The Strength of A Good Mother
I have often heard it takes strength to be a good mother. Strength to say “no” for the sake of teaching an important lesson to your child instead of giving into the easy “yes.” Strength not to always step in and readily save your children from their own mishaps. But, ensuring they learn the principles of good judgment, maturity and responsibility.
For those of us who are believers, we understand that as the Author of Confusion, Satan has help turn traditional parenting into a vague and distant memory. What precisely do I mean by that? Today’s world promotes a society where mothers often buy their sons or daughters whatever they want rather than insisting they go out and get a job. Nowadays, parents not only house and take care of their grown children, but their children’s children.
A powerful woman of God once told me, “A good mother has the strength to raise her children to become independent not co-dependent.” Furthermore, “she teaches them the ‘Own Principle,’ which simply means they are required to work for their own home, car, bills, and entertainment.”
From a biblical standpoint, when I think of the strength of a good mother, I automatically think of Mary. In many movies about the life of Jesus, she is portrayed as standing on a hill watching her son’s crucifixion from afar in pain-stricken silence. Whereas John 19:25 NIV says, “Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.” What level of strength must she have possessed to stand nearby and watch her firstborn child be brutalized, beaten, mocked and punctured in order to save a hateful world.
I do not know any mother who would have not picked up the first stone, spear, or makeshift weapon their hands could find and tried to kill anyone who dare lay a hand on her innocent baby. And yet, Mary did not. Why is that, you might ask? She knew in order for Jesus to fulfill His divine purpose, she could not interfere! Thus, she had to learn how to lean on the strength of the Holy Spirit. Once she did, the storm that surrounded her son’s life finally ended with the Lord getting the glory of the testimony in the end.
Mary understood, better than most, how not to hinder God’s calling on her son’s life. She also knew that there would be dark periods of uncertainty that one will face as a mother. Nonetheless, Beloved, if you are facing such a time, be encouraged for, like Mary, you are not alone! No matter how the devil rises up to attack you or your offspring. You, too, may simply lean on and stand with the strength of the Holy Spirit. Then, watch and see how the Lord gets the glory of the testimony in the end!
