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May
13, 2007
Mural
Worthey
Five Truths About Mothers
Introduction: This is the 100th anniversary
of Mother’s Day!
Today
we honor our mothers among us. It is fitting that we do so. Mother’s Day was
first called “Mother’s Friendship Day” by Ann Marie Reeves Jarvis. Mrs. Jarvis
attended college in
All
of us play multiple roles in life. A mother is not just a mother; that is
enough by itself. But when we consider all the other hats (aprons) that mothers
wear, we understand why we find it easy to honor our mothers. One of the great
differences between men and women is that women can do so many things all at
once. A man just cannot handle cooking while watching an infant. She has
clothes in the washer and answers the phone. A man does much better if you turn
him loose on a lawnmower with just one thing to accomplish. It does not take
much to overload our emotions and brains, but women seem to thrive on
multi-tasking.
Truth
#1: Eve Was the First Mother
Adam
and Eve were created by God. Such is recorded for us in Genesis 1 & 2. Her
name means “the mother of all living.” Biblical names are almost always
important. Adam’s name refers to the red clay out of which man was created.
Many
consider us old-fashioned and backward for believing that Adam and Eve were the
first parents and that Eve was the first mother. But we are in fact in good
company for so believing. Jesus believed it. He said to some religious leaders
in his day: “Have you not read that he which made them at the beginning made
them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and
mother and shall cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh.
Wherefore they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined
together, let not man put asunder.” (Matt. 19:4-6.)
We
are on solid ground for believing it because of what the apostle Paul wrote
when he referred to Genesis 3. He wrote to a young preacher: “For Adam was
first formed, then Eve.” He added concerning her faithfulness in fulfilling her
role as a mother: “Notwithstanding, she shall be saved in childbearing, if they
continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.” (1 Tim. 2:13-15.)
The
Bible faithfully records the lineage of man from Adam and Eve to Jesus Christ.
It does not continue beyond Jesus because the purpose was not to record every
person’s family tree, but rather to identify Jesus as a descendant of Abraham
(Matt. 1) and of Adam and Eve (Luke 3:38.)
Paul
wrote to the Corinthians: “For I am jealous over you with a godly jealously,
for I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste
virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve
through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the sincerity that
is in Christ.” (2 Cor. 11:2-3.) Earlier he had written about all of mankind
bearing the image of the first Adam. In like manner, we will also bear the image
of the heavenly. (1 Cor. 15:45-49.)
New
Testament writers all confirm the creation of Adam and Eve according to the
Genesis record. Eve is the mother of all living; she is the first mother. But
according to evolutionists, they do not really know who the first one was. They
claim that man and woman slowly developed from lower forms; then finally they
lived as animals stooped over living in caves; and somewhere and sometime in
the distant past they gradually began to walk upright. But when did she become
a human mother, they don’t really know! Man is just an advanced animal
according to them. The doctrine of evolution dishonors mothers, but the
doctrine of creation honors them and all of us. The first great truth about
mothers is that Eve is the mother of all living: she was created by God and
became the first mother.
#2:
Mothers Maintain the Highest Poll Rating
Polls
have been taken to measure how the general public feels about those who serve
various in occupations and positions. As you know, politicians and lawyers do
not rank very favorably. Preachers have lost much of their good standing in
recent years. But in all the pessimism and declines in public opinions about
people, mothers still have a very high rating. They still stand tall.
Mothers
enjoy a sentimental and emotional response from young offspring as well as sons
and daughters who have grown older. They enjoy this standing even though not
every mother is good. The Bible freely describes some bad girls. It does not
shrink from telling us about the wicked and scheming Jezebel, or Potiphar’s
wife who tempted the innocent Joseph and had him cast into prison by lying
about his behavior toward her. The wise man Solomon warned young men in his
proverbs about women with loose morals. John described
In
our day, there are mothers who had rather abort their children than to give
birth to them and raise them. Still others live with other women in shame and
sin. There are some mothers who will not try to bring their children up to go
to heaven. They curse and drink beer. They are ugly in body and spirit. I know
of a mother who left three young daughters behind in order to run off with
someone she knew from high school. A temporary romantic fling was more
important to her than to raise her own children and to love her own husband.
