MOTHERS ARE A BLESSED PEOPLE

There was a Greeting Card video that went viral about a job posting online and in the newspaper looking for a “Director of Operations” so they held real interviews    online through Skype chat with potential applicants looking for a legitimate job. And they described this job to the applicants as one of the hardest jobs in the world. They went on to say….. It’s a position that requires more than 135 hours per week, constant mobility, keen coordination and adept communication. There are no breaks, no holidays off, and there is no pay. As a matter of fact the work load gets even greater around the holiday season. You need to be able to work standing up most of the time. You will be consently on your feet, bending, a high level of stamina. You must be able to work in a chaotic environment. You are to have degree in medicine, finance and the culinary arts. And he finishes by saying “there are billions of people who hold this position! ………..MOMS

Moms are such a blessing and a blessed people group! Don’t get me wrong as we open God’s word…..every one of us are a blessed people whether single, married or barren. But today I want to give a special honor to the mother! According to the bible she is a blessed person who wears many hats. But let me clarify by saying this first! The Bible never states that every woman should be a mother. However the bible does say that those whom the Lord blesses to be mothers should take the responsibility seriously…...And this message is for you moms. As one writer said “Mothers have a unique and crucial role in the lives of their children. Motherhood is not a chore or unpleasant task. Just as a mother bears a child during pregnancy, and just as a mother feeds and cares for a child during infancy, so mothers also play an ongoing role in the lives of their children, whether they are adolescents, teenagers, young adults, or even adults with children of their own. While the role of motherhood must change and develop, the love, care, nurture, and encouragement a mother gives should never cease”

Take for example several things are commanded of Christian mothers in God’s Word: Availability – morning, noon, and night (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). Involvement – interacting, discussing, thinking, and processing life together (Ephesians 6:4). Teaching – the Scriptures and a proper biblical worldview (Psalm 78:5-6; Deuteronomy 4:10; Ephesians 6:4). Training – helping a child to develop skills and discover his/her strengths (Proverbs 22:6). Discipline – teaching the fear of the Lord, drawing the line consistently, lovingly, firmly (Ephesians 6:4; Hebrews 12:5-11; Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; 29:15-17). Nurturing-  by providing an environment of constant verbal support, freedom to fail, acceptance, affection, unconditional love (Titus 2:4; 2 Timothy 1:7; Ephesians 4:29-32; 5:1-2; Galatians 5:22; 1 Peter 3:8-9). Modeling Integrity – living what you say, being a model from which a child can learn by “catching” the essence of godly living (Deuteronomy 4:9, 15, 23; Proverbs 10:9; 11:3; Psalm 37:18, 37).

Why would God put such emphasis on the mother? I came across this in my studies that a university 600 students were asked to write on a piece of paper the most beautiful word in the English language. 422 wrote the word MOTHER and 112 wrote the word HOME. Why those answers? Home is where you will always find mom. I want us to look some important characteristics that get overlooked or minimized by our culture and the church at times when it comes to role of the mom.

HOME-MAKING IS GOD’S DIVINE ASSIGNMENT

Titus 2:3-5 says “Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” Keeping the home is God’s assignment to the wife-even down to changing the sheets, doing the laundry, and scrubbing the floors. Paul admonishes the older women to teach the younger women, among other things, “to love their husbands and children, … to be busy at home” which literally means in the Greek “home-workers”. Being a homemaker is very hard at times and sometimes unrewarding but in all reality it’s very rewarding because you are fulfilling your God given call! So teach this to your daughters and prepare them for their God given role as a wife and a mother if the Lord choses to give them a family.

HOME-MAKING IS A NOBLE POSITION OF GREAT WORTH.

Proverbs 31:10 we read “An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.” Women join men in the search for accomplishments and positive assessments. We all have an inherent desire to have worth. God’s ideal woman has such worth…we as husbands and you children should tell or express that truth daily to them. Their job nine times out of ten goes unnoticed and unthanked for. She is so worthy in the family you can’t even put a price on her worth to the family. John MacArthur says "one of the unique features of the bible is the way it exalts [elevates, praises] women. Far from ever demeaning or belittling women, Scripture often seems to go out of the way to pay homage to them, to ennoble their roles in society and family, to acknowledge the importance of their influence, and exalt the virtues of women who were particularly godly examples" In fact, her worth cannot be fixed or estimated-it is “far more than rubies”. The question is, of course, clear……. Who has such worth? The Hebrew word hayil, translates “virtuous” but more literally “strength,”. This means the general character of a mother is…..

