A Mother’s Fingerprint – 2 Timothy 1:5
A Mother’s Day Message
Everyone’s fingerprint is unique to them. That doesn’t surprise me because each of us is unique in many ways – God created us that way. We sometimes use the term fingerprint to insinuate that a person’s influence has been left behind as though it is a unique clue to the person responsible for whatever action or event we’ve witnessed.
A mother’s influence on her children is her fingerprint on the lives of her children. Mother’s write on the hearts of their children what the hand of time cannot erase. No matter where you may roam or how distant time and space has removed you from her presence, you cannot escape the influence your mother has on your life.
Have there been times in your life that you were faced with a difficult decision and advice or lessons from your mother came to mind to help you make that decision?
E.W. Caswell said, “It’s only in later life that men gaze backward and behold how a mother’s hand and heart… shaped their destiny.”
It is with that thought in mind that we turn our eyes to a passage of text written by Paul to the young pastor Timothy.
2 Tim. 1:1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 2To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
The Apostle Paul had a great fondness for Timothy. Timothy had served with Paul during his second missionary journey. He writes what is probably the last Epistle before his death to his young partner in ministry. In these final words Paul charges Timothy fan into flame the gift of God that is in him.
Timothy is said to have been the pastor at the church in Ephesus. During the persecution of Christians by Roman Emporer Nero, the Apostle John lived with him for awhile before being exiled to the Isle of Patmos. It is said that he remained single his entire life and died over the age of 80 when he was martyred by pagans. While we don’t know a lot about the ministry of Timothy, the fact that Paul takes such time and effort while in prison to instruct him on the affairs of the church leads us to believe that Paul had great confidence in this young pastor.
Paul says to Timothy; 5 ”I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”
Lois and Eunice are only mentioned by name in this text. But in this one verse an entire legacy is remembered as Paul points to the impression Timothy’s mother and grandmother made on him.
In Acts 16 we find that Timothy’s mother was a Jewess and a believer in Christ. His father however, was a Greek and probably knew very little about God. We find that Timothy was trained in the scriptures from his earliest childhood according to 2 Timothy chapter 3.
In all likelihood, Paul is responsible for leading Timothy to Christ given his journey with him on his missionary journey, but, it is probable that it was his mother and grandmother that steered him toward Jesus. They were converts to Christianity and it would have been natural for them to share that faith with Timothy.
Being established with a solid foundation in scripture, these two Godly women I’m sure took to heart the passage of scripture from Deuteronomy:
"fix these words of Mine in your hearts and minds: ... Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up" Deut. 11:18, 19
They knew that if he had a good foundation, he would be strong as he grew.
”Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6
They knew that in giving him this start, he would have inner guidance that would never fail him.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 9:10
The efforts they took while raising young Timothy had an impact on countless thousands of lives. The impression they made on Timothy was passed on to others while he was pastor in Ephesus.
David O. McKay wrote, "The noblest calling in the world is that of mother. True motherhood is the most beautiful of all arts, the greatest of all professions. She who can paint a masterpiece or who can write a book that will influence millions deserves the plaudits and admiration of mankind; but she who rears successfully a family of healthy, beautiful sons and daughters whose immortal souls will be exerting an influence throughout the ages long after painting shall have faded, and books and statues shall have been destroyed, deserves the highest honor that man can give.”
Mom’s leave an indelible fingerprint on their children. There is a tremendous responsibility put upon mothers. Children don’t come with instructions. I believe God gives mothers a certain kind of grace that prepares them for being a mom. They have to be able to juggle so many things. They must be able to comfort, counsel and console the child with a broken heart. They must be able to reach, teach and preach to the child that thinks they know what’s best. They must be able to inspect, reflect and then correct when a child wants to spread their wings a little too early. The job description for mom is a long one. Mom – how you handle your responsibility will determine the kind of fingerprint you leave behind on your child.
How can you make a positive imprint on the lives of your children?
1. Put God First
God must be Sovereign in your life. We are to have no other God but the Lord. There are many things that are important, but nothing, not even your children, should supersede your relationship with God. Jesus said, ’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ Mt. 22:37.
Prov. 31:30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
The thing that will matter most of your legacy will be the relationship you have with God.
Your children will face a life time of temptation and teaching from a world that denies God. When they are no longer under the shadow of your apron, what will get them through the pressures of an ungodly world? It will be the fingerprint left by a mother that put God first in her life.
2. Be an example of Christian love and forgiveness
One of the greatest lessons you can teach your children is love and forgiveness. They will learn those lessons more from what they observe you do, than what they hear you say. We are called to be examples of the love of Christ; does your life demonstrate that kind of love?
There is nothing like a mother’s love. When even the dog won’t love you, mom will. The only love that exceeds the love of a mother, is the love that God has for you. Mom, you are the most direct example of that to your children. How will they ever know how much God loves them if they don’t see it exemplified in you?
