The Influence of a Mother
By
District Elder M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
Psalms 22:9-10 & 2 Timothy 1:5-1:6,.
Opening:- I came across this poem that some guy wrote about his mother and I thought that is was truly appropriate for this message today. The poem is as follows.
My Mother taught me LOGIC. - She asked: "If everyone else jumped off a cliff would you do it too?"
My Mother taught me MEDICINE. – She said "If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they’re going to freeze that way."
My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT. - "She said if you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up.
My Mother taught me about GENETICS. – She constantly said "You are just like your father!"
My Mother taught me about my ROOTS. – She said "Do you think you were born in a barn?"
My Mother taught me about the WISDOM of AGE. – She said "When you get to be my age, you will understand,"
My Mother taught me about ANTICIPATION. - "She said just wait until your father gets home."
My Mother taught me about JUSTICE - She said "One day you will have kids, & I hope they turn out just like you. Then you’ll see what it’s like!"
And the all time favorite My Mother taught me about REASONING. – She would say “Just because I said so that’s all the reason that you need”.
My brothers and I have been blessed to once again witness another Mother’s Day and we thank God for the opportunity to celebrate our Mother on today. God has truly blessed us with a wonderful Mother and we honor her and Love her greatly, not only on today but everyday for she is truly a virtuous woman.
However not everyone is able to celebrate on today. There are many whose mothers are gone home to be with the Lord thus are experiencing the pain of loss on today rather than celebrating.
Sadly you are a mother that has lost a child and your heart grieves on Mother’s Day.
Maybe you are having difficulties celebrating your Mother for your Mother wasn’t the ideal and virtuous Mother we like to preach about and you have bad memories of your Mother.
Maybe you have some guilt feelings about your own motherhood and you have problems with your children.
Maybe you were never able to have children and Mother’s Day isn’t a joyous occasion for you.
Maybe you never had a real mother and were raised in foster homes, or by relatives.
Maybe you are a single Mom and are struggling with being a good Mother to your children.
Different people have different emotions about Mother’s day, but it is safe to say that all of us can say that we have experienced a time in our live when our Mothers have influenced our lives in some form or fashion.
Thinking of my experiences with my mom and understanding the responsibilities my wife has. I can truly say that I am doubly blessed to have two good women in my life. I truly believe that God took extra care when He made mothers and wives. For every creature is made from the ground except woman she is made from the rib of man. Just that statement right there would preach because woman is not from the dust of the earth therefore, WATCH THIS she is not to be walked upon, mistreated, abused, neglected and so forth. She is special, men she is a part of you and since we don’t like to hurt ourselves why would you want to hurt what is a part of you. Adam said she is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh in other words she is me and since I am not going to hurt myself. God has equipped good mothers and wives with things that we cannot see in others.
Mothers have x-ray eyes that can see through walls and doors where the children are playing or are being especially quiet and are able to tell just what is going on.
Mothers have, although you can’t see it, more than one set of hands, so that she can do many things for the family all at one time.
Mothers have big hearts that allow her to love her family no matter what. Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the backyard instead of the drawer. Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and happy kids.
Mothers have the energy of a nuclear reactor that appears to never get tired, because she can work all day at a job, fight traffic to get home, and when she gets home, she miraculously transforms into a cook, teachers, chauffeur, maid and wife. Like the commercial used to say She can bring home the bacon and fry it up in a pan.
Mothers are doctors and nurses without ever going to med school, because she knows how to kiss the hurt away and nurse a weak man back to health.
Mothers are minister that keeps the family before the throne of God, and she constantly intercedes for wayward family members, and through it all she is able to keep her sanity and good looks. Mothers know that a child's growth is not measured by height or years or grade, It’s marked by the progression from Mama to Mommy to Mom.
Mothers have the ability to know that something is wrong with their child eventhough they may be separated by thousands of miles of ocean.
Mothers sometimes ask, "Why me? in a moment of despair" and get a smile put on their face when their answer comes from a little voice says, "Because I love you best."
In Psalms 22, which is called Messianic Psalm, because it talks about Jesus and literally foretells what will take place at Calvary. However, we see here a man that is struggling with serious issues in his life, but is able to maintain his sanity and trust in God because of the faith that has been instilled in him by his mother down through the years. The influence of a Mother is of great importance in the proper development of a child both naturally and spiritually.