Strong and full of mental energy. She is invaluable (extremely useful); her price is far above rubies (priceless). No quantity of precious stones can be equal to her worth…..not Gold, not silver, diamonds or rubies. She is truly a lovely wife and mother and a blessing to the family. This is found also in Proverbs 12:4 “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband..” and in Ruth 3:11 we read what Boaz said to Ruth’s worth“ And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman.” Never, ever think being a homemaker as something to be ashamed about! I hold you with high honor.

HOME-MAKING IS YOUR GOD GIVEN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.

Genesis 2:18 we read “Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." The wife was created by God to be her husband’s “helper” in the Hebrew, literally “a help like or corresponding to himself,” There is nothing demeaning about being a helper. It is very challenging and rewarding responsibility as we see also in the wonderful passage of Proverbs 31. The bible declares that…..

• A mom is gifted with her hands and willingly works using them (v13)
• A mom collects the best for her family (v14)
• A mom labours hard for her family (v15)
• A mom provides food for her family (v15)
• A mom is resourceful (v16 - v17)
• A mom knows how to budget wisely and she knows what to invest in that is going to benefit her family
• A mom helps others (v20)
• A mom anticipates the seasons, and prepares for them (v21)
• A mom makes clothing and sells things from her handy work (v22-v24)

In the end though all that hard work and physical sweat she receives the greatest earthly reward! We read “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all." (v38-v39). Moms are extremely blessed and praised through their service to their family and others.

See, the bible is very clear when it comes to family and their roles in the home! Moms have a very special role and bond that no man could have or truly understand. What I mean by this is that they experience something we as men will never get the privilege too. The feeling of a child swimming around in her stomach for 5 months. The feeling and the warmth of that child when he or she is born. The feeling of responsibility that has been placed on her shoulders to care and nurture this blessing from God. As the Psalmist says “Children are a gift from the Lord” (Psalm 127:3-5). Moms are great model of servant hood and grace. To the moms here you are amazing women, who do amazing things! Don’t ever consider being a homemaker a menial and unworthy job that is only suited for the uneducated woman who can’t get work. Because let me boast to you about the mother of my children as it says in Prov 31:28 “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her”

My wonderful house wife…….

• Has a degree in law.
• Has finished her education in the top of her class.
• Has ran multi-million dollar inventory across Canada at Sear’s Canada
• Is a school teacher of 5 and a devoted woman who loves the LORD with her heart, mind and strength.
• Is selfless in everything she does, and we love her for that and we as a family continue to thank God every day for her.

I know for a fact that our family will always come first to her no matter what………even if it would cost her life for her child. Just like this story…..I came across about a young mother who was making her way across the hills of South Wales, carrying her tiny baby in her arms, when she was overtaken by a blinding blizzard. She never reached her destination and when the blizzard had subsided her body was found by searchers beneath a mound of snow. But they discovered that before her death, she had taken off all her outer clothing and wrapped it about her baby. When they unwrapped the child, to their great surprise and joy, they found he was alive and well. She had mounded her body over his and given her life for her child, proving the depths of her mother love….”

Moms around the globe are amazing and we need to remind them of that daily! To the entire mom’s around the globe who takes their God’s plan seriously for the family! Thank You a million times over. Gospel Coalition had a wonderful blog post about moms last year “8 Things I Want My Toddler to Thank His Mom For in 20 Years”

• Thank you for putting Christ before me.
• Thank you for showing me grace, not works.
• Thank you for showing me repentance, not false perfection.
• Thank you for caring more about my character than my abilities.
• Thank you for knowing that gospelling me was your and Dad's job.
• Thank you for loving Daddy.
• Thank you for giving me chances to serve.
• Thank you for showing me what sacrificial love is.

As Ruth Graham said “As a mother, my job is to take care of what is possible and trust God with the impossible” Remember what the polls said about the most beautiful word in the English language………….MOTHER! The Sunday Question for us husbands and children. Have you shown her how much you truly value her role today? 

Thank You MOM! :)