TODAY’S SIGNATURE VERSE ••• I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. (2 Timothy 1:5 ESV)
PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there, and especially my own mother. Y’all, my mom is amazing. She is the greatest and strongest woman I know and God has truly blessed our family with her.
From her, I’ve witnessed extraordinary grace that she modeled in circumstances that she could have easily (and understandably) avoided… I’ve watched her mentor and befriend and become a second mother to several of my friends (I don’t mind sharing)… She is kind and generous and loving. She goes out of her way to be there for those who need her. I’m so thankful that God chose her to be my mom.
With that said, our topic today isn’t about honoring our mothers. Instead, we’re going to talk about learning from them. Let’s go to 2 Timothy 1. Paul was still writing introductions to Timothy when he mentioned his mother and grandmother in verse 5. It says, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.”
That’s it. That’s all that is said about Timothy’s mom, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois. Their names don’t come up again, but in 2 Timothy 3:14-15, their influence is eluded to. Paul wrote to Timothy, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
We all know that the Bible tells us to honor our parents. It’s part of the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:12). But it’s not just about honoring and respecting them. But learning from them. Our parents are the ones from whom we learn life. And they are often the ones from whom we learn about faith.
Going back to my mom—we were always active in church, but two things stick out to me. Every morning, I remember watching my mother pray. She always went to God first thing. And I remember that every month when she sat down to pay bills, she always wrote the check to the church first. Those things have stuck with me.
I haven’t always copied my mom the way I should, but her influence has had a profound impact on my faith today. I learned from her the importance of going to my Heavenly Father in prayer first thing in the morning… and while I may not pay tithes first (I’m not as methodical as she is with paperwork), the money is earmarked before anything else.
Look, I realize that not everyone has a great relationship with their parents. But no matter who they are/were or the quality of their parenting, we learn from them. Sometimes, we learn from their example of what we should do… and sometimes we learn from their example of what not to do. They are still human and our parents make mistakes. I often wish my son had come with an instruction manual, and I’m sure my mom had the same thoughts about me a time or two or a thousand.
God gives us the families we have for a purpose. And whether our parents were parents of the year, or largely absent, what we do with what they taught us (both the positives and negatives) is up to us. We have a Heavenly Father who is eager to use those experiences to shape us and bring us closer to Him.
So today, as we recognize mothers and honor them, let’s reflect on the ways they have taught us and shaped us.
Today, as you pray, thank God for your mother. Thank Him for what she taught you. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you take those lessons and use them to draw closer to God.
SHARING ••• Please share with others! Visit www.MyGraceFullLife.com to read past blogs. ***Unless noted otherwise, all Scripture references are from the ESV translation.
