Legacy Of A Mother

If God blessed you with a godly mother, you have received one of the greatest gifts God could have given you.

I arrived on this planet in the early 1940s. War clouds were gathering, and America would soon be at war. In rural north Wisconsin, my dad was concerned about providing for his family of six children and kept very busy doing that. The Armed Forces deferred him from the draft and active military service because of his family. But Mother assumed her God-given role of a mother and gave all her efforts to raise us children.

Mother and Dad had become acquainted with a Christian organization, Rural Bible Crusade. They held Bible teaching sessions in rural public schools and conducted a summer camp for young people. This Bible camp was very unusual. They did not allow anyone to pay to go to camp. Instead, for the first year of camp, each child was required to memorize a pre-selected group of 500 verses and say them to a responsible adult. Then, the young person finished the requirements by repeating a select group of those verses to camp personnel. In the second year of camp, the prerequisite was 250 verses, and after that, each camper completed an assigned Bible study course each year.

My mother had all the usual duties of motherhood: cooking, baking, sewing, keeping house, washing clothes, and managing each child’s schedule. But as a Christian mother, she took on an additional duty. She taught and helped each of us to memorize those 500 verses. She started me at age five, and then, at age seven, I completed the 500 verses and was proud to go off to my first year of camp. After completing the conditions for each year, I finally accepted Christ as my Savior in the sixth year of camp. Had it not been for my mother’s patience and many years of work, I may never have come to know the Lord.

My mother did many other things of importance for us over the years, but for me, this accomplishment takes the prize for being a faithful, loving mother.

Sometimes, today, Christian women are made to feel that the Bible relegates women to an inferior role in the Lord’s work. Our culture attempts to teach that home and motherhood are secondary to a career in the workplace. But that is not true. The most influential role of women is in the home. Yes, the dad heads the house, and the mom and dad work together. But the one who spends the most time with the children is the mother. She usually has a more influential role with the children than dad, the Sunday School teacher, the public or private school teacher, the preacher, or any other Christian worker.

Did you know that God and the Bible exalt the woman? Starting in Genesis, Eve is named the “Mother of all living.” (Genesis 3:20). Sara is recognized as a great woman of faith in Hebrews 11:11 because she gave birth to Isaac in her old age. Ruth is exalted in Ruth 4:17 as the great-grandmother of David. The author of 1 Samuel wrote the first two chapters about Hannah as a mother.

In almost all the records and stories of the Kings of Judah, there is the comment that “his mother’s name was,” and then it gives the mother’s name. Indeed, all these women greatly influenced their nation because they were the mothers of kings!

Elizabeth was blessed to give birth to and to raise John the Baptist, of whom Jesus said, “Among those that are born of women, there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist.”  (Luke 7:28).

Elizabeth said about Mary, “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.’  (Luke 1:42-43) No higher privilege could be given to any woman than to be the mother of the Messiah. Mary rejoiced in this great honor, saying, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed.” (Luke 1:46-48).

Paul talked about Timothy’s family, saying, “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.”  (2 Timothy 1:5). Timothy was blessed to have a mother and a grandmother who taught him the scriptures. “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures.”  (2 Timothy 3:15).

Solomon summarized well in these verses: “She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. – – Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. – – Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.”  (Proverbs 31:26, 28, 30).

Mothers, you have a significant position and role in life given to you by God. Rejoice and glory in it! Give your all to your mission to raise your children for Christ.