Studies show that Children who have the good fortune to interact with their mothers a lot develop healthier consciences. For some reason one of the first things a Psychologist will always ask is how was the relationship between you and your mother. They understand that a majority of problems exist because of the lack of influence of a mother or the lack of relationship between mother and child. I work in a Psych-Hospital that’s why I know so don’t get it twisted.
I remember in school we saw a study of 2 monkeys that was done by a Psychologist by the name of Harry Harlow. 1 monkey was placed with its mother and the other was put in a cage with just a wire mesh and a bottle. The 1 monkey was given love and attention from its mother, it was taught how to act and live as a monkey by its mother and therefore that monkey was normal and well adjusted but the other monkey was violent and standoffish because it never had that love and guidance from the mother, the natural influence was not instilled in the monkey by its mother. It was never afforded the opportunity to learn and understand what love is. Therefore, it was not able to function in its society because the influence of the mother was never afforded to it.
When we look at society today it makes me wonder where is the influence of the Mothers?
We find in Psalm 22, the psalmist is telling us how critical his mother’s influence was for him.
He tells how life had become almost unbearable for him. He’s been rejected and people have mocked him. He has seen and experienced how unfair life can be. And ultimately he’s come to believe that God wasn’t near to him anymore. That maybe God had even left him.
He becomes filled with despair and hopelessness and his world is literally falling to pieces around him. It’s in the midst of his misery he remembers the lessons he learned from his mother. Look at verses 9 & 10 here he is talking to God, the Psalmist says “Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother’s breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God.”
WATCH THIS he doesn’t talk about the faith he gained at his FATHER’S knee. No, he’s talking about the depth of his faith he found when he was with his mother. There are things that children learn from their mothers that they cannot learn anywhere else. Well, verse 10 says that “From (his) birth (he) was cast upon (God)”. In other words, his mother raised him to look to God. She raised him to lean on God for strength and hope. Her influence taught him how to lean and depend upon God.
If we continue through this particular Psalm 22 we see how the psalmist tells us that his mother influenced him greatly. This mother actively “cast her child upon God”. And BECAUSE she was so faithful in this, her efforts she kept her son from tumbling over into despair and kept him from giving up on life. 22:14-16 He starts by saying: “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. Bulls have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.”
So we see here how he is describing how filled with despair he has become. He is at the point where he could just give up on life. No doubt he is depressed and psychologically he is all messed up. But then, even though he is overwhelmed by the turmoil and tragedy of the moment he still looks to God for his help. He writes: “But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me. Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the bulls.” Psalms 22:19-20 But that’s not all. After he prays for deliverance and before anything ever changes in his life, he says: “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help.” Psalms 22:22-24
How can he shift from despair and hopelessness to an attitude of praise and worship?
Simply put because his mother taught him about God.
She taught him that God was powerful and worthy of praise. He writes: “you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.” Psalms 22:3
And she instilled in him hope by telling him the stories of what God had done for others in the past: “In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.” Psalms 22:4-5. He was able to overcome by the words of the testimonies. Oh how awesome the influence of a Mother.
In 2nd Timothy we find the Apostle Paul recognizing the undying faith that was instilled in young Timothy, but most importantly he recognizes where or from whom he received it. If we would take a look at Timothy’s life you would find that he had a Greek father and his mother according to Acts 16:1 was a Jew although the name Eunice (good / victory) was Greek. He also had present in his life his grandmother whose name was Lois (superior). Paul remembers Timothy’s mother and grandmother for the genuine faith they had. In fact Timothy had one of the greatest privileges that a child can have and that was that he had a strong Christian mother and grandmother. His mother and grandmother were staunch believers who were faithful to God’s Word every day of their lives. This was and still is the key in any family: to be faithful to God’s Word every day. Timothy’s mother and grandmother had taught Timothy the Scriptures from earliest childhood according to II Timothy 3:15 and the results were rewarding.
In this day and time there is something encouraging about a young person who exhibits good Christian upbringing. I don’t understand it and maybe because I have a mother that even though I am 44 years old will still remind me of just who the Mother is.
