by Barbara Latta
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| Wisdom from biblical mothers |
Mother’s Day is a time to honor and remember our mothers for their
love and sacrifice throughout the years. As mothers ourselves, our children
will be bringing gifts to honor us. When our offspring show us love their words
are appreciated more than we can express.
But sometimes thoughts of
all the mistakes we have made while raising our children attack us. None of us
are perfect, but when we are focused on training our children in the fear of
the Lord, God blesses our efforts.
We can learn lessons from biblical mothers. Some listened to God
and others didn’t, but we can discern wisdom from their lives and the
consequences of their decisions, whether good or bad.
These women can show us the results of listening to God or
ignoring His Word:
Eve – Know the Word of God clearly.
When the serpent tempted Eve, she replied that they were not supposed to eat
from the tree or even touch it. But God didn’t say anything about touching it,
He said don’t eat from it. Eve submitted to temptation because she didn’t know what
God had clearly said. Knowing God’s Word can help us avoid confusion when
making parenting decisions.
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Sarah – Trust God’s timing.
Abraham and Sarah were promised a son. When they got tired of waiting, Sarah
took it upon herself to get a son another way. Ishmael was born years before
the promised son, but the brothers were at odds with each other their entire
lives. Because of the actions of Abraham and Sarah, we have the Middle East
crisis where descendants of Isaac and Ishmael are still fighting. God’s
timing for His will in our children’s lives depends upon obedience to His
Word.
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Rebekah—Treat
children equally. Rebekah’s favoritism toward Jacob caused the split
between the brothers. The family was divided and in strife and Jacob had to
leave home to keep Esau from killing him. Each child is an individual with
different skills, personalities and needs, but each one should still receive equal
love and attention from parents.
Hannah –Be committed to God. Hannah prayed
for a son and when her blessing arrived she honored God and was willing to give
her son to the work of the Lord. God blessed her with other children and she
still was able to see Samuel when she and her family visited the temple.
Because Hannah was faithful, Samuel was born and grew up to become a great
prophet of God. We can learn from Hannah to be faithful to our commitment to
God to bring up our children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.
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| Happy Mother's Day |
Mary – Be willing to listen and obey.
Mary humbled herself and submitted to the words of the angel when she was told
she would bear God’s Son. In the culture she lived in, Mary knew she was going
to have a difficult time being ridiculed and rejected while being pregnant and
unmarried. She didn’t know how the future would play out, but she trusted God. She
is now remembered for her obedience and faithfulness in raising the Son of God.
Trusting God for the future of our family will bring success and happiness.
Elizabeth – Keep
praying. Elizabeth and Zechariah had prayed for a child for many years. The
age was past when this could happen without a miracle. Their prayers were heard,
and a great prophet was born who paved the way for the Messiah. We can learn
from this godly couple to keep praying for our children and never give up. God has
a plan for their lives and He is faithful to keep His promises. Isaiah 44:3-5
tells us that He will pour our His Spirit on our offspring.
Lois and Eunice – Parent according to God, not culture.
Timothy's mother and grandmother raised him in the fear of the Lord amidst a
heathen Greek culture. Timothy became a student of Paul's and was one of the
pastors of the churches Paul established. Our children live in a much more
hostile world than we did. Temptations abound from every direction in ways we
could never have imagined when we were growing up. Culture shouldn’t dictate
our parenting principles.
None of us will be able to be perfect in all of these lessons, but God
honors those who are seeking and trusting Him for guidance. Our heavenly Father
loves our children more than we do and when we stand on His promises He is
faithful to bring them to pass.
May you have a blessed and happy Mother’s Day!
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