Mothers are nation changers!

Though sometimes viewed as controversial these days, the way that God set up the Biblical family is for Dad to be the head of the home, or have the “final say-so”, and Mom to be the nurturing, supportive ‘nucleus’ of the home that makes it all work right. As mothers, we have the power to make or break our home situation.

Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

Proverbs 14;1

One thing I noticed recently while reading my Bible is throughout the books of 1&2 Kings and 1&2 Chronicles, whenever many of the kings are named, they are listed as being the son of whatever the mother’s name is. The mothers of these kings obviously had great influence over their lives, and therefore over the fate of these nations.

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.

2 Kings 22:1-2

Mothers- we have a great influence over our sons and daughters. Even in situations where Dad is the head of the home, and perhaps has the final say so in how the children are being raised, we as mothers, have the power to persuade our children for good or for evil. Our children watch us closely, and will live the way we model for them to live.

Some areas to guard yourself in:

• How you speak to and about not only your husband, but other adults. If children hear you gossip about, or speak negatively about the preacher and others at Church, they will lose respect and believe it is okay to do likewise.
• Laziness, murmuring and complaining about household chores. We all have things we dislike doing. My least favorite chore is hand-washing dishes. There is something about reaching into dirty dishwater that grosses me out. But it is how we face and accomplish the tasks we dislike the most, that can make the greatest impact on our children. The way we do our chores, can influence how they work a job one day.
• The way you spend money. We can tell our children how to be financially responsible all we want, but if our children see us wasting our money, they will learn more from what they see than what they hear you teach them.
• How you serve the Lord. Do you want your children to put God first in their lives? Do you want them to serve him in life, whether it be in their Church, or on a foreign mission field somewhere? Then make sure you are regularly in the Word of God, and faithful to your ministries. If you don’t have ministries, just be faithful to Church attendance. Do it heartily, with a smile, not grudgingly. (Colossians 3:23)
• The way you speak to them. I know, this sounds like common sense. I thought I was doing a fine job, sailing along as a mother. Then one day I witnessed the anger, and impatience my oldest son displayed towards his younger sister when she didn’t move quick enough for his liking. I very easily recognized my own impatience, and even heard him say a phrase I used with them many times while hastily trying to get ready to leave the house. It sounded terrible coming from his mouth and directed at his sister. I can only assume it felt just as terrible when my impatience was aimed at him all those times before. Talk about having to humble yourself, and seek forgiveness!