Mother's Day: Why to honor our Moms

Today I prepare to honor my mother on Mother's Day!  I write in advance so that others may contemplate their own mother. Some are imperfect, others are bad mothers and many of us are blessed by great mothers! However, we are all to honor our mothers for just being our mothers:

Ephesians 6:2 "Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise..."

Here Paul reiterates God's commandment. We are to honor our father and mother without stipulation!  It's a command; not an option. Why?

Genesis 3:16a  "Unto the woman he (God) said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children..."

(I won't go into God's punishment for disobedience, but that's the situation!)

Roget's Thesaurus describes "sorrow" as "mental anguish or pain caused by loss or despair". Actually "agony" best fits childbirth as I understand it. However, with physical agony comes mental anguish! The thoughts of labor pain is often sorrowful for the woman as well as the mental stamina to endure the birth process. Pain, and hence agony, is subjective and severe pain for one is moderate for another. Indeed, masochists enjoy pain. However, for most normal people the pain scale does from "0" (smiling) to "10" (crying in agony). Most mothers, especially first timers, experience a pain level of 10!  At that level the severity of pain may be as severe as crushed bones!

Even "bad" mothers deserve honor. Just as we are bad, even bad mothers deserve some credit because they have suffered. The only difference between a "bad" mother and a "good" son or daughter is God's grace. Our own sins are as great as the bad mother's, but God gave us a new chance!  Mothers who have messed up their lives can still be "saved" just as all sinners have the option. Most bad mothers will never submit, but then again, many "good" sons and daughters may never either!

My mother suffered pain for me; severe pain!  If she did nothing else, I would cherish "Mom" for giving me birth. Not only did the nine months of gestation cause sickness and discomfort, but it was punctuated by a great torture.  Pregnancy and childbirth is a grand sacrifice a mother makes for her babies. I love Mom for giving me life!  I appreciate the sacrifice and agony she made that a new life might be born!  That's my first birth; my biological process of being born.

My Mom assisted in me being "born-again". What's that? Nicodemus had the same question:

John 3:4 "Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?"

The answer is obvious. Being "born again" is a rebirth and is belief and acceptance of Jesus as God and that he agonized for us by dying in our place. Like your own mother, Jesus suffered physical agony to justify your rebirth as a new person, and suffered extreme sorrow when he took on the sins of the world.  Jesus, as my creator, created me through the vessel called "Mom" and then recreated me through a "cup" called the Body of Jesus.

Matthew 26:38 "Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt."

Just as your mother in birth who had sorrow and agony, Jesus for your rebirth was sorrowful  and in agony as his "cup" (life) passed on!  So, what we have here is that a "mother", although of the flesh, is a picture of Jesus!  She in the flesh giving you life, but he in the body and Spirit giving you eternal life. With biological birth you had no choice, but with rebirth, eternal life is in the choice you make!

All mothers are to be honored for giving you life! "Good" mothers are to be honored for you being "born again". No, you never entered the womb and suffered the crawl to life, but your mother is one of the two people who steered you with proper training and upbringing for you to make right choices!

There's wisdom in God's word because God is knowledge. Applying that knowledge is wisdom. Here is a bit of wisdom:

Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

What way should a child go? Good parents desire excellence for their children. Most would choose that our children achieve far beyond are own success. But for me, the way a child should go is to his or her reward!  The direction I would chose for my own children is that they be heaven bound; born-again!  My Mom trained me up in the way that I should go!  I thank and love my Mom for that! She wasn't the spiritual leader of the home, but she was the dutiful wife and mother who always sought the best for all her children! For us to have, Mom did without! She sacrificed self-pleasure for the good of her children!

Here's a good mom. Here's my good Mom:

Proverbs 31:25 "Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. 27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised."

Mom "excelleth them all!"  Yes, you heard it here: My Mom was the number one mom!  That's my take!  Hopefully, you'll have the same take on your own mother. I lament the sacrifice my Mom made that I might be fed, be clothed, be housed, enjoy health, get an education and use my head in all matters! She taught me strength, frugality, utility, honor and faith. She demonstrated what a good mother should be! A good mother is first a Godly wife, and in obedience to God, and by God's grace she becomes a good mother.

Mom's tears never stopped with children of the age of majority, but even all of us in middle age were her children!  Her love to us old guys was on the same level as her love for her babies. Her feeble eyes as her health deteriorated gleamed for just an instant each and every time that she saw us; neglecting her own ill health and old age pain!  That's a mom. That was Mom!  She has entered the reward stage of her life now!  Two of her deceased children confessed that they were reborn. Likewise, most of the living children have done the same. I have faith because of scripture that all Mom's children will love her again in heaven! She was a good Mom and Proverbs 22:6 was her legacy:  "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."  Mom did that and soon we will get to see all her children by her side again because she obeyed what God willed for her!

I remember my earliest exposure to music. It was Mom singing praises to Jesus!  That's the Mom I remember... singing as she cleaned "Sweet Hour of Prayer"!

2 Timothy 1:5 "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee (Timothy or you), which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois (or your grandmother's name), and thy mother Eunice (or your own mother's name); and I am persuaded that in thee (you) also."

That's the role of a Godly mother! That's what her mother did for her and your own mother did for you. "Mother" is too formal: Honor your Momma on Mother's Day! I honor my mother and there is none who excels my own Mom. I wish she was still here so I could honor her in person! Some are more blessed than I am, so show that love which your own mom is due!