HER CHILDREN SHALL ARISE

AND CALL HER BLESSED

Proverbs 31:28

 

SONG OF REFLECTION:

 

WE’RE BUILDING TEMPLES

Words by Kathie Hill

Music by Gary McSpadden and Bill George

[as sung by The Talleys]

 

This child fast asleep looks so warm and content as I watch over her bed

But I need to think back on the day we have spent to all I didn’t say

Did she feel safe and know that I care - did I say the things that made her feel loved?

For my life and my words form the image - of the person she will one day become

 

Chorus:

We’re building temples for Jesus to live in

Rooms warm and welcome where He’ll reside

These children are our own

But some day when they’re grown

We pray they’ll be the temples where Jesus will abide

 

Lord help us to build a foundation of trust knowing that we love them so

With walls of pure faith that will stand against the winds of doubt that blow

Let Your love be the roof that covers their lives and protects them from rains of defeat

Help me mold in their hearts open windows where the light of your salvation will stream

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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.

 

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, I thought it would be a good time to focus on the role of a godly mother.  To all of the fathers reading this, I hope you will share this devotional with the mother of your children and enjoy this with her.  I apologize for the lengthiness of this message, but I feel it is a very important one and are words that I feel the Lord wanted me to share with you. 

 

In the above passage from 2 Timothy, Paul had written a letter from prison to Timothy to encourage him.  Evidently, Paul realized that his own life on earth was soon coming to an end and he knew that Timothy would need to help with the missionary work after Paul’s death.  Paul reminded Timothy of his training which had begun with his grandmother, Lois.  His grandmother had been faithful to God and had lived her life as an example in front of Timothy’s mother, Eunice, and later Timothy was won to God from the influence of his grandmother and mother.  And what an example those dear ladies set before him!  It gives mothers hope for today. 

 

The profound thing is that Timothy’s father was a Greek and his good mother was Jewish, so she had taught him from the Holy Scriptures from childhood. Timothy eventually went on to have an important role in leading the early church. So you see, it is amazing what a mother’s influence can be . . . and even a grandmother’s!  (I like that part!)  As we can see, the mother’s influence is vital in bringing her children up in the right way.  Now I am not saying that the father’s role is not an important one as well because it truly is, in fact it is just as important as her role, but the mother’s role is a totally different one.  The role of a mother should be one that is not only tender, caring and sensitive, but understanding, strong and unbending, a fortress and a rock for her little ones to run to for any problem at any time.  If you’ve ever seen a painting of the Good Shepherd with Him holding His little lamb close to His chest, that exemplifies a mother’s love.  

 

We can then look at the opposite end of the spectrum and see another mother, Herodias from the book of Matthew, who was the wife of Herod the Tetrarch.  This sweet little mother told her daughter to ask for the head of John the Baptist. . .  even on a platter. . . pretty gross, huh!  The sad part about it is that her daughter actually took her advice! (Mt. 14:1-12) Naturally, this example of motherhood is one the godly mother wants to run from!  Even though this type of mother is one to avoid, to say the least, but there are many mothers similar to Herodias living in this very day and time. It is clear from the two mothers mentioned, that the example a mother sets before her children is an important one. 

 

My mother has always lived her life in front of my siblings and I in such a way that we have had a pattern to live by as adults.  The example she lived by was that of Jesus Christ, therefore, her example gave us a guide in helping to bring up our own children.  Do you see what a chain reaction this can be? It seems that as our children get older we can preach at them right and left about going to church and loving God, but unless we live our lives in front of them as an example, it can be useless.  My mother never had to tell us to get ready to go to church, because we just knew we were going and there was no question about it. 

 

I’m reminded of a mother that was totally devoted to her child.  My sister-in-law told me once about her sister who had poison ivy so bad when she was a little girl that she even had it in her eyes.  My sister-in-law said that her mother stayed up night after night with her young daughter keeping a cool wash cloth on her little girl’s eyes to help her get past the misery. I never forgot that story because that type of mother exemplifies a true mother’s love and shows she will do what it takes to help her children in their times of need. 

 

The mother of Jesus was just such a mother and she followed her son all the way to the grave, never running when the rest of the disciples and His followers did.  She was faithful and devoted, loving Jesus right to the end.  

 

A loving mother loves her children even when her children are not very loveable.  She loves them at all times no matter how irritating they can be.  You may say well, “I can’t imagine not loving and caring for my children,” but we hear almost every day in the news that there are mothers who could care less about their little ones and some even desert them.  It breaks my heart to see how children are being mistreated and abused and we’re hearing more and more about it all the time. 

