Making a Righteous Impression
Mother’s Day Message
Ridgeway Assembly of God
5/8/05
Pastor Greg Tabor
Two very different Impressions
Ahaziah’s Impression
“He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor in doing wickedly. 2 Chronicles 22:3 ESV
It is no doubt that Athaliah taught her son to worship Baal as the house of Ahab did, being that Athaliah was a daughter of Ahab. It is one thing to have your child choose to walk in evil, it is another thing to have given them the encouragement to do so. Her encouragement undoubtedly laid the foundation for his poor associations and eventual downfall.
Many of us in here today would say we would never encourage our children to do evil. We want kids that are fine citizens and moral people. However, we have parents in this generation who give their kids birth control, thinking they are protecting their kids, all the while they are really encouraging promiscuity. What about parents who give their kids alcohol to drink at home so as to monitor them, since they are going to drink anyhow, might as well supply it in a “safe” environment? Or maybe closer to your home, where your entertainment values might not match up to Biblical values. These are all examples of directly or indirectly encouraging our children to do wrong. These are examples of impressing the value system of Athaliah on our kids’ lives, and that to their detriment.
Lemuel’s mother’s impression
Proverbs 31:1-9.
Lemuel’s mom encouraged him to be a man of integrity. She told him to not give his strength to women or to drink and so impair his judgment. She told him to take up for the needs of those less fortunate and to judge righteously. Sounds to me like she wanted her son to live a godly life, rather than the life Ahaziah’s mom encouraged him to be involved in. She made a righteous impression on the heart of her child.
Which impression will you leave?
Everyone will leave an impression in their kids’ lives. Which one will you leave? Undoubtedly, if you are a God-fearing mother in here, you want to raise your children with righteous standards so that they will steer clear of pitfalls and so they will make something of their life. I encourage you to evaluate your life to be sure that what you are impressing on your kids is for their benefit spiritually.
The Righteous Impression
Making a Righteous Impression
The Godly mother is determined to make a righteous impression. She does this by impressing the things of God upon her children’s tender hearts. And she does so intentionally.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 NIV
These verses show us the importance God placed on the children of Israel’s ability to pass down the fear of God from generation to the next. The ESV v.7 says, “You shall teach them diligently to your children…” God’s Word was to be at the forefront of the family’s life. The parents weren’t to just hope for the best for their kids, but rather to do all they could to impress God’s Word on their kids hearts. How are you doing this in your family? Do you talk about God often? Do you pray with your children?
Being a parent is hard work. And mom, it takes more than birthing a baby to truly be a mom. These young girls on talk shows that have sex with any guy under heaven just to get pregnant and have a baby have no clue as to what real motherhood is. Sydney Harris stated, “The commonest fallacy among women is that simply having children makes one a mother—which is as absurd as believing that having a piano makes one a musician” (DRAPER’S book of QUOTATIONS FOR THE CHRISTIAN WORLD).
I’d also say, ‘the commonest fallacy among young Christian women is that by simply taking their children to church they are fulfilling their responsibility to ‘impress’ God’s Word on their kids. It takes more than that. It takes righteous living and instruction in the home.
Paul met a young man named Timothy on one of his missionary journeys.
“He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek.” Acts 16:1 NIV
This Scripture mentions nothing of the father being a believer. It does however mention the mother was a believer. We can safely assume that the father was absent in spiritual counsel. (Men, I’m preaching a Mother’s Day message this morning, but don’t be a dead beat dad! Many mothers have had to take your place as spiritual leaders in the home. Shame on us!) Thank the Lord though that Timothy’s dad’s absence in spiritual matters didn’t stop grandma and mom from desiring to impress upon their son the truths of God. And single moms (or spiritually single moms) don’t you let the absence of a supportive father stop you from making a lasting spiritual impression on your children. 2 Timothy 3:15 NIV says of Timothy that, “…from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures…” Even prior to their own conversion from Judaism to Christianity it seems that these women taught this boy the Scriptures. They practiced what God commanded in Deuteronomy 6.
The Lasting Impression
“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.” 2 Timothy 1:5 NIV
Because of their diligent teaching of God’s Word to Timothy, Timothy was living the life of a godly man.
“The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.” Acts 16:2 NIV
Timothy was highly respected. What a testimony to the efforts of a grandmother and mother.
The probability of your kids serving God the rest of their lives is greatly increased when the Word of God is impressed upon them from an early age. When God is part of the daily life of the family, then He becomes relevant to the child and important in the child’s life decisions.
Listen to the Nelson Study Bible comments on Proverbs 22:6.
“At the heart of every good parenting principle lie Solomon’s words of Prov. 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” The verb for train means “to dedicate,” and the word for way generally refers to living correctly in God’s sight (see 15:10). Solomon was advising parents to set their child aside for special use, to dedicate him or her to the Lord and His path. The verb train includes the idea of stimulating the child to do good—through words of guidance, discipline, and encouragement on the right path. This is a parent’s main task, to receive a child as a charge from the Lord and then to dedicate the child to God’s ways.” – The Nelson Study Bible
Now, you and I both know children who have departed from the faith even though they’ve been brought up by Godly parents who did all they could to train or dedicate these kids to God. What’s with that? Well, Proverbs 22:6 is not a promise. The Nelson Study Bible says it well when it states, “Proverbs, however, present general principles, not promises.” Children still have a responsibility to choose wisely the direction for their lives, and sometimes they don’t do so no matter how much effort the parents poured into them. But your kids are more likely to choose wisely when you’ve taken the time to do your part to impress upon their lives the principles of God’s Word. Just look at the example of Timothy.
Conclusion
Mom, your influence is so important. Just listen:
A Spanish Proverb says, “An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy.” (DRAPER’S book of QUOTATIONS FOR THE CHRISTIAN WORLD).
Abraham Lincoln said, “No man is poor who has had a godly mother.” (DRAPER’S book of QUOTATIONS FOR THE CHRISTIAN WORLD).
Mom’s, follow the example of Lois and Eunice. Make sure your kids don’t have to go elsewhere to learn the basics of the faith. Make sure that God is talked about regularly. Make sure they see you pray and read God’s Word. Make sure your conduct does not contradict what you say you believe. Be sure to dedicate your kids to God and when all is said and done they will be more likely to not depart from the faith you so hope they’ll cling to. Whatever you do, be sure to leave a righteous impression on the lives of your children.
