Mother’s Day will soon be upon us, but more than heart-warming cards, breakfast in bed, beautiful flowers, or a day of peaceful rest, I pray that motherhood would be seen and embraced for the great calling it is, as reflected in these words by Charles Spurgeon:
O dear mothers you have a very sacred trust reposed in you by God! He has in effect said to you, “Take this child and nurse it for Me, and I will give you your wages.” You are called to equip the future man of God that he may be thoroughly furnished unto every good work. If God spares you, you may live to hear that pretty boy speak to thousands, and you will have the sweet reflection in your heart that the quiet teachings of the nursery led the man to love his God and serve Him. Those who think that a woman detained at home by her little family is doing nothing, think the reverse of what is true. Scarcely can the godly mother quit her home for a place of worship, but dream not that she is lost to the work of the church, far from it, she is doing the best possible service for her Lord. Mothers, the godly training of your offspring is your first and most pressing duty. Christian women, by teaching children the Holy Scriptures, are as much fulfilling their part for the Lord, as Moses in judging Israel, or Solomon in building the Temple.
(Sermon #1866, “ The Sunday School and the Scriptures,” www.spurgeongems.org)
Or, in the words of Sally Michael:
Mothering is a great work; a God-given opportunity to influence the next generations to put their trust in God. Do we see it as such? Do we awake each day with the anticipation of the opportunity God has given us to impart the words of life, to nurture budding seeds of faith, to lead our little ones to the Savior?
…We are so easily influenced by our culture that unless we step back and work at discovering a biblical vision of motherhood, we may default to unbiblical perspectives of mothering. We may miss the vision of the great work God has called us to do, the joy that is set before us as we anticipate the Father’s pleasure in us, and the dependency on Him that we need to finish the work He has entrusted to us.
Yes, motherhood involves the myriad of daily tasks that keep the household afloat, but it is infinitely more than that. Are we encouraging mothers to see and embrace this greater calling? Is the church coming alongside mothers to assist and equip them for this sacred task?
As one small step toward that end, consider giving moms the short, affordable booklet Mothers: Disciplers of the Next Generations, by Sally Michael. Sally gives mothers a biblical vision of motherhood that is both instructional and inspiring. She also gives practical suggestions for incorporating this vision into everyday life with children.
So this Mother’s Day, encourage mothers with cards, breakfast in bed, flowers, a day of rest…and Mothers: Disciplers of the Next Generations.