We are called to forgive one another as Christ also forgave us, do our children see us do that? Our children sometimes do things that upset us. Perhaps you think your child deliberately goes out of their way to disobey you? When they do something wrong, how do you respond? Are you critical and condemning? Or, are you loving and forgiving?
Can you think of a better fingerprint to leave on your children than for them to see you as their example of Christ’s love and forgiveness?
3. Be a devout wife to your husband
The Bible teaches husbands to love their wives and that wives are to be love and submit themselves to their husbands. The example is set by Christ and the Church. In a culture that virtually encourages you to seek divorce from your spouse if you’re not happy, what better impression could you make to your children than to be a loving, devoted wife?
There is no shortage of examples of marital infidelity and sexual immorality. Is that the lesson you want your children and grandchildren to learn?
I believe our children need to see mom and dad, grandma and grandpa loving each other with devotion and faith that what God has put together, let no man put asunder.
4. Be authentic with your children
What do I mean by that? I mean that we need to be open and real with our children. We’re not perfect and we will make mistakes along the way as we do our best to raise our kids. It is best if we can be open and admit to our children the times that we fall short of what we should be doing. This authenticity coupled together with asking for and giving of forgiveness teaches our children a valuable lesson of God’s grace. As we come to God humbly acknowledging our sinfulness in repentance we receive His grace and forgiveness. That’s part of having an authentic, real relationship with God. Impress that lesson upon your children as well. When you blow it, admit it. Encourage your children that we all make mistakes, but when we do we need to accept responsibility for them and do our best to make things right. Why not put the fingerprint of integrity on their hearts? If you want to do that then be real with them.
5. Be noble and industrious
In Proverbs 31 we have an oracle taught to King Solomon by his mother Bathsheeba. Listen to some of the verses:
Proverbs 31
10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet…
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
Listen to some other verses regarding a woman’s character:
1 Tim. 11In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.
Prov. 11:16 A kindhearted woman gains respect…
Prov. 14:1 The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
Isn’t that the kind of fingerprint you want to leave on your children?
6. Seek God’s wisdom through His Word
A Godly mother is a mother that spends time in the Word. She should hide God’s Word in her heart that she may not sin against the Lord.
It is the Word of God that will provide you the best advice on raising children. It is better than “Dear Abby”. It is better than your best girlfriend’s advice. It is better than “Oprah” or “Dr. Phil”. It is the wisdom of God! If you’re going to use Dr. Spock and all the other expert books for raising your children, I hope you’re using them to stand on so you can reach your Bible up on the shelf! In this book you will find the greatest instruction on how to live your life you will ever find.
Your children need to see you reading the Word of God. If mom and dad don’t read the Word, how can we expect our children to read it? You should have a practice of reading the Word with your children. It could be Bible stories when they are little or it could be family devotions around the kitchen table. There’s a lost custom. Families used to sit around and study the Bible together.
Have you impressed upon your children the importance of God’s Word?
7. Pray for your children
"I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life."- Abraham Lincoln
Is your house a house of prayer? Do your children see you pray? Sometimes our children are better examples of prayer than we are. They have childlike faith when they turn to God for everything from healing to a new puppy. When was the last time you prayed with your children? I know you may have prayed for them, probably even today, but when was the last time you prayed with them over an important decision or challenge they were facing?
The Apostle Paul encourages us when he says in Philippians:
Phil. 4:6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
As your children grow older, you really need to lift them up in prayer. There are forces pulling on them that you cannot see. There are times that they will be out of your sight and care. It’s during those times that you really have to lift them up to God for protection and discernment.
For good or bad, a mother’s mark is permanent. What kind of fingerprint are you leaving on the lives of your children, mom? Years later will people speak of you when they speak of your children? Will they say your children have a sincere faith, one that first lived in you?
You may say, “Pastor, I’ve let too many years go by to be that kind of mother, what can I do now?”
Begin right where you are. Ask God to help you approach your children with a new perspective on your responsibility as a mother. It’s never too late to leave your fingerprint on your child.
And for your grandmothers out there, may I also encourage you. I didn’t have a home and a mother that lifted God up to me everyday. However, from my earliest memories it was my Godly grandmother that made an imprint on my life for God. I heard her stories of how she prayed for me when I was born at 7 months old and weighed just over 2 pounds. I heard her stories of how she called the ladies of the church together and they anointed a handkerchief with oil and placed it on my forehead when I was in the hospital with pneumonia at 2 months old and had needles and tubes stuck in me. It was her stories of cottage prayer meetings in her living room when she couldn’t walk anymore that impressed upon me her faithfulness to God in all things. It was at her breakfast table that I first learned to thank God for the goodness He’s given us. Oh, yes! Grandmothers make a lasting fingerprint too.
So as mothers and grandmothers, let’s not entrust our children’s future to chance, but to faith in the One we know and trust.
Perhaps you’re here this morning and you know that as a mother you have a Godly responsibility, yet God is far from your life right now. You can change that. You cannot leave a Godly fingerprint on the heart of your child until God has left His fingerprint on your heart.
