The roles of a mother to her children are natural expectations God has vested on mothers’ shoulders.
Every mother has a salient role to play in the life of her children; the role that will ensure a better outcome and a productive life for the child and position the child in place of advantage for the glory of God to manifest through the child.
These roles, if played, will enhance the level of usefulness and involvement of the child in the family church and community affairs.
Today, some Christians seem to have neglected the role of a mother to her children in a society where careers and the internet tend to have taken the more significant percentage of a mother’s attention off the child.
Christian women must go back to basics and rekindle their roles as a mother to their children for a better future for both the child and the mother, even the entire family.
Roles of a Mother to her Children
The roles of a mother to her child will always be in the bigger picture. A mother’s role in a child’s life is invaluable.
Although the 21st-century society may want to present the mother’s roles to her children as inconsequential or less, it is pertinent for Christian mothers to live the exemplary lifestyle for others to emulate.
Christian women know their rights to place in the lives of their children and will leave no stone unturned to ensure they perform their Gods given roles in the lives of their children.
We will discuss eight impactful biblical roles of mothers to their children, which include; love and care, laying a good foundation for the child, teaching, guidance and protection.
1. Roles of a Mother include Love and Care
Isaiah 66:13
“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.”
Isaiah 66:13
Isaiah 49:15
“Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?”
Isaiah 49:15
From the beginning of conception, the whole pregnancy journey, child nursing and rearing strike an unexplainable bond of love between the child and the mother, so. Much that a mother cannot forget her child.
The mother loves her child unconditionally and gives selfless care to the child against all odds.
These two Bible verses are pointers to the natural role of love, and care mothers owe their children in every developing stage of the children’s lives. It is a natural duty that the mother must perform.
2. Roles of a Mother include Foundation Laying
Proverbs 3:1
“My child, remember my teachings and instructions and obey them completely”.
Proverbs 3:1 (CEV)
A mother is expected to lay a sound foundation for the child, ranging from religious doctrines, societal values and etiquette. A mother has to be well vested with the word of God and abide by generally acceptable values and standards to impact same to her child/children.
She must lay this essential foundation for the child and watch out for the reward she will gain in the long run, when the child follows the right path.
3. Roles of a Mother include Teaching
Deuteronomy 6:6–7
“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
Deuteronomy 6:6–7
The mother is the first teacher of the child. From the first word the child utters to the first step the child moves, it is solely the mother’s responsibility.
And fortunately, mothers that know the benefit of these early teachings handle these responsibilities with all amount of excitement and would not want to miss any step of the child’s growth.
A godly mother raises her child with a conscious effort that, sometime in the future, the child shall transcend the same teachings to their kids.
A good mother emphasises and instils sound teachings to the subconsciousness of her children and encourages them to meditate and practice them all days of their lives.
4. Roles of a mother include Leadership
1 Samuel 2:9
“And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.”
1 Samuel 2:9 (ESV)
Hannah played the principal role in Samuel’s priesthood and his love for God.
Remember, Hannah was a barren woman, and she played the role of creating a path for Samuel to come through.
She played her role even before Samuel was born by praying to God to bless her with a child, and she later pledged that the child would be of service to God in return.
Samuel was born, and the mother played a significant role in ensuring his availability in the presence of God.
Samuel grew up to become a great prophet of God, courtesy of the role his mother played even before his conception.
Mark 10:14
“But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God”.
Mark 10:14 (ESV)
In this portion of the Bible, Jesus confirmed the role of parents, even that of society, to the children, bringing the child to God for a closer relationship with Him.
There are many benefits of establishing a covenanted relationship between children and God.
In the Bible verse mentioned above, Jesus blessed the children before returning them to their parents; this blessing stands for a lifetime. It doesn’t run out of quantity or quality.
A child’s heart is fast in assimilating everything that is said and done. If the proper knowledge is being instilled in a child, the child lives in consonant with the word of God.
5. The Role of a Mother to a Child includes Guidance for the Right Decision; (The Herodias Example)
Matthew 14:8-11
“Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests, he commanded it to be given.
“He sent and had John beheaded in prison, and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother”.
Matthew 14:8-11 (ESV)
Herodias was Salome’s mother and a wife to Herod’s brother, Phillip. Herodias and Phillip, her husband, had always wanted to end John the Baptist’s life because of his advice against their union and marriage.
Salome could have asked for half of the kingdom as King Herod had wished, but Herodias prompted her daughter, who was naive to ask for somebody’s head on a platter.
In today’s society, especially when a child is not up to the age of taking good decisions, parents (mothers) are expected to guide the child towards making the right decisions and actions.
6. The Roles of Mother include Protection. (The Jochebed Example)
Exodus 2:5-10
“Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her young women walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her servant woman, and she took it”.
“When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold; the baby was crying. She took pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.”
“Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?”
“And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her”,
“Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him”.
“When the child grew older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses “Because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”
Exodus 2:5-10 (ESV)
Mothers also have a role of protecting their children against any form of danger. A mother should be wise, vigilant and proactive in protecting and safeguarding her children from evil and destruction.
Moses became an instrument of use by God because of the role his mother, Jochebed, played in his life. Moses could have been killed if not for the intervention of the mother, Jochebed.
It was declared that king Herod was after the life of the make children, and the mother took the appropriate but necessary steps and saved his son from untimely death.
Moses’ mother, Jochebed, participated fully in the redemption work he did during the Israelites’ time.
The mother took the child, nursed him, and influenced him positively, and he this act aided the fulfilment of his destiny on earth.
7. The Roles of a Mother include Advise
Proverbs 31:1-9
“The words of King Lemuel, an oracle that his mother taught him: What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows”?
“Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings”.
“It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted”.
“Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more”.
“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy”.
Proverbs 31:1-9 (ESV)
The mother plays the role of an adviser. In this portion of the Bible, the mother of Samuel advised him on how to carry on with his life as a king.
Even as a king, he still needed the mother’s wisdom to pilot the affairs of life and the kingdom effectively. Samuel needed advice to live a successful life.
The mother’s advice paved the way for his wisdom, understanding and a better view of life. Although children do not listen to their mothers’ advice in today’s society, the few that are listening are getting it right.
8. The Roles of a Mother involve Discipline
Proverbs 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it”.
Proverbs 22:6
The mother also has a role to play as a disciplinarian. A mother is the first influencer of a child. The mother’s advice stays with a child no matter how long the child lives.
Although some children misconstrue discipline as hatred, the best approach to discipline is good communication, a mild correction when necessary.
There are some societies kicked against spanking the child, but the scripture warns not to spare the rod to spoil the child
The mother has to establish a good channel through which she communicates with the child and balance her discipline with love and understanding.
Conclusion
The roles of a mother to her children are unquantifiable
Mothers play the principal role when influence is discussed in the mother-child relationship and impact.
The Bible talks about the roles of a mother to the children, and these role includes; encouraging a child to develop a destiny relationship with God, guiding the child towards making the right decision, protecting the child against evil or death, inculcating discipline in a child’s life, showing the child unconditional love and care.
The mother is expected to lay a godly foundation for her children.
A mother’s role to her children starts from the beginning of her pregnancy. she has to prepare a comfortable ambient for the child’s birth, provision of formal and informal education, and the care and the requirements for the child’s future are vested with the mother.
Failure to play these vital roles effectively amounts to negligence on the part of the mother and bricks the future of the child.
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