Mother Is Never Perfect
But She’s Always A Beacon Of Hope
And A Shield Of Protection

My MOM was married at age 17. She raised seven children none of whom are rich and famous but all of whom grew up knowing they were loved and cared for.

Moms Share The Gospel

We did not attend church regularly until I was thirteen years old but I KNEW MY MOM Loved God and respected His Word. We attended a church occasionally that some of my Grandmother’s relatives went to, but it was not the church that taught me the most important lessons. It was my MOM that taught me to love God and be kind to all people.

When I was in the second grade, age 6, a friend at school talked about God and the Second Coming of Christ. I was intrigued! I hadn’t heard of these things before so I didn’t understand everything she said but it was only natural for me to ask my MOM about it. I don’t remember all my MOM said but I do remember her explaining to me that Jesus loved me and had died for all my sins. In fact, I knelt down by an old green footstool in our home and prayed and ask Jesus to forgive me and come into my heart and save me.

That was my first experience with the Gospel but my MOM was a constant example of all the things Jesus taught.

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My MOM emphasized honesty, kindness, loyalty, hard work, finish what you start, faithfulness, respect, and even kindness to animals. I don’t remember her sitting me down and teaching me a lesson on any of those things. It’s what she was. Those values were reflected in her everyday life. She taught by example and her influence helped me understand that most of life’s lessons are taught more by example than by classroom instruction.

Moms Teach Manners

My husband’s MOM had many difficulties in her life. She and his Dad were divorced when he was in tenth grade. I unfortunately only saw her a few times but I am eternally grateful for the gentlemanly manners she taught her son.

She taught him how to treat a lady: how to walk on the street with a lady, how to open the car door for her, how to carry things for her, how to treat her with love and respect.

She took pride in her appearance and taught her son to do the same. She also taught her son the importance of reading and words. He says that she, more than any other person, believed in him. It wasn’t that she said, “I believe in you,” but the fact that she expected him to learn and grow. When a mother expects to do well and treats them like they can, they begin to believe it too.

I have two sons. I have tried to teach them to honor and respect their wives; to be a good example for their children. I have tried to teach them all the things my MOM taught me. Their wives tell me that I succeeded (with the help of their father of course). Following is a quote from a post my youngest son recently wrote:

My dad tells me that he used to become frustrated when I was younger because he felt that he couldn’t get me to express myself. He’d ask blunt questions about my day and my experiences and I’d give minimalist answers. “Yes.” “No.” “It was fun.” I’d rarely dive deep into my feelings. My feelings were a quagmire that I could barely negotiate. I wasn’t going to let anyone else in there.

Mom was better at it; her approach less direct. I used to hang out in the kitchen while she made supper or baked desserts for bible study. She’d make leading statements and I’d confirm the things she already suspected. Her superpower, besides having a sixth sense that I still don’t understand, was that she was able to probe my brain without me knowing she was doing it. To me, we were just chatting about everything and nothing. 

Moms Are Always Examples

Moms, we teach by example. Children observe and take in so many things that we are not even aware of. Whether we realize it or not, we are teaching our children every minute of every day by the way we act and react to every situation.

It’s not just your words. It’s your tone of voice, the smile on your face, and the hope you maintain. And it’s definitely something to think about.