A Mother’s Selfless God-like Love
2 Cor 12:14-15, 19
Intro
Today – special day – mother’s day – celebrate Mom
Many would not be the person they are without their mother’s influence and love
The toughest and most grueling job that has ever been or will be is that of being a mother
Many of you today will fit this message and will completely get it
Honor our Mom’s with our traditional ROSE (pass roses out)
Humor about Motherhood
THE EVOLUTION OF MOTHERS
Being a mother changes everything. But being a mother also changes with each baby. Here are some of the ways having a second and third child is different from having the first.
Your Clothes
1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your doctor confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.
Preparing for the Birth
1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don’t bother practicing because you remember that last time, breathing didn’t do a thing.
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your 8th month.
The Layette
1st baby: You pre-wash your newborn’s clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby’s little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can’t they?
Worries
1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby.
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your 3-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.
Pacifier
1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby’s bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.
Diapering
1st baby: You change your baby’s diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change their diaper every 2 to 3 hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.
Going Out
1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home 5 times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.
At Home
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of every day watching to be sure your older child isn’t squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.
In all seriousness, Mothers are very special and unique people that God created specifically for the unending and often times unappreciated task of motherhood
A Mother’s selfless love is the closest to God’s love and amazing grace
Read Passage (NLT) / Pray
1. A Mother Loves You for You
“I don’t want what you have – I want you.”
A mother love’s her children because they are her children – period!
Don’t have to impress – don’t have to be successful – don’t have to strive
Don’t have to try and buy it
A mother loves you for you with nothing else attached
That sounds familiar doesn’t it – it sounds like God’s type of love
The statement “I love you because ???” (Expound) (are smart; strong; obedient)
Not with Mom – “I love you because…I love you”
Sounds like God’s love doesn’t it?
2. A Mother Always Provides for Her Children
Vs. 14 “Children don’t provide for their parents. Rather, parents provide for their children”
A Mother makes sure that her children are provided for:
Physically – hygiene; shelter; clothing; nourishment
Mentally – reads to develop the mind; speaks encourage for self-esteem
Spiritually – bible stories; church
Emotionally – no one understands like Mom – even as adults
Single Moms may have to work 2 jobs to provide but they do it for their children
A mother who loves her children will always provide for them
3. A Mother Sacrifices Her Life for Her Children
Vs 15 “I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems the more I love you, the less you love me”
When a child is born; a mother’s life is changed forever – THE CONNECTION!
A father’s work is from sun to sun but a mother’s work is never done!
Mother’s sacrifice everything to be a Mom – sleep; relationships; social status; wants; needs; emotions; finances; dreams; careers
And it doesn’t stop when they are grown – a mother is always there; always available even to her adult children
She sacrifices her life daily for her children because of her love for them
And the children may not understand the WHY – and seem to love Mom less but her love only grows for her children
Sound familiar again – Jesus sacrificed His life – gave all for us – held nothing back
4. A Mother Encourages and Strengthens Her Children
Vs. 19 “Perhaps you think we’re saying these things to defend ourselves. No, we tell you this as Christ’s servants, and with God as our witness. Everything we do, dear friends, is to strengthen you.”
Listen, Mom’s see the BEST in their children – no matter what
TV – My son/daughter wouldn’t do that – he/she is a good boy/girl
No matter what children fail doing; Mom’s always see the best
To everyone else – may be failure – but not to Mom
Say things to encourage and strengthen children – see the positive
Prov 31:26 “When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.”
A mother’s love has no end or knows no bounds
Mothers are patient; kind; forgiving; not self-seeking; she keeps no record of wrongs
A mother encourages and strengthens her children – that is how God made her to be – to be more like Him
Wrap this up this morning
Conclusion
There is no tougher and yet most honored place in life than that of being a mother
A mother’s selfless love is the closest to God’s love you’ll ever find on this earth
God created Mom’s to be special because of all they would have to endure in motherhood…we have seen that…
1. A Mother loves you… for you
2. A Mother Always provides for her children
3. A Mother sacrifices her life for her children
4. A Mother Encourages and Strengthens her children
I hope today that our mothers realize just how special and amazing they are and continue to be
Thank you Moms for showing us God’s love everyday – may you be as blessed today as is said in the Proverbs
Prov 31:28 “Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise”
Prov 31:31 “Reward her for all she has done. Let he deeds publicly declare her praise”
Pray
