“CARING FOR MOM”
Ephesians 6:1-3
Mother’s Day is a day where we stop and remember our genealogy, our history, and our family.
It is a day to honor the mother God gave you, who brought you up, gave you life, and sacrificed to help make your life better.
“A child who is allowed to be disrespectful to his parents will not have true respect for anyone.” [Billy Graham]
“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my mother.” {Abraham Lincoln]
Honor is a commandment of God. How you treat your parents is very important to God.
POINT: If you can’t or won’t honor and love your mother. It is nearly impossible to respect yourself.
One of the last recorded actions of Jesus was to insure that His mother was provided for. John 19:27
- LOVE MOM.
This means unconditional love. You’re not allowed to attach pre-conditions to loving mom.
Love her when she has something to give, and love her when she has nothing to give.
We are commanded to love mom, respect her, and treat her with kindness.
- HUG MOM.
POINT: Moms enjoy affectionate hugs.
Many people take for granted that their mother knows that they are loved by them.
POINT: We are not only to love our mothers unconditionally, but we should hug them affectionately.
Many people remember a day when there were grave consequences for not respecting your mom.
You don’t just get up and tell your mother anything that you feel like telling her.
POINT: My father taught me: RESPECT YOUR MOTHER. NO DEVIATION.
If you cannot respect your mother; you cannot respect yourself.
- UNDERSTAND MOM.
Be sympathetic to your mother.
Mothers go through many changes in life. They have children, they work, go to school, cook, clean, judge, make peace, referee, and even arm wrestle!
Understanding our mothers can be translated as understanding what they need.
Don’t be ugly with them because they don’t THINK like you.
- LISTEN TO MOM.
Be attentive, aware, and intuitive about mom.
II Kings 4 –A story about a child that is hurt.
Elisha the Prophet said: “Take him to his mother.”
Who do kids run to when they want to talk? Who do they seek when they need a listening ear? [Mother]
When kids want to play, they find dad.
When kids need help, when they are hurt, when they need something: It is moma they want.
“I want my moma.”
Mothers are different, they are attentive, they are endearing and empathetic.
LISTEN TO THEM: Even if you don’t agree with them, make them feel that what they are saying is important. What they say is important.
POINT: They listened to you when you whined and cried from the time you were a baby with all your problems, and maybe they are in a season when they need you to listen attentively.
- HELP MOM.
Help mom cheerfully. Mothers are the greatest helpers in the world.
CHEERFULLY – Don’t act like it is an inconvenience to give them a little money.
They took care of you all your life.
- REMEMBER MOM.
Be grateful, and remember the little things mean a lot to mom.
Just a quick phone call to ask: What are you doing? What’s going on? How are you?
Remember her gratefully. It makes her feel like somebody appreciates her. Somebody loves her.
She gave you and me the best years of her life. The best way to love her is to REMEMBER HER…include her…involve her.
- REMIND MOM – SHE IS NEEDED.
It hurts a mom to feel like she is no longer needed.
There’s nothing the enemy would love more than to tell MOM: “She is no longer important.”
The enemy loves to whisper: “Your life is over. You are not necessary. No one has time for you.
You are just an inconvenience. You are just in the way. THAT IS A LIE.”
IT THRILLS HER THAT YOU THINK ENOUGH TO REMIND HER THAT SHE IS IMPORTANT.
If mom prays for you: YOU ARE A BLESSED CHILD!
The greatest way to honor your mother is to serve Jesus Christ!