Scripture: “Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.” – Proverbs 31:25
Explanation of Song: “Faith of our Mothers” was written around 1920 by Arthur Patten as a gentle, loving counterpart to the hymn, “Faith of our Fathers”. Patten’s hymn highlights the nurturing faith and spiritual legacy of our mothers and was a tribute to Mother’s Day.
Application: The Bible gives us several examples of mothers in both the Old and New Testaments as well as half of a chapter of Proverbs dedicated to a mother. Each biblical mom is remembered for her dedication to her child and the Lord. Here are four mothers of Scripture that really touch my heart.
- Jochabed – Moses’ mother protected him from harm.
- “And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.” – Exodus 2:2
- Hannah – Samuel’s mother dedicated him to the Lord.
- “Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.” – I Samuel 1:28
- Mary – Jesus’ mother obeyed the Lord in raising His Son.
- “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” – Luke 1:38
- Lois and Eunice – Timothy’s grandmother and mother passed on their faith to the young boy.
- “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” – 2 Timothy 1:5
A mother isn’t necessarily the biological female who gave life to a child. It is that special woman who loves, nurtures, comforts, disciplines, guides, and provides for a child, regardless of the circumstances. My mother was all of these, but the greatest word to describe my mom would be sacrificial. While she didn’t come to Christ until she was 64 years old, she did have a few qualities that remind me of these biblical moms.
Like Jochabed, my mom protected me from harm. She gave me shelter, safety, and guidelines to follow to keep me safe. Like Hannah, my mom made much of my clothing by hand. I remember her telling me once that she had made twenty little outfits for me when I started kindergarten. And while she was not in a place to teach me about Jesus, she did support my desire to attend a local church regularly. So, in her own way, she was a bit like Mary, Eunice, and Lois, by allowing me to explore my faith, discover Jesus, and trust Him as my Lord and Saviour at a young age.
My childhood was not perfect, but I know without a doubt that my mother sacrificed a lot for me. I am sure she had dreams for herself as a young woman, dreams of a happy home and family, but as it is often said, “Life happens,” and those dreams were put on hold, never to come to fruition for her. Sometimes adult children never know the struggles that their moms faced in their own lives as they sacrificed for their little ones.
My mom went through more than I could ever imagine. She survived the first atomic bombing in Hiroshima, Japan, and then endured intense prejudice when moving to America in the early 1950s. When I look back, I see the sacrifices she made for me… some that were undoubtedly very difficult for her, but I never remember hearing her complain. As a child, I didn’t understand all that she gave up, but as an adult, I marvel at her selflessness and all-encompassing love she had for me.
Today, in honor of her memory, I write this blog. In my heart, my mother is the Proverbs 31 woman. She had an incredible strength to persevere, which Proverbs 31:25 addresses, “Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.” I am grateful for all she did for me, but I rejoice the greatest in the knowledge that my mother finally accepted Christ as her Savior the year before she passed away. She became the woman in Proverbs 31:30, who discovered Jesus, “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.” In the end, my mother fell in love with Jesus. I remember her remarking shortly after her salvation that if everything that happened to her was to bring her to Christ, it was all worth it. That is her greatest legacy to me.
Happy Mother’s day, Mom. Thank you for all you did for me. I love you more than words can say, and I look forward to seeing you again one day!
Memory Verse: “Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.” – Proverbs 31:28
Stretching your thoughts:
1. Sometimes, if you’ve had a hard childhood, it’s difficult to find the good in those years. But take a moment and try to remember a special memory you have about your mother.
Faith of our mothers, living still
In cradle song and bedtime prayer;
In nursery lore and fireside love,
Thy presence still pervades the air.
Faith of our mothers, living faith,
We will be true to thee till death.
Faith of our mothers, loving faith,
Fount of our childhood's trust and grace,
Oh, may thy consecration prove
Source of a finer, nobler race;
Faith of our mothers, loving faith,
We will be true to thee till death.
(from “Faith of Our Mothers”by Arthur Bardwell Patten)
While I did not have a loving bond with my mother, one of the traits I admired about her was her dedication to staying at home with her children. She was there every day after school with snack ready for all three of us.