Introduction

Many great and godly men owe their greatness and godliness to their mothers. Abraham Lincoln was no doubt one of the greatest Christian American presidents in US history. He said, “All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother. No man is poor [he came from a poor family] who has had a godly mother.” Mark Twain, who was one of the greatest American Christian, writers said, “It is at our mother’s knee [ie. through prayer] that we acquire our noblest and truest and highest ideals.” Dwight L. Moody, one of the most famous American evangelists of all time, during the early 20th century said, “All that is good in my life has come from my mother.” Daniel Webster, the greatest American Lexicographer who lived through 18 and 19th Cent and who compiled the first American dictionary said, “If there is anything in my writings that is commendable, I owe it to my mother and the fact that in my youth she taught me to love and to read the sacred scriptures!” Of course, the list can go on and go. There is no doubt that godly mothers have rendered profound influences upon many great and godly men in the past. 

Godly Mothers Teach Their Children About God   

In the Scripture, we often overlook that Moses had a godly mother who nursed him perhaps for at least ten to fifteen years of his life. In view of this, Moses’ mother must have been the one who taught him about God and inspired him through her own religious fervor toward the God of the Hebrews. Ruth, who was the great grand-mother of King David, although originally born in a pagan family, must have inspired her own children to embrace their faith in the God of Israel whom she later came to believe instead of Moabite idols.

In the New Testament, we have the example of Timothy. When Paul instructed and encouraged Timothy to be strong and steadfast in faith, he said “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of…” (2 Tim 3:14a). By whom Timothy learned all things and was able to be assured of those things which he learned? It was through his mother and grandmother! 2 Tim 1:5 says, “When I (Paul) call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee (Timothy), which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” In other words, Paul was saying: “be firm in your faith, be strong and think of what you have learned from your mother and your grandmother who have been such godly examples and inspirations to you so continue thou in the faith!” Without Timothy’s godly mother and grand-mother, Timothy might not have any knowledge of the God of the Jews since his father was a Greek (Acts 16:1).

Susanna Annesley Wesley (1669-1742) was a mother to John and Charles Wesley, the famous Wesley brothers. With deep admiration, her husband Samuel Wesley, wrote to his children, including John and Charles Wesley, in commendation to Susanna his wife: "You know what you owe to one of the best of mothers . . . above all (for) the wholesome and sweet motherly advice and counsel which she has often given you to fear God.” Again, John and Charles would not have known God the way they did if not for their godly mother Susanna Wesley.

Godly Mothers Build Up Their Children’s Moral Character

George Washington, the first American President once said: “I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual, and physical education which I received from my mother.” Notice Washington said that his mother not only influenced him intellectually and physically but also morally. Sir Winston Churchill, a British politician, author and prime minister during the Second World War said: “You have omitted to mention the greatest of my teachers – my mother!” There is no doubt that Mr. Churchill’s mother was a major contributing factor to the formation of his moral character since his youth.

Some may argue, “We should be more concerned about giving our children quality education by sending them to the right schools.” Well, what then is education? Most modern dictionaries will define education as “A process of preparation for acquiring a skill or learning a trade in order to meet the future career demand.” However, the original, conservative and Christian definition provided by Noah Webster in 1828 defines education as: “The bringing up, as of a child, instruction; formation of manners. Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations.” The principles underlying the aforementioned definition of education definitely deserve every Christian mothers’ attention. It is unfortunate that many Christian parents today stress heavily on providing their children quality education so to learn a skill, a trade or to get a degree. However, how many parents have neglected to put in efforts to enlighten their children’s spiritual understanding, to correct their temper or to form the manners and habits of youth that is pleasing to God according to His written Word?

A biography about Susanna Wesley reads, “As soon as her children could talk, they were taught the Lord’s Prayer which they were to say each morning and night. As they grew they added a short prayer for their parents, a short catechism and some scripture verses as they were able to memorise them. They were taught to observe the Sabbath and family prayers through the mother.” Bear in mind that Susanna Wesley had not received a great education. She held no degree and not even a diploma. But she was arguably a great character builder and a moral teacher to her children, all ten of them! It was said that she would set aside an hour each day of the week for a particular child (ie. she had 10 children so that’s 10 hour a day). During this hour she would inquire after the state of their soul on its journey as well as their progress, fears, expectations, and goals in other endeavors. Thus began lifelong habits of regular self examination. In other words, she was more concerned about their moral character and forming a regular habit of self-examination before God than just their academic achievements, however much needed and required in our days.

Conclusion:

The Scripture does not command us to become another Susanna Wesley or any mother of great men in the past, but it does urge our mothers to teach their children about God and build them up in their moral characters, of course together with their own husbands (Deut 6; Deut 4:9-10, Deut 11:19; Ps 78:4-6; Eph 6:4). I thank God for all our mothers in our church and we should honour them for the labour of love for all their children. May our mothers continue to inspire their children unto godliness and be their moral teachers by investing as much time as possible with your children to love the Lord and raise them up in the Way they should go (Pro 22:6) not the way they desire to go (Pro 16:25, 22:15).

Pastor Weng

(Editor’s note: As today is Mother’s Day, the article “Exhortation to Sunday School Teachers (Acts 17:16-34) - Part 2” will be published next week.)

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