1. Mothers may be the most influential people in the world. We have all heard the phrase "the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." I believe this is true. Nobody has more impact on the next generation than today's mothers. If you are a mother, please understand the importance of your job. Make sure that you are raising Christian children. Your example is what they are learning from the most. I hope you are getting plenty of help from your husband to instill a healthy fear and respect for God in your children.
2. Mother's Day is one of the high marks for worship attendance each year. I have been keeping notes on this for years. Easter Sunday is first, Mother's Day is usually second, and the Sunday before Christmas is third. Why is this? I am glad to see so many at worship on any occasion, but the problem is priorities. People will come to church to worship mom once a year, rather than worship God every Sunday as the early Christians did. It is also true that the Sunday night after Mother's Day is typically the low in Sunday evening attendance each year (again, next to Easter). Many leave morning services, go to mom's house, and then spend the rest of the evening there while a few faithful brethren return on Sunday night. (I am not being cynical here, I am just stating the facts). Why not make a family decision to honor God and fellowship with the brethren on Sunday evening this year?
3. If you have had a wonderful Christian mother who loved you, give thanks and praise to God while you honor her. I got a call this week from a man who listens to our radio program. He was not raised in a loving family and he admitted to me that he cannot forgive his mother. After we talked for a while and I gave him some passages I thought might be helpful, as I hung up the phone I stopped and said a prayer of thanks to God for my parents. So many people are growing up in this world without parents who love them as God intended. Imagine it being Mother's Day and you are not inclined to say "Thank you" to your mother!
4. It is okay to be partial about some things. This Sunday my mom and my mother's mother are supposed to be with us for worship. I am very excited. I have not gotten to spend Mother's Day with both of them for about 20 years. I think I have the best mother and the best two grandmothers of all time (not to mention my wife, and my mother-in-law, who are right there with them). I respect your own opinion to feel the same way about yours. We should love our physical families with a special love. "Storge" love (a Greek term) is a natural affection for family that is found in the pages of Scripture. Understand that your family is special. Make it even more special by your love and commitment to the family in which God has placed you..
I have about 20 more "random thoughts" about Mother's Day I wish I could share. But I would like to end by telling my mom, "I love you." No other mother can ever take my mom's place. If you have seen the perfect and unconditional love of your mother than you have come as close as you can to seeing the face of God.
"For I too was a son to my father, still tender, and cherished by my mother." ~ Proverbs 4:3
Great! Thank you for this!!
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