ROLE MODELS FOR MOTHERS
“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” I Corinthians 13:13
The one word that epitomizes Christian motherhood is “love.” Her every action is prompted by love for her children. Someone once wrote: “Mothers write on the hearts of their children what the cruel hand of the world cannot erase.” It has been estimated that by the time a child reaches age eighteen, a mother has expended some 18,000 hours of child-generated work, and this is considered a conservative estimate. If a mother says she is tired, she has good reason to be.
The second grade teacher in elementary school was teaching some very simple principles of physics. One the several things she taught about was a magnet. She explained the basic principle of magnetic attraction and demonstrated it using a magnet to pick some small metal objects. On Friday, she gave the class a test on some lessons taught that week. One of the questions read: “My name has six letters and starts with M and I pick up things. What am I?” She was somewhat surprised when she graded the papers that more than one-half of the class answered: “MOTHER”!
It was Saturday before Mothers Day and two small children, ages five and three, had been saving their pennies and nickels to buy their mother a gift for Mothers Day. The children persuaded their daddy to take them to the florist where they bought their mother a pot plant. They presented the plant to their mother who was both surprised and thrilled.
The five year old son had a dejected look on his face and said to his mother: “There was a very beautiful bouquet that we really wanted to get for you but it cost too much. It had a beautiful ribbon across the front of it that said, “Rest in Peace”. Sister and I thought it would be just perfect for you mom since you are always asking for a little peace in the house so you can get some rest!
A Christian mother realizes that, whether she likes the idea or not, she is a role model for her children. And sometimes this thought may be a little overwhelming. But there are three women mentioned in the Bible that can serve as “role models” for every Christian mother.
JOCHEBED (“Jehovah is glory”), MOTHER OF MOSES
“And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank. And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.” Exodus 2:1-4 (NKJV)
Jochebed was a resourceful mother. Resourceful: “able to meet situations, capable of devising ways and means.”(Webster’s NCD). When the Pharaoh saw that his command to the Hebrew mid-wives to kill all Hebrew boy babies was ignored, he issued a decree that all boy babies of the Hebrews be thrown in the Nile River. Jochebed, being a Levite, and married to a Levite, sought to obey the law. Her mother’s heart and with a mother’s ingenuity, she made a waterproof basket in which to place Moses before putting him in the Nile There is something about a mother that enables her to find a way when there doesn’t seem to be a way.
HANNAH (“grace, compassion”), MOTHER OF SAMUEL
Hannah lived a very unhappy life. Although she was greatly loved by Elkanah her husband, she was unable to bare children. Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah, constantly made fun of Hannah because of this. Unable to handle the situation any longer, she went to the Lord in prayer.
“She, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. She made a vow and said, ‘O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son,, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.’" 1 Samuel 1:10-11 (NASB)
Hannah was a praying mother. Her prayer of praise (I Sam 2:1-10). She testified, "For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. Therefore I also have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the LORD.’ So they worshiped the LORD there.” 1 Samuel 1:27-28 (NKJV)
Samuel went on to be one of the truly great prophets of Israel who would anoint the first two kings of Israel: Saul and David.
EUNICE (“blessed with victory”), MOTHER OF TIMOTHY
“For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.” 2 Timothy 1:5 (NASB)
Eunice was a disciplining and indoctrinating mother. She named her son “Timotheus” (worshiping God). We translate his Greek name as “Timothy”. Paul writes to Timothy, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 3:14-15 (NIV).
From Paul’s second missionary journey on, Timothy was a faithful companion and assistant to the great apostle. Paul addresses him, “To Timothy, a true son in the faith.” I Timothy 1:2.