 

One thing that really breaks my heart is to hear mothers speaking harshly to their children, insulting, belittling, criticizing and breaking their little hearts.  That is no way for any mother to speak to her children.  I Corinthians 8:1 tells us that “love builds up.”  As we speak words of love and encouragement our children will exceed and there is no telling where they might go in the future as they grow into men and women.  Even children who may not have been the smartest as far as the world sees them, can go on to becoming men and women of faith, and sometimes leaders just by a mother saying these words to her child, “You can do it, I know you can!”  My mother did that type of encouraging with us.  The other day I heard a mother yelling and screaming at her little toddler!  My heart went out to that little one because no telling the life he will have to live because of his mother.  Mothers don’t always realize that they’re subjecting their children to long-term pain and guilt from the way they speak to them. 

 

I can remember not having a very good conversation with my daughter one day before school when she was in elementary school.  Every mother reading this can probably relate to this at one time or another when time is running short and the kids are slow at getting a move on and out the door in time for school, or one reason or another.  After just a little while after my daughter had arrived at school, I began to feel really terrible about her being at school all day and remembering the heated conversation we had had that morning, and I just couldn’t bear it.  So I picked up the phone and called the school office and asked the assistant to get my little girl on the phone.  When my little daughter got on the phone, I had to tell her that I was sorry and that I loved her.  I couldn’t have lived through that day without telling her that mommy loved her and that I was sorry. What makes more sense for us as mothers is to show our children that we can make mistakes too, but that we still love them no matter what. 

 

A child can feel accepted just from a loving smile, a hug and a kind word.  Children long to be accepted by their parents and to be accepted just as they are no matter what their incapabilities are.  I have a friend who has a child with cerebral palsy and she loves her and is faithful to nourish, protect and care for her at all times.  I’ve never seen that child that she wasn’t clean and well-groomed and you can tell that she is a happy child and feels loved.  It doesn’t matter what anyone may think when my friend takes her out in her wheelchair because she believes her daughter is beautiful and she loves her with the deepest mother’s love. 

 

Another thing is that God doesn’t want mothers to complain about every task which needs to be done in the home, especially when our children are within listening distance.  We don’t want them to feel guilty about things which need to be done, especially when it concerns something to be done for them.  We’re instructed to do everything without complaining or arguing anyway. (Philippians 2:14-15)  Mothers get weary just as much as anyone else does, sometimes even more so, because of the demands made upon her.  Many mothers work outside the home and feel guilty because they must leave their little ones with babysitters and daycare, but if we will learn early on to do everything without complaining, our homes will be a much happier place for our children to live in.  Have you ever heard the old expression, “If Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy”?  Have you ever thought about that? The mother sets the tone for the home and if she’s upbeat and chipper, then the rest of the household will follow suit.  If mama is a grouch, then it sets the tone for the entire household. 

 

Children love a peaceful home and enjoy feeling secure in them.  I used to tell my children years ago that our home was a refuge away from the world outside.  That is how our children will feel if we will make our homes a comfortable, peaceful one.  Children will love coming home from school to a home filled with love and peace and will be proud to bring their friends home with them. They’ll always feel like they can invite their friends over because they will feel confident and know that their home is always a welcoming one. 

 

I have reflected many times upon my mother and how unselfish she always was with us as we were growing up.  There might be one piece of meat left on the plate, but she would never take it, just in case one of us just might want it.  She always made sure we had plenty to eat and was never, ever selfish.  I have observed my own daughter being the same way with her children. 

 

We must be good stewards of the gifts God gives us because children grow so fast and before you know it they’re out on their own.  Children are gifts from God (Psalm 127:3) and every one of them are His precious little ones and we must treasure and protect them. 

 

Something of vital importance for all godly mothers is “prayer” and she must pray for the lives of her children.  The enemy of their souls is out to destroy and snatch away the destiny God wants for them.  We must never lose sight of this as mothers. There is a Christian singer, Helen Baylor, who testifies about her “praying grandmother” who had raised her from a child.  Helen said that even when she was living in sin, taking drugs and sing in nightclubs, her grandmother never gave up being her “praying grandmother.” Now, many years later, Helen and her husband are saved and her song is for Jesus.  What does this say to the praying mother?  Her prayer is one that is heard by the Lord and He is attentive to her cry for help.  (Psalm 34:15)  I know I have cried out to the Lord many times for my children and still do today.  I can say that I am thankful that He heard me and promised me in His Word that He would bring them in and He has. 

