What Is a Mom?

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This is a sermon that was given on Mother's Day and it attempts to describe some of the roles or tasks that moms perform as illustrated in various passages of Scripture.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

What is a Mom? Boy, we could probably spend the rest of the service just going around the room and getting answers to that question.

A pastor from OK wrote this question with the following answer: What are mothers? Well, mothers are teachers. Mothers are disciplinarians. Mothers are cleaning ladies. Some mothers are gardeners & mowers of lawns. Mothers are nurses & doctors & psychologists & counselors & chauffeurs & coaches. Mothers are developers of personalities, molders of vocabularies, & shapers of attitudes. Mothers are soft voices saying, "I love you." And mothers are a link to God, a child's first impression of God's love. Mothers are all these things & much, much more.

His list pretty well covers it all, especially when he ended it by saying, “and much, much more!”

A teacher gave her class of second graders a lesson on the magnet and what it does. The next day in a written test, she included this question: “My full name has six letters. The first one is M. I pick up things. What am I?" When the test papers were turned in, the teacher was astonished to find that almost 50 percent of the students answered the question with the word Mother. (sermonillustrations.com)

That is actually one of the things a mother does, but that probably isn’t the best answer to the question, “What is a mom?”

I want to take a little while today to use various Scripture texts to describe what a mother really is.

I.      A mom is the giver of life.

Genesis 3:20   And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

We know from plenty of texts in Scripture that God is the ultimate source of life.

A mom is the person God uses to carry that unborn baby and let her body provide the safety and nourishment he needs until he is developed enough to survive on his own.

Moms provide life.

II.    A mom is a teacher

Proverbs 1:7-9 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

This text in Prov. 1 is one of many references in the Bible that indicate the gift of teaching that moms possess. Word “instruction” appears in verses 7 & 8.

True that the word is associated with the role of the father as well, but the indication is that this is what a mother does as well – teach her children things they need to know in life.

Teach: (reading, manners, responsibility, Scriptures, etc.)

Proverbs 31:1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.

Mom is a person that teaches.

III.   A mom is the provider of unconditional love and comfort.

Isaiah 49:15 ^(NKJV) "Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you.”

The implication of this verse is this: It MAY happen that a mother could forget her child and refuse to show love or compassion, but the wording of the text makes it very clear that it is not normal, nor is it something we would expect.

Isaiah 66:13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

1 Thessalonians 2:7 ^(NKJV) But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

These are just a few of the passages that emphasize the kind of love that a mother has for her children. Even mothers of convicted and condemned murderers will speak of their love for their sons/daughters.

A mom is a person that carries a love for her children that no one else can quite understand.

IV.   A mom is a molder of faith.

2 Timothy 1:5 ^(NKJV) when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.

Paul had just mentioned his constant prayers for Timothy and his great desire to see him and he adds that he remembers the genuine/sincere faith Timothy has. He then explains how that rock-solid faith was developed in him – it came from his grandmother and his mother. Both of these women had successfully transmitted a sincere faith in God to this son who had proven his faith by serving the Lord in a tremendous ministry.

A Mom is a person that transfers faith in the Lord to the next generation.

Conclusion:

As I indicated at the beginning of the message, there are many more things we could include in the “definition” of a mom.

Let me just finish by saying a mom is a person worthy of respect and honor. She may have many faults and may have made many mistakes (who among us hasn’t?). But, with all of the love, tenderness, nurture and work she puts into the lives of her children, mom deserves recognition, respect and our heart-felt gratitude.

Sam Ewing (author) ―  “When you feel neglected, think of the female salmon, who lays 3,000,000 eggs but no one remembers her on Mother's Day” (http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/mother?)

For our closing song today I chose a chorus that probably could be the testimony of every Christian mother everywhere.

Learning to Lean