Whether we are a mother, have a mother, know a mother, or love a mother, I think we all know that motherhood is arguably one of the hardest jobs a human can have. It is also one of the most important. 2 Timothy 1:5 says, “I am 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.” In this verse, we see evidence of the importance of a mother’s faith and the impact it has on her children. A faith passed down from mother to child again and again. It is why God is so emphatic about men choosing Godly wives. He made women to have the most impact on their children and gave them the job of showing their children who God is. It is a heavy role. But motherhood isn’t just hard and heavy. It’s also rewarding (which is good because if it wasn’t so rewarding, I’m not sure anyone would do it). Psalms 127:3 even tells us that, “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.”
As a mother, it is often difficult to know if you’re doing it “right”. Every mother I have ever known questions whether they are doing a good job or not. If they are a good mom. That’s a lot of pressure–that’s a heavy question. There are so many conflicting views and parenting styles, and philosophies out there; there doesn’t seem to be one right way to be a mom. But there is one manual we as believers can count on, though: the word of God. So what exactly does the Bible say about mothering?
Being a Godly mother is closely tied to being a Godly woman. In fact, if one is already a Godly woman, being a Godly mother is a natural progression. I think we are all familiar with Proverbs 31 and what it tells us about womanhood, and we will revisit much of that in a future blog post. For now, though, let’s see what we can get from it that lends to Biblical motherhood. Verse 15 states that a mother “rises to give food to her household”. Next, in verse 21, we are told that she isn’t worried when it snows because her children are “doubly clothed”. So, feed and clothe your kids and, boom, Godly mom, right there. What else do our children need from us? Isaiah 66:13 says, “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.” A Biblical mother comforts her children, just like our Heavenly Father comforts us. From this we see that a large part of being the mother that God calls us to be is simply meeting our children’s basic needs.
The next aspect of being a Godly mother is the role of teacher. Harking back to Proverbs 31, verses 26 and 27 tell us that a mother should speak wisely and instruct her children with kindness. Deuteronomy 6:6–7 says, “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” This verse tells us that not only should we intentionally teach the Lord’s ways to our children, but we should also walk in them every day, leading by example. In Proverbs 1:8-9, children are told to “Pay close attention to your father’s wise words and never forget your mother’s instructions.” And parents are told that your “insight will bring [your children] success, adorning [them] with grace-filled thoughts and giving [them] reins to guide [their] decisions.” The way we bring up our children carries significant weight for their futures, both in daily life and spiritually. Proverbs 23:25 tells us that when these children we have brought up this way are grown into wise and Godly adults, their father and mother will be glad, “let her who bore you rejoice.” Which brings us to our next point.
Proverbs 31 again, tells us in verse 28 that a Godly mother’s children make her happy. A mother takes joy in her children. Is this always easy? Of course not. But at the end of the day, “Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?” (Isaiah 49:15). John 16:21 says, “A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her JOY that a child is born into the world.” In Luke 2, the child Yeshua goes missing. Mary is overcome with worry until finding her son in the temple. Yeshua gives his iconic explanation of his whereabouts, (where else would I be but doing my Father’s work, duh), and Mary “treasured up all these things in heart”. She stored up in her heart who her son was and the things he did and said, his motivations and values were important to her because she was his mother.
So when the pressures of motherhood feel like too much, turn back to the One who made you a mother. Let Him remind you with his word that your children are a gift, that you are capable, were made for this. Feed, clothe, comfort your babies. Take joy from them, learn from them, get to know them and treasure these memories in your heart. Teach them to be men and women of God and raise them to be adults for whom you can rejoice. And know that you can always turn to one of the many amazing Godly mothers of Messiah Texas should you need a shoulder or a wise word. They embody these ideals, teaching their children about the Creator, taking joy in their children, and of course, making sure their offspring are fed and clothed.
