Last weekend we spent the day preparing for out-of-town company. Our
preparations consisted of frantically cleaning everything we never clean so we
can trick people we rarely see into thinking we are much cleaner people than we
actually are. It was a big job, and by dinnertime we were all exhausted and
hungry. So my husband and I loaded the family up in the car and took them to
dinner at a buffet.
After a short wait we were
seated next to a family with three children who all appeared to be under the
age of six. I confess that was I less than excited to be seated next a family
with little kids. After a long, hard day I wanted a little peace and quiet.
My fears were baseless. The
kids were adorable, polite and a delight to be around. But it was Mom who captured
my attention. She was amazing. She serenely held the two-year-old on her lap,
talking to him calmly about table manners and encouraging him to try new foods
while still managing to keep an eye on the baby girl and calmly direct the
older boy.
Watching that remarkable young woman do what she no doubt does every
day of the week, reminded me that Mothers are truly the unsung heroes of human
history.
If it were not for the sacrificial contributions of women throughout
history, we would have no great civilizations, no novels would have been
written, no masterpieces crafted and no righteous causes fought for. Precious few
would have been inspired to attempt such things without a wise and loving
Mother laying the right foundation and urging their children forward.
The influence of a Mother is
perhaps the most powerful force on earth. We have all been shaped for good or
ill by the impact of our Mothers. Perhaps the most striking testimony of a
Mother’s impact is how significantly we feel the loss when our mother is gone. For those of us who are fortunate enough to be
mothers, we too have been shaped by the experience. Mothering is a powerful act
that forever changes all involved.
Christians universally agree that nurturing children is crucial. In
recent years, Pastors have gone to great lengths to emphasize and celebrate the
importance of Motherhood. This is a good thing. In a society that has devalued
the act of mothering it is vitally important that Christian leaders encourage
women as they nurture and train up the next generation.
For women who are not Mothers, the second Sunday of May can be a
painful one. In our eagerness to promote the importance of mothering, we can inadvertently
send the message that Mothering is the only truly significant thing a woman can
do. The message is a dangerous one that hurts all women, especially those
without children and older women. Many feel their value is diminished once their
children are grown and gone.
As valuable as motherhood is,
it is essential to remember that there is so much more to who we are as women
than whom we parent. On this day that we rightfully set aside to
celebrate the countless contributions Mothers make in this world, I want to
remind women that motherhood is not the end of our journey towards biblical
womanhood. It is simply a step that many of us take in the journey.
God
has called Christian women to be…
Pursuers of wisdom and knowledge~ Proverbs
4:7, Proverbs 2:6
Bold and courageous~ 1st
Chronicles 28:20
Competent to teach and pass on wisdom~
Proverbs 31:26, Titus 2:3-5
Loving wives~ 1st Peter 3:1-8
Mentors~ Titus 2:3-5
Busy building up the Body of Christ~
Ephesians 4:11-13
Constantly striving for betterment of others~
Proverbs 31: 8-9, Proverbs 31:20
A
woman’s ultimate power is found in her ability to influence. The quality of a
woman’s influence will largely depend on the quality of her relationship with
God. A woman who is seeking to be and do all that she has been called to be and
do, regardless of the stage of life she finds herself, will become a powerful
force for good in this world and a blessing to those whose life she touches.
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a
woman who fears the Lord is to be praised~ Proverbs 31:30
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