Even though I am not a mother, Mother’s Day has been a special time for me for as long as I can remember. In the little church where I grew up, Mother’s Day was almost as important as Christmas and Easter. I remember that an important part of the celebration for some of those years was for the children to make gifts for their mothers in their Bible classes. Then, the moms would take their masterpieces home to display in their kitchens.
Please pardon my nostalgia, as I talk about Mother’s Day, but I was privileged to have a wonderful Christian mother who loved me to the day she died. And, I am doubly blessed to have a Christian wife who is a good mother, too. Having these mothers in my life for so many years has given me a great appreciation for motherhood.
Our mothers are big influences on our lives, either for good or bad. A poor mother will do nothing to prevent her children from learning wrong values and ungodly habits. On the other hand, a good mother will work hard to prepare her children to be godly adults. Certainly, many of us are fortunate that we came to know Jesus Christ through our mothers.
Such was the case with a young man named Timothy. Apostle Paul affirmed his young co-worker when he wrote, (2 Timothy 1:5 NIV) 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.
I’ll bet Grandmother Lois felt that her years as a mother to Eunice paid off in great dividends when she watched Timothy, her grandson, grow up to be a servant of the Lord.
Parents, especially mothers, don’t need to feel like their roles as parents are second rate to any other career. When we become parents, God entrusts us with the privilege of nurturing a precious, little life to adulthood. If we do our jobs well, not only will our children benefit, but also we can indirectly impact future generations through them.
So, if you are a mother or father, take your responsibility seriously—do the best you can. At the same time, be thankful for the opportunity to influence young lives and touch the future.
Remember, God loves you and so do I.
Phil