 

You may be thinking that you have prayed and prayed for your children and they still have not been saved, but I encourage you today to not give up!  I encourage you to wait on the Lord and be strong and take heart. (Psalm 27:14) God is listening to your prayer and has not overlooked you for He cares about you and your children.  (Psalm 8:3-4)

 

Discipline is one that many mothers try to avoid, but Dr. James Dobson, Christian psychologist and founder of Focus on the Family, encourages discipline of children.  Mothers and fathers of today are letting their children do as they wish because they can’t do anything with them, but that is not according to the Bible. Beating them is “not” according to the Bible either, but disciplining children makes quality adults.  Proverbs 13:24 tells us that “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.”  My parents used to say that it hurt them worse to spank us than it did us.  Our pain left after only a short time, but their pain went on for a long time, sometimes even years.  But they loved us and wanted us to become men and women of integrity and realized that we were headed down the road to destruction if we didn’t learn while we were young the way we should act.

 

Proverbs 22:6 tells us that training a child in the way he should go will cause him not to turn from it when he is old.  You may have a grown child who still hasn’t been saved, but I can assure you that if you trained your child when he was young, no matter how old he gets he will not “forget” the training you gave him.  He may desire to live the way he is now and that is his choice, but one thing is for sure he will not forget the training he received as a child. 

 

Proverbs 3:3 says: “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”  We must let love guide us in being faithful to our children through thick and thin, through the good times and through the bad ones, as well.  I am thankful that our love and faithfulness in bringing up our children paid off and for what God is doing in their lives today. 

 

Many times mothers will think that they have so much to do that they don’t have time for much instructing with their children but Deuteronomy 6:5-7 says: (5) “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your strength. (6) These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  (7) Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”  What this basically means is that we should instruct our children as we do the things of life, no matter we’re doing.  The word that comes to me is “interject.”  What we can do is to “interject” bits and tidbits of wisdom at appropriate times in conversation, at play or even in preparing a meal or allowing them to help mix up a cake.  Proverbs 4:20 says, “My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words.”  Do you see how this parent wanted the son to take something with him as he grew into a young man?  The writer may have been instructing his son as they were walking along for a long walk, or whatever was going on. 

 

You may ask, “Was being a mother easy for me?”  No, I’m sorry to say it was not, but God was faithful to help me along the way and keep my children within His care.  Do I have regrets as far as my children?  Yes, I’m sorry to say that I do.  What would I do differently? Here are a few of my thoughts:

 

I would kiss away more hurt feelings and wipe tenderly more little tears from sweet cheeks. 

I would spend more time reading books to my children under a shady tree. 

I would see that more streams were waded with precious little toes right beside mine.

I would see that more kites were flown and more picnics were attended. 

I would see that we skipped some rope and caught more lighting bugs on a cool summer’s night. 

I would chase them until we dropped in the grass in giggles. 

I would see that more flowers were picked and placed in pretty pots.

I would see that we played in the rain on a warm summer day.

I would speak more words of wisdom to them and worry less about the dust on the furniture.

I would see that more seeds were planted so more gardens could be enjoyed. 

I would have more patience and help to carry more of their burdens. 

I would be more concerned with what was going on in their lives. 

 

I could go on and on with wishing, and you know, I didn’t always do everything right because I was young when I became a mother, but I know one thing for sure, I loved my children with everything that was within me.  I was faithful and loved them and I cried out to God many times to help me be a better mother.  I didn’t always make the right choices, but my choice to be faithful to them was sure. 

 

Here is my message to every mother reading this today:

 

Dear Sweet Mother, please don’t let time pass by so you will have regrets because you must turn loose of those little darlings soon enough.  Enjoy them and keep their little heads close to your chest just like the Good Shepherd.  Take time for fun days and train them as you have fun together, speaking words of wisdom along the way, because I can assure you of one thing, your words will stay with them a lifetime.   

 

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I thank you for every mother reading this message today who is faithful and interested in their children’s lives.  I pray that You will help her to be all that You want her to be as a mother.  Give her the strength it takes to be a strong mother, walking in faith, and who will be a fortress for her children to run to in the good times and the bad.  Help her to show her children Your love by the example she lives before them. Help the mother who is single and having to raise her children alone because she must walk this path alone.  Please send extra strength and grace to help her from day-to-day.  Father, I pray for these mothers to teach her children with wisdom, leading and guiding them in the way they should go.  Lord, I’m trusting You today for each of these needs to be met.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.