'A Mother's Influence Should Be Celebrated'

Today is Mother’s Day. It is a day for all of us to reflect upon the importance of mothers. It’s a day for all of us, young and old, to honor our mothers for their loving care in our lives. It’s also a day for mothers everywhere to reflect upon the awesome privilege, blessing, and responsibility of motherhood.

Throughout the Bible, we find examples of how influential a mother’s role is in the spiritual lives of her children.  Behind many of the dreat men and women in the Bible was a Godly mother.  

Consider the following mother-child relationships: Jocobed and her son Moses; Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth; Hannah and her son Samuel; Elizabeth and her son John (The Baptist); Lois and her daughter Eunice; Eunice and her son Timothy; and of course, Mary and her son Jesus.  

Many great leaders throughout history have credited their success to their mother’s influence: Martin Luther King, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison and Winston Churchill to name a few.  

It was Napoleon Bonaparte who rightly said, “The future destiny of a child is the work of a mother.”  

And it was George Washington who said, “All I am I owe to my mother ... I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual and physical education I received from her.”  

Reasons such as these confirm our proper response on Mother’s Day, which is found in Proverbs: “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her; ... Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”   - Proverbs 31:28; 31.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Rev. Eric J. Rey is the pastor of