In a “Snuffy Smith” cartoon, the minister looks surprised to see Snuffy and one of his friends at church, so he asks, “Well now, what brings you fellers to church on this glorious Sunday?” Snuffy replies, “Ain’t it obvious, parson?!” and jabs his thumb backwards, towards two wives who obviously drug their husbands kicking and screaming to church that morning. The comic strip, though set in fiction, drives at something real: There is no limit to the good a faithful woman can do.
How many men and children are in church on Sundays because of the influence of their wives and mothers? Too many, perhaps, to tell. Countless preachers, elders, deacons, Bible class teachers, and other church leaders started their journey of faithfulness with a mother’s gentle hand on their shoulder. In many cases, the story of a great Bible character begins with a mother. Where would Samuel be without Hannah? Or John without Elizabeth? Or Timothy without Lois and Eunice? Or Jesus without Mary? Elisha must have been raised by a wonderful woman, for before he left with his mentor Elijah, he pleaded, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you” (1 Kings. 19:20).
It is no wonder, then, that the Bible expects believers to respect their mothers. “Honor your father and your mother” is a fundamental principle set forth several times in both the Old and New Testaments (Exodus 20:12; Leviticus 19:3; Deuteronomy 5:16; Matthew 19:19; Ephesians 6:2). Under Moses’ Law, disrespect towards one’s mother was an offence punishable by death (Exodus 21:15, 17; Leviticus 20:9). In the book of Proverbs, we are encouraged not to forsake the law of our mothers (1:8; 6:20), and the person who despises his mother is called a “fool” (15:20).
One of the greatest judges of Israel was a woman named Deborah. She came along at a time when the Israelites were crippled by Jabin, king of the Canaanites. His military commander, Sisera, harried them from the northwest end of the Kishon River to the plain of Esdraelon. Israel was demoralized until Deborah called for Barak and admonished him to lead his people in battle. God would give them victory, she told him. Because of her influence, God made Israel free again. Her song of victory reflects the positive power inherent in a mother, for she said, “I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel” (Judges 5:7).
Abraham Lincoln said, “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” Many of us could truthfully repeat that praise. Thank you, mothers, for all that you do!