Eunice’s father had died, spent hours with him. They taught him the Old Testament, praying with him and for him and training him in the things of God.
One day, they heard about Jesus from a preacher named Paul. Both Lois and Eunice listened intently. They saw in Jesus the fulfillment of all the promises in the Old Testament and were converted. Paul took a personal interest in Timothy and partnered with his mother and grandmother helping him to form a deeply seeded faith.
Years later, while awaiting his execution, Paul writes two letters to Timothy. These letters help Timothy understand how he should behave as a church leader but they are also filled with reminiscing and nostalgia on Paul’s part. Paul reflects on the mothers who made an impact in Timothy’s life. Here are three passages of scripture that show how mothers ¬can make a significant spiritual impact on their children even without the help of a father.
1. Instill Respect for Scripture
In 2 Timothy 3:12-14, Paul reminds Timothy everyone who wants to live a Christ-like life will be persecuted. Paul urges him to persevere in tough times. In 2 Timothy 3:15 Paul writes: “And how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.” Eunice and Lois had God’s word in their hearts and impressed it upon young Timothy by talking about it throughout the day, showing him how the scriptures impact every area of life.
Children learn when they observe how a mother lives her life. Are you looking for ways to instill a biblical respect into the lives of your children? Remember, you can make a significant spiritual impact on your children with or without the help of a father.
2. Instill an Authentic Faith
The second way to make an impact in your children’s lives is to instill within them an authentic faith. We see this in 2 Timothy 1:5: “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”
The secret to instilling an authentic faith is to take your own faith seriously. Your children will eventually see if you are just going through the motions and may do the same way when they are older. Express your faith by reading the Bible, praying and attending worship. This behavior sends a strong message.
A real mother is more interested in:
- Her children’s souls than in their bodies or in their clothes
- Her children’s eternal life than their success in this life
- Her children’s relationship with Jesus than their popularity in the world
- Her children’s standing before God than their social status
- Her children’s spirituality than their intellectual, musical, or athletic accomplishments
3. Instill a Desire to Minister
The third way to impact your children is to instill within them a desire to minister. Pastor Bill sees three qualities in Timothy that were passed down from his mother and grandmother:
- Timothy was a strong believer – He is referred to as a disciple, not just one who was going through the motions; his mother modeled this type of authentic kind of faith
- He had a good reputation – People spoke well of Timothy and he was known as a man of integrity; this had a lot to do with his mother and grandmother
- Timothy was available – He was eager to minister and that excitement would not have developed unless it had been encouraged at home
Ministers are difference-makers in their world. They serve those who hurt. They have been trained to identify their spiritual gifts and use them on a regular basis. The truth of the matter is this: we are saved in order to serve. There is no better example of a servant leader in the history of man than Jesus Christ.
Pastor Bill recalls a challenge made to graduating high school seniors. The speaker said, “Seniors, you’ve been served by your parents, by your teachers and by your pastors. It’s now time to take up the towel and serve others.” The speaker then handed each parent a towel who in turn passed it along to their teenager, symbolizing now is the time for them to minister to others.
Pastor Bill closed his sermon by reading a poem entitled, “My Mother.”
My Mother
Your love, I know—I’ve seen your tears;
You’ve given to me my life.
You’ve walked through hours and days and years
Of heartache, toil and strife.
To see that I could have the best
That you could give to me,
You gave up needs and often rest—
You viewed eternity.
To do His will my highest call
And by your special care
I stood and walked and did not fall,
You held me up in prayer.
Though strands of gray may brush your hair,
And miles divide our way,
I know that by your quiet prayer
You’ve helped me day by day.
You’ve shown me how to give, to share
To put my own needs last.
You’ve helped me see and be aware
That life is so soon past.
To spite your love I would not dare,
For there’s not another
Who spreads her gentle love and care
Like you—My Loving Mother.