What I Learned About Jesus From My Mom
The Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy by reminded him of his family lineage of faith. The Apostle wrote, “I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and now, I am convinced, is in you also.” (2 Timothy 1:5). The Apostle knew the importance of a parent’s influence on the spiritual development of a child. As we approach this Mother’s Day, I took a few moments to remember the important lessons of the faith I learned from my mom and identified a few important traits needed for parents and grandparents to invest their faith in the next generation.
My mom demonstrated the necessity of Jesus. My mom shared faithfully the need for Jesus alone in one’s life. She lived in a manner that placed Christ first in every aspect of life which pointed to the necessity of Jesus in life. My mom clearly lived out faith in Jesus before my sister and I and made sure that each of us knew of the impact of Jesus on the life of an individual.
My mom encouraged a personal devotional life. I remember spending time with my mom reading through the Word of God. During these times of spiritual growth, she would spend time beyond mere reading and provide the needed spark to grow in my personal spiritual journey. She not only took time to invest in my spiritual growth but modeled the discipline of a devotional life in her personal life.
My mom taught resting in the Lord in the moments of stress and difficulty. At various moments, I watched my mom deal with tension and the unknown by resting in Christ. The dynamics may be difficult, but she continued to appear calm and collected as she trusted by faith in the presence and strength of the Lord in the moment. She exemplified a life of faith that rested completely on Christ for my sister and me.
My mom showed how to serve the Lord with humility. I watched my mom faithfully serve the Lord in the local church and serve other people throughout the community. This service occurred without the desire to be recognized. She served because of her love for Christ and her desire to be obedient to the calling of serving others. I observed as my mom sought to be the least of these for the sake of others.
Likewise, we must demonstrate the necessity of Jesus. As parents, it is critical that the truth of the necessity of Jesus remains at the forefront of our engagement with our children. I once heard a person say, “If you as a parent make church optional, then you as a parent make Jesus optional.” Our lives need to model and hold fast to the necessity of Jesus by living in a manner that places Jesus and obedience to Jesus above all else.
We must be intentional in spiritual training. As parents, there must be an intentional approach to guiding our children through the process of spiritual development. Far too often, parents drop kids off at the church and expect the church to train each child spiritually. This approach is counter to the Word of God which clearly places the primary role of spiritual developer in a child’s life on the parents. May we desire to live in a way that trains our children in their walk with Christ.
We must never neglect our responsibility. Each Christian parent holds the responsibility for opening the door for their children to Christ. This means that the parent guards their children from the enemy and speaks of who Jesus is constantly. When a parent neglects this responsibility then they are short circuiting the spiritual engagement of their children. When a parent takes the responsibility for their children’s relationship with Jesus then that child has a greater opportunity to respond to Jesus.
We must teach service to the Lord. In a world centered on the self, Christian parents need to teach commitment, sacrifice, and service. These traits should exist as standards in the life of the believer. Battling against the ways of the world, the parent must focus on demonstrating and training a child how to serve others and to think more highly of others instead of the self. Parents have the opportunity to train them in how living for Christ is a surrendered life of service.
I am so grateful for a Christian mom and am blessed with a Christian wife who demonstrates faithfulness, like Lois and Eunice, to our daughters. As we approach Mother’s Day I praise and thank the Lord for moms and how they impact the immediate and future generations of the world. To all moms, Happy Mother’s Day. May the Lord keep you and bless you. May you live out faith before those around you.
