The Purpose Of Motherhood

THE PURPOSE OF MOTHERHOOD

Proverbs 31:10-31

The vital importance of mother needs no confirmation. The very existence of each of us and any progress we may have made toward physical or emotional maturity testifies to the essential nature of motherhood. Most of us could personally attest to the validity of old sayings such as, "God couldn't be everywhere (physically), so he gave us mothers." Or, "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." Or again, "Behind every great man stands a great woman."

In this portion of Proverbs, God inspired the wise man, Solomon, to describe the distinctive qualities of a good help meet and mother. The qualities that have served mankind so well and fulfilled God's eternal purpose for man down through the ages. Since all good is a gift that comes down to man from the Father in heaven, these qualities could also be described as divine in their origin and nature; especially those particular characteristics that obviously emulate the divine attributes of God.

It would seem significant that God gave us mothers that we might see these qualities positively demonstrated at the very earliest age. Studies in developmental psychology and related fields have confirmed again and again that parents exert by far the primary and overwhelming influence that is the determinate in setting the direction of a child's life. Much of this influence is brought to bear by the mother before the child is six years old. The mother often creates the environment and teaches the standards and values that ultimately determine a child's personality and character traits. Of course, this is not recent news. God inspired the same wise man to say, "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it."

In light of recent events continually confirming the breakdown of families and the abandonment of Godly standards and values in the world today, it is valid to ask if the philosophies of secular humanism, situational ethics and relativism, dominating our culture today, have not influenced parents to abdicate their responsibility to give their children Godly guidance? The following modern day parable raises this question in familiar language that can be easily understood.

"A certain man had a wife and three children. The wife, becoming dissatisfied with housekeeping, and coveting money being earned by her neighbors, said to her husband, 'Husband, secure for me the social security number that falleth to me, and divide unto me a portion of thy trousers . .' With a reluctant heart the husband granted her desire and divided his wardrobe. Not many days later the wife donned slacks and, with tool box under her arm, waved good-bye to the children, and took her journey into a far country and there secured a man's job in a factory. She made big wages, but she associated with the wicked and listened to the vulgar stories that they told. There was a mighty spiritual famine in that land, and she grew lean in her soul. The children turned loose at the mercy of the neighbors, soon forgot that they had a mother; but the husband remembered the duties of a wife and wished that his wife would return to her home. The husband dined on cold lunch meat, while the wife tried in vain to fill her stomach with the husks of the cheese crackers that fell from the canteen vendor's machine; and no man gave unto her the respect due unto a lady.

One day at rest period as she sat engulfed in cigarette smoke and smutty stories, she came to herself. She said to herself with remorse, "Here I sit, surrounded by vulgarity, and sacrificing the respect due a lady. At home is a deserted husband, while my children roam the streets unrestricted. The money I make seems small compared to peace of mind and soul." In vain she tried to smother her conscience with the thought that she was contributing to the family's economic welfare. So she said to herself, "I will arise and go to my husband and will say unto him, 'Husband, I have sinned against heaven and neglected by family in a terrible way. I am no more worthy to be called thy wife, nor the mother of thy children. Make me as the hired housekeeper.'" So she gathered her tools together and started home. And when she was yet a long way off, the husband saw her, and ran and clasped her in his arms, and the wife said, "I am not more worthy to be called thy wife, nor the mother of t hy children." But the father said to the children, "Run and bring hither a dress, and the best apron. Put shoes on her feet, and rush to the meat market and get a steak of the fatted calf, and let us have a warm meal once more. For this, your mother, was lost, and is found. So they rejoiced and made merry." (Author Unknown - The Bible Friend)