THE PERSUASIVE POWER OF A GODLY MOTHER
II Timothy 1:5,6
My brothers and my sisters, we’ve been blessed to once again to witness another Mother’s Day. To some we are still blessed to have our moms with us, while there are many whose mothers are gone home to be with the Lord. But it is safe to say that many of us can say that we all experienced a time in our live when Mama persuaded our lives.
Thinking of my experiences with my mom and watching my wife deal with our children. I feel doubly blessed to have two good women in my life. Which makes me believe that God took extra care when He made mothers and wives. He equipped good mothers and wives with things that we cannot see in others. She have x-ray eyes that can see through walls and doors where the children are playing and can tell when Tomfoolery is engaged. She have more than one set of hands, so that she can do many things for the family all at one time. A big heart that allows her to love her family no matter what. She have the energy of an nuclear reactor that appears to never get tired, because she can work all day at a job, fight traffic or the subways to get home, and when she gets home, she transforms into a cook, teachers, chauffeur, maid and wife, to those of us who act as if that is what she suppose to do. She is our doctor and a nurse with out ever going to med school, because she had one time or another kissed where the child hurt and have nursed her husband back into good health. She is a minister that keeps the family before the throne of God, she intercedes for errant family members, and through it all she is able to keep her sanity and good looks. I tell you I believe that God took extra care when He made mothers and wives. This is why she is honored today. In light of it all Bill Cosby says, that a father can take a boy, teach him how to catch a ball, instruct him in the art of tackling and blocking, sit through every game he ever plays and when he make it to the professional level and does something great on the field and the camera swings his way, you would think that he would say thanks Dad, but no, he would say, “Hi Mom.”
In this text we find the Apostle Paul recognizing the undying faith that was instilled in young Timothy. But most importantly he recognizes where or from whom he received it. If we would take a look at Timothy’s life you would find that he had a Greek father and his mother according to Acts 16:1 was a Jew although the name Eunice was Greek. He also had present in his life his grandmother Lois. Paul remembers Timothy’s mother and grandmother for the genuine faith they had. In fact Timothy had one of the greatest privileges that a child can have and that was that he had a strong Christian mother and grandmother. His mother and grandmother were staunch believers who were faithful to God’s Word every day of their lives. This was and still is the key in any family: to be faithful to God’s Word every day. Timothy’s mother and grandmother had taught Timothy the Scriptures from earliest childhood according to II Timothy 3:15and the results were rewarding. So, come with me as I talk with you about The Persuasive power of a Godly Mother. First of all. . .
1. PAUL NOTICED TIMOTHY’S STRONG CHRISTIAN UPBRINGING (v.5a)
“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee,”
My brothers and sister there is something encouraging about a young person who exhibits good Christian upbringing, especially in this era of young people wearing their pants below their waist, body piercing and lack of good home training. In fact it is encouraging to see and hear a young person that have good Christian manners. Paul saw the latter in young Timothy. He had an untiring veal to please the Lord that his mother and grandmother told him about. We should note that not too much is said about his father. But what we do know is that he was of Greek descent. In-fact the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia said that he was a heathen Greek. Now don’t get up and armed about what was said about his Dad because anyone who was not of the Jewish descent was considered a heathen. Even today’s orthodox descendants of Israel still considers us as heathens although we have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. But very little was said about Timothy’s father. But the apostle knew of his grandmother and mother who were saved during a meeting in Lystra and they raised Timothy in the fear of the Lord, in-fact his name meant “one that fears God” and his life showed it. It was so evident in his life that Paul saw that he could nurture him for ministry. On Paul’s 2nd visit to Derbe and Lystra, Paul noticed Timothy’s growth, and seeing his unfeigned faith, that from a child he had known the sacred Scriptures of the Old Testament and seeing also his Christian character and demeanor and his entire suitableness for the work of the ministry, he would have him "to go forth with him" in the ministry as found in Acts 16:3. So, the persuasive power of Timothy’s mother and grandmother allowed him to have a fulfilling life in ministry with the Apostle Paul.
Secondly, Paul also. . .
2. RECOGNIZED TIMOTHY’S MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER’S DEEP CONVICTION OF THE FAITH THAT WAS INSTILLED IN HIM (v.5b)
“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.”
Here we find what I call what is necessary in raising manageable children. From time to time we all have seen a parent pleading with a child to behave and as we all know that child would not even consider what its parent is saying because you cannot allow a child to do as it pleases at home then expect them to act right in public. In-fact I’m convinced enough to believe that if a child is rotten and has never been corrected, that child will grow up to be a rotten adult. Timothy’s mother and grand mother loved him enough to instruct him in the scriptures so that he would not embarrass them in the open. I watch Cheryl as she makes her presence known and understood by our children and our nieces and nephews. She give them constant teaching of the things that are right in the presence of God and if need be she would put the fear of God and her in them if they acted up. Even her sisters and brothers consider her as the one to seek advice from. Now you should know that they realizes this not because she is the oldest sibling, but because of the life that she lives. The reason her life is one to be respected is because Cheryl spent a lot of time not only with her mother, but she spent just as much time with her grandmother and her great grandmother, and from my view point her grand and great grand mothers were great women of God and her mother is a great woman of God. Between the three of them Cheryl learned how to be a great young woman of God. This is what happened in the life of Timothy. He learned from his grandmother and mother the things necessary to be a strong young man for the Lord. You see they most likely were not interested in being his best friends, they were his mother and grandmother and needed him to understand that. They didn’t give him everything he wanted, they gave him what he needed. He was not on first name basis with them nor found liberty in telling them what he was not going to do, he called them grandma and mama and asked them what should he do, that is why Paul saw in him the un-fainting faith that was within him, because he was taught the way of the Lord by his mother and grandmother. You know in today’s world, you can tell the boys that was raised in a home with the absence of a real man and the presence of a angry mother. He has heard her say so many times that that boy’s Daddy is nothing and if he is not careful he will be nothing just like him. Then this boy will take the anger of his mother to the playground, and while playing ball in the heat of battle he would let the world know that he do not have to respect any man. But I got new for him that he has taken on his mother’s anger and before he leaves this world he is going to have to respect a man because without it he will not get respect.
But Timothy was not like that. Paul didn’t see any anger in Timothy that came from his mother, he saw and heard the Godliness of his mother and grandmother and Paul went on to say that he was persuaded that the same faith that they had was in him also.
CONCLUSION
Well I got to go now, but before I go I need to tell the Ladies out there “Happy Mother’s Day.”
And after saying that I want to say thank you, for your never ending patience towards us. When we were young and foolish it was you that stood by our side.
Thank you, for every meal you prepared in love, even though you might have been tired from the duties of the day, you with love prepared our meals and served us as if we were dignitaries.
Thank you, for being our confidant. That is when we needed someone to talk to who would understand but also you would tell us when we are right or wrong.
Thank you, for the nights you lost your sleep because you were nursing us when we were sick.
Thank you, for getting up early on Sunday mornings with a song in your heart and a prayer on your lips, and for getting us ready for Sunday worship.
I tell you if you really want to thank your Mama for the things she has done you aught to get up on your feet and say “THANK YOU.”