Yet,
in face of all that, good mothers so far outweigh the bad that they maintain a
high standing among their sons and daughters. They rise up and call her
blessed. (Prov. 31.) This prophecy or oracle was taught by King Lemuel’s
mother. (Lemuel means one who belongs to God.) He wrote this down from what she
taught him. She told him these things so that he might be successful as a king
and not be destroyed by bad women or wine. What did this mother say about women
that make them so admired and loved?
Here
did this mother say to her son?
1) She did not teach him this when he was a
little boy. This mother was still teaching her son when he became king. See
verse 4—“It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to drink wine.” She was concerned that
he might make unjust decisions concerning the poor and needy if he drank.
2) This mother was a creative writer and put
her words in a form that her son could easily remember her words. Proverbs
31:10-31 have 22 verses; the Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters. She made an
acrostic using each letter of the alphabet.
3) Lemuel’s mother clearly contrasted the
women who were willing to be mistresses to the king and those who were devoted
to their husbands. (verses 3.) She called her son “the son of my vows, the son
of my womb.” (verse 2.)
4) The capable woman is a busy, industrious
mother and wife who looks after the needs of her family. She is concerned about
having adequate clothing (hand-made clothing in that day; see verse 13) and
food for her household.
5) Her husband is well-known; he has a good
family. He is held in high esteem, in large measure, because of his capable and
devoted wife. (verse 23.)
6) She is not only busy, but she is wise and
her words are kind to others. See verses 25-26.
7) Outward beauty is vain; inward beauty is
the key to finding the right kind of wife and mother. (verse 30.)
8) Her husband and children will praise her if
she is this kind of mother. (verse 28.)
Dan
Williams called Proverbs 31 a “Mother’s Sermon Day” instead of a “Mother’s Day
Sermon.” This is an accurate description of it because a mother first presented
this oracle.
Truth
#3: Mothers Love Their Children
I’m
talking about good mothers, not bad ones. It is inconceivable that some mothers
can forsake their children or neglect them. The devotion of mothers for their
offspring is well-known and heart warming. Norma and I know a family in
Solomon
became famous for a case brought into his court. (1 Kings 3.) Two women were
claiming the same baby. Solomon decided to make a bold decision and settle the
case quickly. He ordered that a sword be brought forth and the child divided
into two parts. One woman agreed with the King; but the other woman pleaded
with him to spare the child and give it to the other woman. Solomon then knew who
the real mother was. His decision was based upon this truth that mothers
generally love their children. What mothers want most is that their children be
safe.
A
Pharaoh of Egypt ordered all the male children of the Israelites be killed upon
birth. The midwives were ordered to kill them when they delivered them. But
Moses’ mother hid him in a basket and put him afloat in the river. Pharaoh’s
own daughter saw him and had pity upon him. He was raised in the king’s palace and cared for by his own
mother. This remarkable story shows the love of a mother for her children.
(Exodus 2.)
When
Jesus died on the cross, his mother was not afraid of the authorities. The
disciples fled, but his mother stayed with him all the way until he was buried
in Joseph’s tomb. His mother, brothers and sisters were there in
Truth
#4: Mary was the Mother of Jesus Christ
Mary
was a young Jewish maiden chosen of God to give birth to Jesus Christ. There is
no indication or teaching in Scripture that Mary was without sin. She was not a
wayward prodigal, but she did sin like all other humans. Our salvation is not based
on the purity of Mary, but rather the sinlessness of her son, Jesus Christ.
We
owe Mary a great debt of gratitude for her role in bringing the Savior into the
world. We ought not to worship her, but we should worship her Son.
Truth
#5: Mothers want to see their children obey the Gospel
I
believe that all good mothers want two things for their children. They are
concerned about their children’s physical well-being. They want them to be safe
and happy. But above all, they want their children to obey the Gospel and live
obediently to God. Lois and Eunice taught Timothy the Scriptures and to love
God. When he heard Paul preach the Gospel, he readily obeyed and became a
fellow-worker with Paul. Nothing could have pleased Lois and Eunice more.
If
you want to honor your parents today, flowers, candy and a meal are good, but
obeying God is what they really want. This will honor them more than anything
else you could possibly do.