Honoring Mothers Who Honor God
(Introduction by John Seiter)
But some, more than others. To be clear, I have those mothers in mind who choose to carry their baby(s) to term.
There is no honor in abortion. Surely, all mothers are not created equal. Some girls as they grow up are always dreaming of being a mother. With others, the thought can precipitate an anxiety attack. For various reasons, most women struggle with the thought of being a mother. And then, sooner or later, most women will hear from their doctors those sobering words…"your pregnant." So many emotions at a time like that. Such ambivalence for so many.
When a young woman gets married her identity changes. Not in the sense of "who am I?" But in the sense of "who am I in this new relationship with a man?" Then it happens again when she begins to bear their children. Now the question is somewhat larger and becomes, "Who am I in relation to this man who is now a father, and in relation to these wee ones that God has given to us to raise for Him?"
Spiritual Needs
First, meet their spiritual needs. Read, understand and apply the greatest book on child raising that has ever been written. Of course, I am talking about the Bible. What you do as you read and apply the Book, will be felt for generations. Mothering is best seen as a multi-generational pursuit. The picture of a relay race is forming in my mind. One could say that when a mother sets out to raise her children in the discipline and instruction of the Word of God, it is like beginning a relay race. We as Mom's take the baton of Truth (His way of living), directly from God Himself and carefully hand it on to our children and they in turn to theirs. And we all know that in a relay race it is extremely important not to drop the baton and not to drop out of the race. These are two things that you absolutely cannot do. Our children need to know who He is and what He has done and doing in our lives. They, hopefully will begin to ask the question, "What does He want to do in my life?" For this transition to happen ladies, we must be walking closely with Him each day so that the story of our lives that we are writing for our children will tell them about Him in a way that will cause them to want a relationship with Him as well.
Relationships
Teach them about human relationships – how to treat people. Edith Schaeffer says, "Human relationships start at birth and continue to death and adults have been teaching children lessons of how to treat other people, both in devastatingly horrible ways or in biblically right ways, whether they have ever thought of themselves as teachers. Teaching takes place by example every minute of every day for every new human being by whomever is with that baby human being - hour after hour, day after day, month after month." Further on the same page of her book she adds, "A family is a formation center for human relationships. The family is the place where the deep understanding that people are significant, important, worthwhile, with a purpose in life, should be learned at an early age. The family is the place where children should learn that human beings are made in the image of God and are therefore, very special in the universe."[1] So, regardless of their color, their language, the appearance or any other difference they may have with you, it doesn't matter! They are created in god's image and deserve respect and compassion. Your family is a formation center for human relationships – a place where character is built and love for others is nourished. This too, is included in our baton of Truth that we are passing on.
[1] Edith Schaeffer, What is a Family, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1975), p. 62.