Honoring Our Mothers
In a day and age where women are being despised and diminished; even to the point of being told that men can become one of them, it is time to honor the mother’s and women in our lives that have raised us, loved us, and sacrificed more than we will ever know or understand for us!
Many of us have mother’s that have already passed away, or maybe you never even knew your biological mother….but we are all here because of a mother! A woman gave birth to us. She allowed your life to be knit together in the secret place of her womb, and then labored to bring you into this world. Not a small thing by any means!
What is a mother? We have certainly heard this question posed over the past few years of “what is a women?” In this insane upside down culture, the fact that this question is even being asked is crazy! However the biblically definition of a mother is: mother, grandmother, a term of endearment, caregiver, dam. The definition of woman is: woman, in contrast to man; wife in contrast to husband, female. That pretty much sums it up for those of us who are sane.
So even if we were not raised by our biological mothers, we are here because of our mothers, and a loving adoptive mother, grandmother, or a loving caregiver has loved us and raised us. God created women to nurture and raise children. They have a very unique role in the eyes of God. It is not less than a father, but rather uniquely different.
There are many well known mothers in the Bible. I’m sure we all have a favorite, and also the ones that we knew we never wanted to be like; such as Jezebel! I’ve always admired the amazing faith and courage of Jochebed, Moses mother. There is much we can learn from her story in the few short years that she had with her son, but what about King Lemuel’s mother?
What woman would not want the wisdom that King Lemuel’s mother had? We all read Proverbs 31 and pray that we could be half the women that she describes as the “virtuous wife” that she counsels her son to look for. “Her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts in her; so he will have no lack of gain.” The entire proverb details her amazing qualities; qualities that every man should seek in a woman. She is wise, industrious, gives to the poor, and cares for her entire household.
Along with her wisdom and kindness to others; two very important characteristics standout. “She looks over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.” What does it mean to “look over your household?” It means- to keep watch, be on the lookout, to spy out, watchman. Us mama’s know how to spy out the land in our homes! The enemy is always on the prowl for our loved ones. We become the watchman on the walls, guarding their ways; which means their paths, and their conversations.
What does it mean to eat the bread of idleness? It’s interesting that the word idleness means- to close the eyes, to tightly shut them. When our eyes are closed and tightly shut, we cannot do much of anything! We remain “blind and idle” in what is going on around us and within our families. A watchman’s eyes are wide open!
The husband and the children of a virtuous woman will not only recognize her love and abilities; but they will know that they are receiving the blessings of God in their lives because of her. Which is why they “rise up and call her blessed.” This means they are speaking well of her, their words are kind as they give thanks and celebrate her.
Whether your mother is still with you, or maybe she has gone on to be with the Lord; I pray that you will speak well of her, honor her, and celebrate her for giving you life! None of us have had a perfect mother, nor a perfect home; but we have been given the gift of life. That is a precious gift that only a mother can give.
“Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.” Proverbs 31:30-31