CRCF””5/10/09
Mother”™s Day
“How to be a Happy Mother”
Proverbs 31
Introduction–[Mother”™s Hands/Baby”™s Feet Image]
Isn”™t that an awesome image?
But most of the time, Mothers, I think you probably feel like the lady in this video!
Video””“Mom”™s Song”
A mother has the world”™s toughest job, without a doubt!
And there”™s not a thing we”™ll talk about this morning that will make motherhood easy and clean and peaceful.
But when done God”™s way and in His strength, a mother can be truly happy in the middle of it all!
READ Proverbs 31:10-31
1. A Happy Mother Finds Fulfillment
in Serving Her Family. (13-25, 27)
Ӣ Works Hard for the Home
What a busy lady! Not an idle moment!
This lady was a merchant, a real estate investor/broker, a vineyard owner, and a seamstress! But all of her work outside the home served the home. With great entrepreneurial skill, she works hard to make her home a better place.
Ӣ Finds Fulfillment at Home
Ӣ Teaches Her Children (Prov. 31:1-9 and the rest)
This is the heart of motherhood!
Timothy”™s Momma/Grandma
(2 Tim. 1:3-5, 3:14-17)
–Knows God”™s Word Personally
Leave your children a worn-out Bible and your life will have shown them what it is to live in a love relationship with God! And remember””an example of obedience speaks louder than your words!
–Studies God”™s Word Completely
My Momma is one of the world”™s best theologians! Momma didn”™t just read the pleasant, easy-to-understand parts of the Bible. No, Momma really studied it all and knew God as He has revealed Himself in the Bible, not as she wanted Him to be.
–Teaches God”™s Word Constantly
Start teaching early””sooner than you think they can understand! And then keep teaching practically!
Deuteronomy 6:6-7””“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”
Now, children/teenagers/young adults””listen up!
Proverbs 6:20-23”” “My son, obey your father”™s commands, and don”™t neglect your mother”™s teaching. Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. Wherever you walk, their counsel can lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up in the morning, they will advise you. For these commands and this teaching are a lamp to light the way ahead of you. The correction of discipline is the way to life.”
If your mother teaches/trains you in God”™s ways, pay special attention and learn and obey. God promises to bless your young life if you do!
2. A Happy Mother Finds Fulfillment in Building
Up Her Husband (10-12, 23)
”¢ Genesis 2:18”” “And the Lord God said, ”˜It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a companion who will help him.”™”
Married men, do you readily admit your deficiencies and your need for your wife”™s strengths? Do you thank her regularly for the way she is your “completer”?
Ingratitude will kill a wife”™s motivation to her life to compliment yours quicker than anything!
Men, if you”™ll love her sacrificially and honor her, if you”™ll be grateful and encourage her regularly, your wife will find great fulfillment in building you up””that”™s the way God designed marriage to work!
3. A Happy Mother Finds Fulfillment
in Her Inner Beauty (26, 30)
”¢ Fear of the Lord is the only way to be fulfilled””the only way to serve your family and build up your husband!
Psalm 25:14”” “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.”
Psalm 31:19”” “Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men.”
1 Peter 3:3-4– “Don”™t be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should be known for the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.”
This doesn”™t mean that you can”™t “doll up”, ladies! Every man want his wife to care how she looks. But what”™s the focus? What”™s the priority? What gets the time/energy?
Ladies, are you working on your heart as much as your hair? And men, do you encourage your wife to focus on this inner beauty?
Conclusion””I”™ve got a great Momma! She did a lot for me growing up: late night talks, a playroom with too many toys, nursed dying ducklings with an eyedropper, regular interrogations after my dates in high school, apple cakes on my birthday, French toast, lots of kisses. But the most important thing Momma did for me, I didn”™t appreciate at the time. She wore out a green, Living Bible””and then obeyed it and taught it to me and my sister. THAT is what has shaped my thinking about life and how to live it. THAT is what gives me strength to live my life even now, even in the current circumstances.
There was a prostitute in a big town. Yes, this lady made her living selling her body to any man who”™d pay for it. But God changed her heart and she came to love/fear Him. In fact, she became a national heroine for the nation of Israel. And more importantly, a godly mother of a man named Boaz. Boaz is the kinsman redeemer in the book of Ruth””the man who did what he didn”™t have to do, but did the noble thing anyway and took Ruth as his wife. On top of that, Matthew lists Rahab, the former prostitute, in the geneaology of Jesus Christ! God can take a bad girl from prostitution, make a great mother of her and even use her as the great X “N” Grandma of the Savior of the world!
And so, God can make YOU, ma”™am, into the kind of mother we”™ve been discussing today!
“One Godly mother is worth more than 100 pastors.”
–Anonymous
“No one is poor who had a Godly mother.”
–Abraham Lincoln