Living With Purpose by Matt Dobson

Mother’s Day Edition

In all my years of counseling experience, people speak most fondly about one person…their Mom. It seems that these special people (Mothers) symbolize security, unconditional love, protection, sacrifice, forgiveness, and guidance. Let a toddler or small child fall down and skin a knee and usually the first words are “Momma, Momma!” Thank God for mothers, because without them, neither one of us would be here. Today, we recognize the hallowed title of being a Mom. It’s Mother’s Day!

It never ceases to amaze me how some women are able to complete the many duties of Motherhood. I hold responsible mothers in very high regard. A young boy was watching his Mom one day while she was cooking. She stopped and fed the cat. She did some laundry; she vacuumed the living room, then came back to the kitchen and finished supper. With true admiration and innocence he ask her, “Mom, how old was I when Dad first hired you to do all this stuff around the house?”

I must say, mothers carry a lot of the burden around the home and away from the home as well. These acts are to be appreciated. Have you thanked your Mom lately for what she does for you?      Perhaps you grew up without a Mom. The lack of a mother’s influence doesn’t mean you are an incomplete person. It means, for some reason, God intended for you to learn the positive traits of a loving mother from someone else. Maybe you had a Mom and she has since gone on to be with the Lord. The legacy of a loving Mom will live on forever in the lives of her children. And like all people groups, there can be “bad apples” in all walks of life. That being said, we know there are some mothers who are in need of some self-improvements. Ms. Bell Whatley, a character from the movie “Gone With the Wind”, describes Scarlett O’Hara to Rhett Butler: As selfish as some women are, “even a bad mother is better than none…the child is worth 10 of the mother.” I’m not completely sold on that idea, but the truth of that statement is found in the valuable idea that a mother should recognize her responsibility to raising children in a positive and healthy manner. Every child deserves the chance to prosper. A child’s opportunity for success is usually dependent on the quality of parental and guardian care.

I personally benefited from a godly mother and discovered five (5) quality traits in her. These traits are also found in the many other Moms I have known and currently know. First, the Bible says: “Her children rise up and call her blessed” (Prov. 31:28). A good mother is like Christ in many ways. She is more concerned about the well-being of her children than her own. She is loyal and faithful to support her children however difficult the situation. God’s loyalty to His children is supreme. Love and loyalty go hand in hand. Through love He gave His Son to suffer and die for us, paying our ransom (1 John 1:9; 4:9).

A good mother listens to her children; she’s concerned about their problems and they can talk to her in confidence. She offers solace and understanding. These things are like God. One of His promises is that He hears the faintest cry of the least of His saints (Ex. 22:23). He understands our deepest needs (Matt. 6:8) and He uses the gifts of mothers to make known to us His will and His wisdom. A good mother not only listens, but uplifts her children. She lifts them up in prayer and sacrificially lightens the burdens of her children. The Lord also uplifts His children. He helps them over the rough places, guides them in darkness, and supplies their needs (Phil. 4:19).

Some Moms are not known for their humor, but a good mother laughs with her children. She wants them to be happy and joyful. Her children enjoy being with her as they work and play together. God also rejoices with His children. Christ endured the cross for the joy that was set before him (Heb. 12:2). Every Christian should rejoice in the Lord. “Today…rejoice in the Lord and be glad” (Psalm 118:24; 32:11). Happiness is attractive. So much so, that others will want to know Christ when they see the joy in the Lord in us (Phil. 4:4).

Most people know love is a built-in psychological need, but it’s also a spiritual need. A “Mother’s love” for her children is surpassed ONLY, perhaps, by the love of God. Most children will respond with love in return. It’s important that you know God’s love is the greatest love possible (1 John 3:1). He gave His only Son to die for us in evidence of that love.

Is a Mom’s job ever finished? I think not. For its mother’s prayers for her children that are a life-long task. This is not a laborious job, but one of love and concern. If you are a Mom and you’re not praying for your children, you’re doing them a disservice. If you’re not praying for yourself, you’re doing a disservice to them and yourself. Ask God to help you to know what’s best for you both. And my very personal prayer for you is that you will be supported in your work as a mother by your husband or another loving godly man. Find a church where you will be encouraged, attend faithfully, and follow God in all your ways.

• This weekly column is written by Matt Dobson. A graduate of Florida State University, Univ. of West Florida, and Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, he is Pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church in Jay, Florida and a 1LT Chaplain in the U.S. Army Reserves. Matt can be reached by email:  rmdobson@liberty.edu. He welcomes your thoughts concerning faith, belief, and Christian living. Visit the Living With Purpose website at www.living-with-purpose.org.