WHAT DO OUR MOTHERS DESERVE FROM US?

Mothers are indeed very special people. Their value cannot be estimated. The contribution of mothers, in the life of her children and to her family is inestimable, to say the least. Parents, be it mother or father, are precious and priceless. Only a foolish one would not know their value. A very “Happy Mother’s Day!” to all the MOTHERS who are reading this devotion.
– “Today we celebrate the strength, love, and sacrifice of every mother. [Let us raise a toast] To every mother who gives endlessly, prays silently, sacrifices daily, and loves unconditionally. You are truly appreciated and deeply loved. The world is a better place because of you.” – Anonymous 
– “Mothers are like buttons. They hold everything together.” – Anonymous
– “Motherhood is a sacred calling – a divine assignment of purpose, sacrifice, and love.”* – Anonymous

As “Mother’s Day” is celebrated today, all over the world, let us take an honest look at ourselves as children. Each of us, even if we are elderly people, we all are children to our mothers, and to our parents. As I was thinking about mothers, I remembered incidents of how people are abandoning their responsibility towards their parents, because in the little world of theirs, the aged parents have nothing of usefulness to contribute, hence there is “NO ROOM” for them. This abandoning of the responsibility of the children towards their parents is becoming more common these days. Honestly, it is abuse of the parents. Christian families are not far behind.

What does the LORD Jesus say about children’s responsibility towards the parents, in the Bible? Does the LORD have any words for us, the children, about mothers and parents? Well, yes, God our Creator has some very clear words on this topic. I am sure, we all must have read it.
– “12 HONOUR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER: THAT THY DAYS MAY BE LONG UPON THE LAND WHICH THE LORD THY GOD GIVETH THEE.” – Exodus 20:12

Let us ask ourselves, in the light of the words of the LORD God Almighty, and all what is expected from the children towards mothers and parents. Let ask ourselves, “WHAT DO OUR MOTHERS DESERVE FROM US?” There are four things that our mothers and our parents deserve from us. It is their right. It is a responsibility entrusted to us by our Creator and Redeemer, the LORD Jesus Christ.

1- RESPECT… – We are called by the LORD to HONOUR or RESPECT our mothers, and our parents.
– “12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” – Exodus 20:12
– “​2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)” – Ephesians 6:2
– “20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.” – Proverbs 20:20
“Respect for one’s parents is the highest duty of civil life.” –  This Chinese proverb sums up that, honouring our parents is a civilised decency. The Bible demands that we respect our mothers and our parents, because it is our God given responsibility. Do we give our mothers and our parents, the RESPECT they deserve?

2- OBEDIENCE… – We are called by the LORD to OBEY our mothers, and our parents.
– “​1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” – Ephesians 6:1
– “20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.” – Colossians 3:20
– “8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.” – Proverbs 1:8-9
– “51 And he [Jesus] went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.” – Luke 2:51
Obedience to God and His commands is seen in our thoughts, words and deeds. Obeying our mothers and our parents is honouring God in our lives. Do we give our mothers and our parents the OBEDIENCE they deserve?

3- AFFECTION… – We are called by the LORD to be AFFECTIONATE to our mothers, and our parents.
– “19 So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing…Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”” – 1 Kings 19:19-20
Our parents sacrificed their time, their energy, their comfort, their resources and themselves, so that we could grow up. Why not demonstrate our gratitude to our mothers and our parents, by the way of our affection? When was the last time we said to our mothers and our parents, that we are thankful and grateful to God for them, and for all their sacrifices? Do we give our mothers and our parents the AFFECTION they deserve?

4- CARE… – We are called by the LORD to CARE about our mothers, and our our parents.
– “4 But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God…” – 1 Timothy 5:4
– “8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever…” – 1 Timothy 5:8
– “16 If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.” – 1 Timothy 5:16
– “27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” – James 1:27
Children are entrusted with the responsibility to be their mothers’, and their parents’ “social security” by the LORD Jesus Himself. Our mothers and our parents deserve the best care we can afford to give them. We should not simply drop them off at Old Age homes, because it is convenient to is, and think we have completed our responsibility. Do we give our mothers and our parents, the CARE they deserve?

We may choose to give our mothers flowers, cards, gifts on this Mother’s Day. But what about every day? Do our mothers and our parents get why they so rightly deserve from us as their children? THINK ABOUT IT, for the LORD who died for our sins, and saved us from eternal death, immensely cares about our mothers and our parents.