By Dr. Rebekah McCloud
May is the time of the year that we celebrate mothers. The Bible is filled with stories of good mothers and bad mothers. In the good category, we might think of Mary, the mother of Jesus; Rachel, the mother of Joseph and Benjamin or Sarah, the wife of Abraham. In the bad category, we might think of Bathsheba, the wife of David; Rebekah, the wife of Isaac; or Cain’s mother or Lot’s wife.
We all know good mothers and bad mothers. We all had a good mother or a bad mother. And those of us who have children are either good mothers or bad mothers. So, what does motherhood have to do with stewardship? Remember, stewardship means taking care of those things God has put in our charge. Who will care for our church when our eyesight goes dim, our footsteps shorten, our hearing fails and our voices weaken? Who? Our children.
Mothers, here are a few questions to ponder. Are we preparing our children to be, as the song says, part of the army that’s rising up? Are we talking to our kids about the lack of civility that’s going on today? Are we teaching our kids the word of God? Are we teaching them to be leaders and not followers, to be critical thinkers and self-regulated learners? Are we teaching them to make good decisions and to answer for themselves WWJD (what would Jesus do)? Are we? A familiar verse, Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Do we live the kind of lives before our children, that when we speak to them, they listen and obey? Speaking to children, Exodus 20:12 says, “Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” And Ephesians 6:2 says, “Honor thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise).” Is our Christian life one that our children can honor us? Do we praise God only inside of these four walls or do we praise him every place we go? Do we praise him in our struggles, do we thank him for his favor? Do we let our children see both?
Can we hold up a double-sided mirror before our children? You know the kind that is regular or one side and magnified on the other side. If we hold up the magnified side to our faces, what do we see?
1 Corinthians 13:12 says we look through a glass, darkly. Hmm, what do we see? Some of us prefer to look through a mirror, mirror on the wall mirror. Same question, what do we see? What do others see? What does God see? Are we satisfied with it?
Mothers, we are stewards. It’s our job to teach and care for our children; that includes infants to grown folk. We should be able to speak to them through the power of God. Proverbs 31:25-26 in part says of a mother that “strength and honor are her clothing… and she openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue [is] the law of kindness.”
Mothers, every day is our day. Let’s wear strength and honor. Let’s have wisdom and kindness on our tongues. Let’s model them for our children. When the last trump sounds, let’s be sure that God is well pleased with our stewardship of our children.
Mothers, sometime this week, look in the glass. What do you see that you know is good? Praise God for it! What do you see that you know needs improvement. Ask God for his help.
We will celebrate fathers in June. I challenge fathers to also look in the glass. God chose you to be the head of the family. I hope everyone is pleased with what they see about you.
Lord, help us to exercise good stewardship over the children you have placed in our care. Emboldened us with a renewed thirst and understanding of your word. Order our steps. We know that it takes a village and we pray for your wisdom, compassion and kindness as we raise up your children in the way they should go. Amen.
5/29/17