Guarding A Mother’s Potential

Text: Genesis 19:1-26

Introduction

I want to approach this Mother’s Day message from a little bit different vantage point. For starters, who here believe’s a mother’s potential is something to value? What about her HIGHEST potential? When we agree to value something, that should segway us into nurturing and guarding it. Husbands and children…are you living out your role in such a way that your mama and the mother of your children has no ceiling to her potential as wife and mother?

When I was thinking and praying about what scripture or particular woman to focus on for this mother’s day, God got me hung up on Lot’s wife. Wait just a second…isn’t the only thing scripture says about her is that she turned into a pillar of salt? NO! It is not just what is said DIRECTLY about her, but what is understood about her when the scripture is talking DIRECTLY about those in her family.

I want to introduce to you a very sad narrative about a family who had very little regard to the essence of this woman; the essence of her wifehood and motherhood. To all the families here today, your wife, mother of your children and your mother should be LIFTED UP and never neglected. Thankfully, scripture shows us a God who loves them, has purpose for them and values them enough to lead them away from such a sad life.

However, even though God led them away from a place of destruction, one person’s heart remained there; Lot’s wife! Her life ended way too soon. Yes, she was responsible for her disobedience. Yet, her heart had help rooting in to a place where vanity thrived and destruction was sure.

What are you doing today to encourage your mother/mother of your children to reach higher?

1) A Negligent Leadership

Lot led his wife to a place that would steal her heart and ultimately rob her of life!

A. It began with a lack of submission to his wife (Gen. 13:10-13)

Submission is often times misunderstood when reading Ephesians chapter 5.

Submission is actually a two-way street.

If Christ came as a servant to the church which is His bride, then we as husbands must become that same kind of servant to our wives/mother of our children.

Jesus told His disciples that He did NOT come in order to be served, but rather to SERVE.

There must be a submission to her “essence.”

Question: What were the variables that brought about Lot’s decision to take his family to Sodom?

Ref. Gen. 13:10-13

The variables that determined his choice had nothing to do with what would elevate the potential of his wife in the duties God had called her to uphold.

When submission is “one way,” Mama could potentially lose her way.

This is not to say she can’t look past bad leadership, but bad leadership will always leave unnecessary scars!

B. Husbands, here are three ways to say “thank you” this mother’s day to the mother of your children.

FIRST — Submit to dying to self and following the Lord

Up until she said “I do,” all she had to do when God called was get up and go.

She is now tied to you!!! Her motherhood is tied to YOU!

To die to self, is to breath greater opportunity into your wife’s potential to be the mother God has called her to be.

SECOND — Submit to her needs to live out her greatest potential.

Peter said in 1 Peter 3:7 “7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”

THIRD — Pray to follow through

2) A Corruption Of Her Children

A. Learning not to value their purity

Notice Lot’s approach and the later sin his daughters embraced.

Ref. Gen. 19:6-8 “6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, 7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. 8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.”

There is without a doubt Lot never considered the humiliation and pain this would cause his daughters nor their mother.

It was customary for the mothers to be responsible for teaching and raising their children.

This is an extreme, but not every parental choice is shared by both parents.

The angels had to pull Lot back into the house, I think more so to protect the family Lot was willing to sell out and not defend.

Ref. Gen. 19:30-33 “30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. 31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.”

Where do you think they learned of such actions???

You can tell how little they thought of their fathers integrity (a parent’s investment comes full circle).

This screams to us that both father and mother MUST submit to each other’s essence when it comes to determining what is good/bad for their children.

Proverbs 22:6 “6 Train up a child in the way he should go: And when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Matthew 19:14 “14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

Deuteronomy 6:7 “7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”

How many times has it been left up to Mom to instill personal value and purity into the minds of her children?

One way to bless your mama this mother’s day is to value her investment in your children’s life (dad) and in your life (kids).

One way to say “thank you” for mothering your children is to LEAD THEM and TEACH THEM about self worth and purity.

A clear path to break a mama’s heart is to see her child go down a path of self destruction.

3) God Led Them From A Place That Would Take Her Life

As we have seen in Lot’s life while in Sodom, he had no intention to leave!

God sent two angels with a message of destruction and deliverance.

Notice Lot’s response to these angels:

Lot showed reverence, yet he was motivated to send them on their way (19:2 “…and go on your way.”)

When Lot had yet to take his family by the hand, God stepped up and got it done.

(scripture) God made a way of escape.

We finally come to that climatic point when Lot’s wife LOOKED BACK.

Take a moment and think through this whole story.

Long story short…I think she felt that any investment into her family would be squandered and her purpose had reached it’s end.

Even though God had graciously physically delivered them, yet because of the condition of the family unit, Lot’s wife’s heart was left behind.