The Ministry Of Motherhood

As your children grow up, they will know whether you are sincere or whether you are a pretender. And if you are a fake, your children probably not come to faith. Why should they? It’s all just pretend.

Jesus could not stomach pretenders. He dies parents to be authentic. A few months ago, I was dog-tired and I was in the mood one night for a good laugh. So I told Lynley, “I’m gonna run down to blockbuster and rent a comedy.” Well, I got there and I couldn’t find one movie that I was excited to see so I made a colossal mistake. I’m embarrassed to say that I did this. I asked a teenage boy at the front desk, “Hey, I don’t know any of these movies. Are any of them funny? And he said, “That one. That’s funny.” I should have known better. I took the movie home. I showed it to Lynley and she said, “You’re not going to watch that, are you?” And I got real defensive. I said, “Oh, come on. Don’t be so legalistic. It can’t be that bad.” It was that bad. The first 30 seconds of this comedy was gross innuendo.”

I stopped the movie and Lynley said to me, “Did anyone see you renting this?” I said, “Just the three people at the front desk.” And I sat there thinking to myself, “Oh relax, Ben. This is a big town. Those kids don’t know who you are. Just forget about it.” But on the other shoulder was the Holy Spirit saying, “Repent and make this right.” So I hopped in the car, and I walked into the video store, I plopped that movie down on the counter and I said, “Brother, I am really sorry. Can I exchange this for another?” And he said, “What’s wrong with it?” And I said, “I just don’t think it’s the kind of movie I should be watching.”

And so I traded that movie, and I walked out with Aladdin. I never got to watch a movie that night, but I went to bed feeling sincere about my faith. And I pray that I didn’t hurt that kid that saw me making a bad choice. He was watching me.

Your children are watching your faith like a hawk. They want to know if you are authentic or counterfeit. They are asking the question, “Can I really have faith in an invisible God?” How do I know that God exists? What has he done? And if that child cannot see in you a radically changed life, then that child will grow up wondering what difference does Jesus make? Has this so-called God really changed my mother’s life, or is this a religious game that she learned from her mother?

Hypocrisy will kill your kids. You must pass on a sincere faith.

Eunice was obviously a woman that was sincere and sensitive toward God. She did not put on a show. Moms, don’t be just a churchgoer, be a Christ-follower, every day. And when you fail, make it right before God and your children.

3.She passed on a desire to serve others. (Acts 16:1-3)

Look at this passage in Acts…

Paul 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. The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. Acts 16:1-3