Mothers Are A Blessing

When you think of Mothers, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Well, for me it’s unconditional love. The love of a mother is pure, it’s sacrificial, it’s unwavering and unending. But motherhood is much more than that. As a man myself, I can never be an expert on motherhood. I don’t even qualify to talk at any meaningful level on the subject. All I want to do is reflect on my experience of my mother’s love, watching and learning from my wife as a mother, and what the Bible says about mothers.

You don’t have to look very far in the Bible before you start drawing inferences about motherhood. The first is in Genesis 1. “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27, NIV). When you see a woman, a mother, you are looking at a creation of God. Mothers are made to bear the image of God. To reflect aspects of God to the rest of humanity.

Then you read that “all that he {God} made, was very good” (Genesis 1:31). There is so much “good” in motherhood that we ought to learn from. They are good because God is good. And that without the woman, God said man will be left alone, without help. Mothers are helpers. You may argue that all my biblical references so far talk about women, not mothers, but I say, without a woman you can’t talk about motherhood. One begets the other.  

Mothers are a product of the hidden beauty in creation, that had to be unveiled by putting men to sleep (Genesis 2:21-23). Men don’t create mothers, God does. Mothers are productive, they are a blessing to the earth. They carry in them a God given ability to incubate, nurture and birth new life. Central to God’s blessings of fruitfulness and increase, is the role of mothers. They are indeed a blessing from God.

My mum is a proverbs 31 mum. I love her for her uncompromising love for me. Her daily prayers, her frequent calls and above all, her fear of God. She taught and is still teaching me to fear God.

My wife is the same. I watch her mother our children, and I know I would be a failure as a parent without her. She never missed a school performance while they were in primary school, and now they are adults, she notices and cares about every little thing in their lives. She is truly worth far more than rubies, and my life is certainly not complete without her.

As we celebrate Mothers’ Day on Sunday, let all children start and continue to honour their mothers as God commands. For you adult children, that may mean visiting and calling them more often. For younger children, it means being obedient and respectful.
Let all of us husbands be loving and faithful to our wives. And as Malachi says “Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.” (Malachi 2:15, NIV). It takes the love and care of both father and mother to raise godly offspring.

Husbands do not leave the role of parenting to your wives alone. It takes the leadership of fathers in homes to raise God fearing children. I think I speak for all mothers when I say the best gift they can expect from their husbands this Mothers’ Day is first to be with them, be present. Secondly, support them at home, with chores and parenting. Third, provide and protect your home. Lead in every way, including spiritual leadership. Love God. For when you love God, they can be sure you will love them.

To all mothers, expecting mothers, and prospective mothers, Happy Mothers’ Day!