[x_custom_headline type=”left” level=”h4″ looks_like=”h4″]I realize of course, that I am releasing this blog after Mother’s Day is celebrated here in the United States. But I am doing so because honoring your mother should be more than just an annual event.[/x_custom_headline]
Honoring your mother is one of the great commandments of the Lord (see Ephesians 6:1-3). In fact, when you honor your mother, the Lord promises that you will have a long and fruitful life, and that things will turn out well with you.
The word “honor” in this verse means:
To prize; to revere; to esteem; to place a high value upon; to mark for special honor and favor in one’s life.
Although your dad may have worked his tail off to provide for you, the truth is, he would have worked his tail off had you never even been born! But your mother, well that is another story altogether. She worked her tail off to provide for you, sacrifice for you, comfort you, educate you, instruct you, train you, care for you and believe in you, because you were born.
[highlight]The love of your mother never diminishes.[/highlight] For the remainder of her (and your) life you will either be her “boy,” or her “girl,” and the older I get, the more I have come to realize that there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. However, I do recall being embarrassed several times when my mom attended some church services where I was ministering, and after the service approached the pastor and me, and stated for all to hear, “This is my boy.” Now that she has passed into Heaven, I regret being embarrassed by that, (I was well into my 40’s when she’d make those statements), and wish now that she was still around to “embarrass” me like that again.
Now your mother may not be a Christian, or may have never chosen to live according to the Word of God, if she is a believer. But these are not reasons to be dishonoring. It is possible to honor and esteem your mother because she is your mother, without condoning wrong living and so forth.
[x_blockquote cite=”Proverbs 10:1 KJV” type=”left”]“The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.”[/x_blockquote]
The word “foolish” in this verse actually means stupid. When a son (or a daughter) has been raised correctly but chooses to live stupidly, it brings grief to the mother that bore him, and invested so much into him. So then live right, and stop being a grief to your mama.
Most people fail to realize that their outcome in life is directly linked to their honor and obedience to their mothers. Check out these verses, which make honoring your mother even clearer.
[x_blockquote cite=”Proverbs 30:11 KJV” type=”left”]“There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.”[/x_blockquote]
[x_blockquote cite=”Proverbs 30:17 KJV” type=”left”]“The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.”[/x_blockquote]
Wow! You better honor your Mama! And remember: long life and things going well with you are directly linked to your obedience to what your mother taught you and your honor for her.
But there is more to honoring your mother that should be pointed out. We learn from Jesus that He took the responsibility to care for His mother, even when He was on the cross (John 19:25-27). Even dying on the cross to redeem mankind, Jesus did not forget about His mother. His love and concern for her being taken care of after his departure was still on his mind.
He commissioned His disciple John with the care of His mother for the rest of her life. Interestingly, Jesus had natural brothers and sisters who could have done this assignment, but Jesus’ love for His mother caused Him to give the assignment to the most qualified person He knew of. Obviously, real men understand the value of their mothers.
[x_blockquote cite=”Proverbs 23:22 KJV” type=”left”]“Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.”[/x_blockquote]
It is biblical that we care for our mother, and bring aid and assistance to her when she gets older. In fact, when you are around your mother, you should always ask her, “Is there anything I can help you with today?” For example, change light bulbs, move furniture, carry something heavy, hang a picture, change batteries in clocks or smoke detectors, etc.
[highlight]Honoring your mother is not simply an annual event that takes place for one day in the month of May.[/highlight] It is the proper behavior of all true Christians.