One of our most precise goals of mothering is to point our children to Christ. He has not given us our children solely to fulfill our desires for a family, but r...ather He has given us our children for His glory in our lives and in theirs. Within the role of mothering lies the weighty and tremendous responsibility of sharing the gospel with our children not just in word, but in deed. Our first mission field as mothers lies within our own home and often our hardest mission field as mothers lies within our own home. Our children know well our sinfulness, weaknesses and difficulties. They can also know intimately our sorrow over our sin; our repentance and they can be privy to our humble heart in asking for their forgiveness. Within the heart of how we mother them we can encourage and instruct them to learn to live humbly, gracefully, in deference and unity, and with a sincere desire to serve others. This is not motherly wisdom imparted by words alone but most aptly spoken from the core of our day to day actions.
In the midst of diapering, cooking, nurturing, cleaning, matching socks, kissing booboo’s, discipleship, tears, laughter, taking the time to dig into the hearts of our children, grief over sin, another round of dishes, reading, providing discipline, late and long conversations, long hours spent in the car, and the countless other tasks required of a mother, we might not completely see the “measure of our work” right before our eyes, but it is there. It is there not only for us to see in this world, but it is there for eternity. These moments, multiply themselves one upon the next to produce the molding and shaping in the lives of our children both for here and eternity. Whether it is through a joyful heart in our daily tasks, a tender word in nurturing our children, forgiveness sought when we have wronged them, each of these days are occasions to reach our children’s hearts and they carry multiple opportunities to point them back to Christ.
I am reminded of the verse in Matthew regarding being faithful in the small things…. Matthew 25:23 says…. His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
I can too quickly forget that thousands of routine moments in our days hold great significance in the lives of our children. Life is not always made in the grand moments. It is in my kind and gentle response in the little moments that are critically important to our children. If my way is tender and my heart desiring to serve in the insignificant times, then prayerfully I have a better opportunity to influence them in the bigger and more essential issues of life.
We desire first that our children would know Christ. We devote ourselves to them. We disciple, discipline and direct them. We share the gospel in word and deed with them. We pray fervently for them. We strive to be the mother God intends for us to be. We have high hopes and imagine all the marvelous things that our children will be and do. We look for God’s blessing on the lives of our children. We plan our work and work our plan. All of this is good. But, do we recognize that who they are and what they will become is already safely wrapped in God’s sovereign plan? In possibly our most important act of service, do we turn them over to the Savior for safekeeping? As they grow into men and women they will make their own choices. Despite our years of investment some will choose to live their life in faith and some will not. We must be reminded that we are just a character in the book of the story that God has written for their lives. Our role is significant and purposeful. Our season with them is a chapter, a beautiful addition to the theme of who they will become. But we did not write the story. There is only one Author of Life who crafted the beautiful narrative of their lives from beginning to end. While we get the privilege of being a part of God’s master manuscript for their lives, we must not hold the book too tightly. We must always be willing to relinquish not only who the character becomes but how the story ends into the hands of the loving and sovereign Author of Life.
Love,
