“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised” (Proverbs 31.30).

Next Sunday we celebrate Mom’s Day. To me, it is one of the holidays that make sense the most. That is so because if someone deserves appreciation that person is the mom. In fact, moms face the distress of bearing a baby in her womb, carrying it up inside for almost a year. They are the ones who go through agonies to give birth. They are the ones whose affection for the sprout goes beyond everything, to the point of being able to give their own life in favor of their “eternal baby”, no matter if such “baby” is a good person or an ungrateful nasty one. Who isn’t moved by such a character, so unique?

For all this (and far more), being a mother is an ennobling experience itself. However, it may happen that the woman living this experience is someone even nobler in case she plays her role as parent under the guidance of the Word of God. Actually, moms who do not submit to such guidance end up losing some of their position’s greatness. In fact, women who cast the Bible aside when being a mom usually become promoters of evil, agents who destroy the child’s character, accomplices for their sprout’s mistakes, source of sorrow and shame to the whole family, burdens that everyone has to take on with resentment and woe.

What then the Holy Scriptures teach in order to free mommies from such a terrible profile? Well, the Bible teaches a lot concerning that, but I wish to highlight just three aspects: devotion, wisdom and love.

Devoted mothers are pious and reverent women who take God’s issues seriously, never belittling them or leaving them aside. They do not neglect, for instance, prayer for their child nor their spiritual life. Otherwise, they care for nurturing them in the chastening and admonition of the Lord, knowing the importance of fostering love by the living God, the chosen people and the living Word. For such a devoted mom, church is more vital than birthday parties, piano lessons or English classes. She faces as major misfortune the chance of her son being a successful man, but far away from the truth. She would rather have her son pocket-emptied than heart-emptied. She worries about his eternal future rather than his future here.

Regarding wisdom, moms possessing such virtue are the ones who know how and when to speak plus how and when to act. She is pious and always has the right view and the right words. She does not act hastily nor speak on impulse. She is untroubled, steady and reasonable. She is never caught making a scene, she never blackmails and she never tortures children being “in a huff”. The wise mom has a remarkable sense of justice and, mind this, she loves truth more than she loves her family well-being. For this reason, she never allows her sense of protection to lead her to support her children’s mistakes.

Finally, the biblical mom is filled with love. And I do not simply mean love for her children once this seems intrinsic to all moms (or almost all). I wish to emphasize specifically love that the biblical mother has towards the father. She respects and listens to him. She does well by him with docility, humbleness and meekness. The biblical mother does not place the father as second best, giving children the first place. No! This would destroy home’s balance and children’s emotional, spiritual and, often, even physical health. Instead, the Christian mom considers her husband “number one” at home and, by doing that, makes her children feel safe and achieve the vision of a healthy marriage model which they will try to emulate some day and that will make them happy and fulfilled in the home they will build up. Seeking her husband’s well being this way, the holy woman has much more to gain: she earns both the husband and the children’s well. But the one who seeks the children’s well pushing the husband aside, in the end gets nobody good.

Moms usually like recipes. Here’s a good one. Start making it today, mommies, in case you haven’t yet. As for the sweet dessert, leave it to God and do not worry: this one you will like.

Pr. Marcos Granconato

Strength and faith

Soli Deo gloria