May 12, 2017
The Beatitudes of a Great Mom
Mary Southerland
Today’s Truth
Train children how to live right, and when they are old, they will not change (Proverbs 22:6, NCV).
Friend to Friend
We live in a world that often denies the importance of being a mom. I am certainly not an expert. When our daughter was born, the bottom line of my heart was simply to be a successful mom. Our daughter’s teenage years were rough! I remember telling her once, “You are going down this road of destruction over my dead body!” She almost did!
But God chose me to be her mom, so I was determined to be the best mom I could be. The good news is that God wants the same thing. Being a parent is a holy calling from God, and God never calls us to do a job without providing the power and the plan to do that job successfully. Here are some beatitudes of a great mom.
Be a mom who loves God.
We love, because God first loved us (1 John 4:19, NCV).
The truth is that we are incapable of loving our children until we first love God. Motherhood at its best demands a thriving partnership with God. We cannot give unconditional love until we have experienced the unconditional love of God. We can do everything else right as a parent, but if we don’t begin with loving God - we will fail.
Be a mom who prays continually.
Never stop praying (I Thessalonians 5:17, ICB).
It is never too late to start praying, and it is always too early to stop.
- Pray for God’s plan – not yours – when praying for your children.
- Pray that you will see your child like God sees your child.
- Pray specifically for your child:
Proverbs 3:5 “Lord, I pray that Jered would trust in You with all his heart and will lean not unto his own understanding.”
1 Peter 5:7 “Lord, I pray that Danna would cast all her care upon You, because You care for her.”
Prayer is an eternal gift we can give to our children, teaching them the importance of prayer and teaching them how to pray. We prayed with our kids at bedtime from the day they were born. When our son was four, he began to pray that his grandfather and his uncle would stop smoking. Since both had smoked for many years and neither was trying to quit, I didn’t expect much. But our son did. Within the next year, both men suddenly quit smoking. I was amazed, but Jered acted like it was no big deal. He simply said, “Mom, you told me God answers prayer.” I am convinced that if we pray for our children and with our children, it will change their lives and ours.
Be a mom who gives time.
Train children how to live right, and when they are old, they will not change (Proverbs 22:6, NCV).
It takes time to know and train your children. Every child comes with a set of characteristics already established by God. Our job is to identify those characteristics and then steer the child toward them. The original root word for “train” is the term for “the palate, the roof of the mouth, the gums.” In the days of Solomon, a midwife would deliver the baby, dip her finger into the juice of crushed dates, reach into the mouth of the baby, and massage the gums and palate to create a sense of taste and thirst. She would then give the child to the mother so the baby could nurse. Our job as mothers is to develop a thirst in our children for the things of God. And that takes time.
There are seasons of life to which we must yield in order to be the mother God wants us to be, but time spent with children is never wasted. Every minute invested in your child is an eternal investment. Give your children the best of your time – not the leftovers of your time.
Being a mom is the hardest job on earth. It brings out the best and the worst in us. I know it requires great sacrifice and limitless energy, but to invest your time and best efforts into a child, to watch that child grow and develop, is to be part of the creative majesty of life itself.
Today, our daughter is a beautiful young woman, a great wife, an amazing mom of two remarkable boys, and one of my best friends. Sometimes we look at each other and just laugh. She often says, “Mom, can you believe it?” Yes, I can. She is a walking trophy of grace.
No matter where you are on your journey as a mom, embrace the children God gave you, knowing God chose you and will empower you to be the mom they deserve.
Let’s Pray
Lord, thank You for giving me children. Help me be the mom they deserve. I commit to constantly pray for my children and invest the best part of my time and life in them. Forgive me for allowing lesser things to take the place of my role as a mother and guide me to be a mom that really matters. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
Which one of these beatitudes do you need to work on in your life? Make that commitment today and record it in your journal. Now make a plan and get started!
More from the Girlfriends
It only makes sense that the One who created family has the only blueprint for its solidarity and success. Family is God’s idea and He alone has plan for making it succeed. Mary’s powerful video message, How to Love Your Family, explores four steps we can take to build a successful family.
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