I can’t understand how young people go around wearing their pants below their waist, wearing pajama’s all day long, getting all kinds of body piercings, talking all manner of filth and disrespect and have total disregard for all people around them. This is nothing more than the lack of good home training and the sound advice of a good mother.
How many of you ever tried to leave the house when you were coming up in your pajama’s or even in a night robe to go get the mail or take out the trash and your Mother said you are not leaving the house like that. I raised you better than that and you are not going to make me look bad. You better put some clothes on, as a matter of fact go take a bath and put on some regular clothes anyway because you are still in those pajama’s which means you have hit a lick of water all day.
It is encouraging to see and hear a young person that has good Christian manners. That is what Paul saw in Timothy good Christian manners that were the influence of a good mother.
Timothy had a zeal to please the Lord that his mother and grandmother told him about. Paul knew of his grandmother and mother who were saved during a meeting in Lystra and they raised Timothy in the fear of the Lord, in-fact his name meant “one that fears God” and his life showed it. It was so evident in his life that Paul saw that he could nurture him for ministry.
Paul noticed Timothy’s growth, and seeing his unfeigned faith, that from a child he had known the sacred Scriptures of the Old Testament and seeing also his Christian character and demeanor and his entire suitableness for the work of the ministry, he would have him "to go forth with him" in the ministry as found in Acts 16:3. So, influence of Timothy’s mother and grandmother allowed him to have a fulfilling life in ministry with the Apostle Paul.
From time to time we all have seen a parent pleading with a child to behave and as we all know that child would not even consider what its parent is saying because you cannot allow a child to do as it pleases at home then expect them to act right in public. In-fact I’m convinced enough to believe that if a child is rotten and has never been corrected, that child will grow up to be a rotten adult. Timothy’s mother and grandmother loved him enough to instruct him in the scriptures so that he would not embarrass them in the open. That’s why the Bible says “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” – Proverb 22:6.
He learned from his grandmother and mother the things necessary to be a strong young man for the Lord. You see they most likely were not interested in being his best friends like so many so called Mothers today they were his mother and grandmother and needed him to understand that.
They didn’t give him everything he wanted, but they gave him everything that he needed. He was not on first name basis with them nor could he tell them what he was not going to do, he called them grandma and mom and asked them what should he do, that is why Paul saw in him the un-fainting faith, because he was taught the way of the Lord by his mother and grandmother.
You know in today’s world, you can tell the boys that were raised in a home with the absence of a real man and the presence of an angry mother. He has heard her say so many times that that boy’s Daddy is nothing and you are just like him lazy and good for nothing, you look like him, act like him, and are useless just like him. You better be careful how you speak mother because The power of life and death is in the tongue. You have an awesome influence on your children.
Timothy was not like that. Paul didn’t see any anger in Timothy that came from his mother, he saw and heard the Godliness of his mother and grandmother and Paul went on to say that he was persuaded that the same faith that they had was in him also.
The Qohelet – Solomon asked the question in Proverbs 31 “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price [is] far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise [is] good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household [are] clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing [is] silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth [it]; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour [are] her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue [is] the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband [also], and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour [is] deceitful, and beauty [is] vain: [but] a woman [that] feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”?
So to my mother and all mother you have such awesome influence on the next generation so I encourage you to be virtuous by teaching the younger generation to fear the Lord. Titus 2:3-5 is what you are supposed to do. So influence the next generation by instilling in them the fear of the Lord, for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
To all the Mothers both Naturally and Spiritually “Happy Mother’s Day.”
I want to personally Thank you for your never ending patience. For standing by our side and praying for us when we were young and foolish, impatient and hotheaded, temperamental and stubborn.
Thank you, for every meal you prepared in love, even though you might have been tired or sick nevertheless, with love you feed us.
Thank you, for being our confidant. When no-one else would listen or cared and we needed a shoulder to cry on. Thank you for loving me enough to tell me when I was wrong and encouraging me when I was right.
Thank you, for the nights you lost sleep because you were staying awake taking care of me either nursing me back to health or praying for me in the midnight hours when I wasn’t praying for myself. Thank You Mother’s.
Stand up on your feet and thank God for the influence of a good mother. “THANK YOU JESUS.”
District Elder M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
Pastor
Apostolic Glorious Church
