Tomorrow is Mother’s Day, so I thought it would be most appropriate to write a little something for moms. I personally have three moms; my biological mom, my step-mom, and now my mother-in-law as well. Not only that, but I hope to be a mom someday, possibly of many; depending on our financial situation, my husband and I are thinking of adopting a fairly large family in the future, as well as having one or two children biologically. So, I thought I would take some time to ask myself what it means to be a mother— particularly, what it means to be a good mother.
I love my moms. They all offer something a little bit different, but very valuable. My birth-mom gave me life, took care of me as a child, and now provides much-needed support, encouragement, and friendship. My step-mom particularly helped me get through my teenage years, and has provided many years of great advice, guidance, and companionship. My mother-in-law did me the priceless service of raising my husband, including nurturing him through a long and difficult childhood illness and always making sure he was taken care of. She and my father-in-law continue to provide support for us while we are getting on our feet as a young family, which we deeply appreciate. There is simply no doubt about it; I need my moms!
I think that providing for the needs of a child is probably the most obvious and basic aspects of being a mother. Any mother worth her salt must be willing to do anything and everything in her power to make sure that her children have what they need. That often means self-sacrifice, something that every good mother experiences at some point. Whether it’s waking up at 4:00 in the morning to feed your crying baby, giving up your dream job so that you can provide for your children, or driving a mini-van, all good moms make personal sacrifices to do what is best for their children.
Other important aspects of a mother’s job are providing guidance, teaching, disciplining, and acting as a role-model.
A Godly mother teaches her children about God and the Bible. The family is the most important teacher for a child, and the best way to ensure that a child will grow up to love God is to make sure that they learn about Him early on. That means making God the center of your family and showing children what it means to have a relationship with Jesus.
A mother also must provide guidance and discipline, helping her children make good decisions and learn to be independent. When her children grow up, the mother’s job is to provide loving guidance and support; she no longer tries to control her children’s decisions, but instead encourages them to make good ones and offers help when they’re in need.
Finally, a mother is to be a role-model. Godly moms know that everything they do influences what their children will do, and they act in a way that honors God so that their children might do the same.
Clearly, the job of being a mom is no small task! It is hard work, involves a lot of discipline and sacrifice, and it almost always is a life-long job. It is because of this that I want to say thank you to my moms, and for all of the other good moms out there. Here’s to you and everything you do! The world would be a mess without you.
Before I end, I want to clarify two things. First of all, a mother does not have to be the woman who gave birth to you. A mother does not need to be a woman who gave birth at all! Childbearing isn’t what makes women mothers; it’s everything afterwards. Any women who nurtures, cares for, provides for, loves, and supports a child is a mother.
Second of all, no mom is perfect. Although I have described some of the key characteristics of what I feel to be the ideal mom, in no way do I expect any mom to fully live up to that. On the other hand, I passionately believe that a mom who follows Christ is empowered to do amazing things. God gives us the power to be the best people that we can be, not because we work harder but because He sends His Spirit to guide us. Through Christ, we can do all things, and that includes being amazing mothers. And when we make mistakes, which we certainly will, we can be comforted by the fact that God makes us new each day and it is never too late to be a good mom.
I am fairly certain that one day I will be a mother. I hope that when I do, I can take everything that my mothers have taught me— the wonderful, the good, the bad, and the ugly— and use that knowledge to be the best mother I can be. I know that with God as my guide, I will be a great mother. And until then, I will continue to watch in awe as women around me take on and embody the crucial job of being a mother.
Happy Mother’s Day!