This past week, my teenage daughter received her learning permit to drive. On our first experience with her driving, I was reminded that my mother taught me to drive. Dad made me nervous, but Mom was patient and clear with her instructions. Buckled in next to my daughter, I patted her arm and told her she was doing great. It was the same encouragement my mom gave me.
God blessed me with a wonderful mother. When I think of her, I think of Proverbs 31 where King Lemuel records instruction given to him by his mother. My own mother had to take responsibility to be the spiritual leader of our home. We had prayer and devotions together, and she took us to church and Sunday School. We would sit in the same pew with my grandmother and my aunt and uncles. This reminds me of Timothy, whose grandmother Lois and mother Eunice taught him the Scriptures from the time he was a child (2 Timothy 3:15). Their examples of true faith (2 Timothy 1:5) had a profound impact on Timothy, as the faith of my grandmother and mother have had upon me.
My mom was always interested in my spiritual development. In fact, it was my mother who explained salvation to me and led me to accept Jesus as my Savior. When I would start to deviate, Mom would ask me, “Would Jesus do that?” At the time, I must confess that I wasn’t always eager to consider my actions in light of what Jesus would do; I was far more interested in what the popular crowd or my friends were doing.
Although my mother had a demanding career, she made time to color with us, or to go outside and ride bikes and go fishing with us. Even then, she didn’t blur the role between buddy and parent. Although she always made it clear that she loved us, there was never a question of who was in charge. As an adult, she and I still have a very close relationship, but now it is more of a friendship.
My mother has also taught me the value of sacrifice in love and in ministry. When my dad’s mother was diagnosed with cancer, my mother brought her into our home and cared for her. Years later, my mom brought my father’s aunt home and took care of her as well. As I write this, she is with another family member who is going through a tough time.
My mother has always been concerned about others, especially when it came to salvation. My paternal grandmother asked my mom to witness to my dad and his siblings so that they could know Jesus, too. Mom always found a way to share the Gospel with them when we would visit. At times, she would bring the Bible out and show them how to be saved. My father and an aunt and uncle eventually did come to know the Lord and serve Him! Mom witnessed to neighbors and friends and acquaintances so that they would receive Jesus. Although she didn’t personally lead them all to Christ, she planted the seeds of faith.
She has also been influential in her church community. She taught Sunday School and really cared about the children in her class. She taught Vacation Bible School and even picked up kids to take to church. The more that I think about it, I learned as much from her about ministry as I did from Bible college.
When I was a teenager, I said that I would not raise my kids the way I was raised. Now I have to smile when I say something to my own children that my mother once said to me. I’m pleased to echo the wisdom of my mother. It makes me think that I must be on the right track. My desire is to pass on to my own children that rich heritage of faith that I received.
As a father of a teen and a preteen, I don’t always get it right. My mom didn’t always get it right, either, because she isn’t perfect. No parent is perfect. We make mistakes. As parents, we need to realize that God has entrusted us with a job that we can’t do without His help.
A few months ago, our family bought a puppy from a pet store. With the puppy, we got an envelope full of paperwork that included his genealogy and health certificate and a three-page document of how to parent our pooch. The document included information about how to play, how to potty train, and when and how to feed him. My wife and I each read over the instructions carefully, and, even now, we remind each other and our children of those instructions when it becomes clear that one of us is deviating from them. Consequently, we have a content canine, although he is certainly not perfect.
In the same way, God has provided His Word to guide us in parenting our children. He has also promised to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He has given us His Spirit to guide us (John 14:26). I thank the Lord for my mom. She didn’t have all the answers. She wasn’t always perfect, but she followed her Heavenly Father and His Word. As King Lemuel said:
Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. (Proverbs 31:28-31, NIV)
