Honoring Mom - A Mother’s Day Sermon

SLIDE: Scripture Exodus 20:12

Exodus 20:12 (NLT)

12 “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

(All scripture is taken from the NIV unless otherwise noted)

Introduction

Mother's Day is a time when we honor and celebrate the women who have played such important and integral roles in our lives. It’s not an exaggeration to say that none of us would be here today if not for our mothers.

We also recognize that there are those in attendance today who’ve struggled in their relationship with their own mothers or struggled through the process of becoming a mother themselves. This day is not without pain for some as we highlight motherhood and to you, I pray that you would know your struggle is not in vain. God sees you, He hears your every prayer and holds your every tear. He loves you.

It is because of God’s great love that all the way back in the book of Genesis we meet the very first mother of mankind, Eve. God looked upon Adam and knew that He was incomplete. He needed a wife, and consequently, mankind received a mother… And now, hundreds of generations later, we need our moms just as much as we ever have.

As we think about the integral part that mothers play in our lives, we’re going to look at 4 specific ways we can honor our moms and celebrate the unique role they play in our families, churches, and communities. Being a mom isn’t just about cooking great food, helping with homework, or driving kids to sporting events, although we’d be remiss to ignore the sheer amount of time that moms give in service to others.

Here are five facts about how mothers use their time every week:

Mothers spend an average of 14 hours per week on household chores such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry, according to a survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Mothers spend an average of 6 hours per week driving their children to activities and appointments, according to a survey by Pew Research Center.

Mothers spend an average of 4.6 hours per week helping their children with homework, according to a survey by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Mothers spend an average of 2.7 hours per week volunteering at their children's schools, according to a survey by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Mothers spend an average of 7 hours per week caring for their children, including activities such as playing, reading, and helping with personal care, according to a survey by Pew Research Center.

This doesn’t even take into account the phone calls, emails, and conversations that have to happen every week when you have kids… All that to say, being a mother is an intense gig, it doesn’t pay well, and there’s very little gratitude or recognition of the job… Which only means that we need to take time today, and every day to give honor where honor is due.

Main Teaching

SLIDE: Honor defined...

Honor in the Bible means “esteem, value, or great respect.” To honor someone is to value them highly or bestow value upon them. As I already mentioned, we’re going to look at 4 ways we can honor - esteem, value, respect - our mothers.

SLIDE: Respect...

1 - Honor Your Mother with Respect (Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:2-3)

Ephesians 6:2–3 (NLT)

2 “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”

The Bible commands us to honor our parents, and this includes our mothers. One way we can honor our mothers is by showing them respect. We should speak to them kindly and politely, and we should listen to them when they speak. Even when we disagree with our mothers, we should do so in a respectful manner. This means we avoid harsh or hurtful words, and instead show them the love and respect they deserve.

Honor her wishes, ideas, and dreams. Respect her point of view, even if you disagree with it.

SLIDE: Time...

2 - Honor Your Mother with Time (Ephesians 5:15-17)

Time is undoubtedly our most valuable asset. We can make more money, we can buy more things, we can learn new skills and get more degrees. But we cannot, and will not ever be able to, make more time.

We can honor our mothers by spending time with them. We should make an effort to visit them, call them, or spend time with them in whatever way we can. We should also be willing to help them when they need it, whether it's with household chores or just a listening ear.

By giving our time and attention to our mothers, we show them that they are important to us and that we value their presence in our lives. After all, if time is our most valuable and precious resource, what better way to spend it than on one of our most valuable and precious relationships?

SLIDE: Love...

3 - Honor Your Mother with Love (John 13:34)

John 13:34 (NLT)

34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.

The Bible also tells us that we should honor our mothers with love. We should express our love for them in both words and actions. We can tell our mothers how much we love and appreciate them, and we can also show our love by doing things for them that make them happy.

While, my mother has been deceased for many years, I honored her by showing love in different ways. Some of the last things I did to show my love were:

— When I found out that she was going to get the results of tests to determine if she had cancer or not, I drove from Indiana to Virginia to be with her when she was to arrive at at my aunts home after seeing the doctor to be given the results. While the news she recieved was not good, she was very happy that I took the time to be there with her. The news by the way was that she had terminal cancer and was given 6-12 months to live.

— The next time I saw here (about 3 months later) she had so deteriorated that I almost did not recognize her. During that visit she asked if I could install a hand held shower head with an extra long hose, so that we would not have to stand in the tub or have to get down in a tub of water to bathe herself. Sound like a simple request, right? In one of my last visits to see her, she told me with tears in her eyes how much help and a blessing the hand held shower head had been.

As it turns out these things were part of my Mom’s love language.

You see, there’s a lot of different things you could do to show love. This might include buying them a thoughtful gift, cooking them a special meal, or just spending quality time with them. Learn your mother’s love language; Quality time, acts of service, words of affirmation, gifts, or physical touch.

You know what? Sometimes the things you do that seems like nothing or simple has more impact than the more elaborate things you might do.

showering our mothers with love, we not only honor them, but we also fulfill God's commandment to love one another… Which brings me to my last point.

SLIDE: Sacrifice...

4 - Honor Your Mother’s Sacrifice (1 John 3:16)

1 John 3:16 (NLT)

16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters.

In 1 John 3:16 we learn about laying our lives down for others. When I think about the moms I know personally, the word ‘sacrifice’ comes to mind. To be a mother is to be someone who sacrifices.

Here are some ways that mothers commonly sacrifice for others:

Giving up their time: Mothers often prioritize their children's needs over their own, sacrificing their personal time to take care of them. This can include staying up late to finish chores, waking up early to prepare breakfast, or taking time off work to care for a sick child.

Putting their dreams on hold: Many mothers put their own ambitions and goals on hold to focus on raising their children. This can include postponing their education, career advancement, or other personal aspirations.

Financial sacrifices: Mothers often make financial sacrifices to provide for their children's needs. This can include cutting back on personal expenses, working multiple jobs, or giving up a career to be a stay-at-home parent.

Emotional labor: Mothers often carry the emotional burden of managing their family's needs and maintaining relationships. This can include managing conflicts, mediating disputes, and providing emotional support to their children and partner.

Physical labor: Mothers often take on the physical demands of caring for their family, such as cooking, cleaning, and laundry. This can be a full-time job in itself and can take a toll on their physical health and well-being.

In short, mothers sacrifice in many different ways to provide for their families and ensure their well-being. Their love and dedication are often taken for granted, but it is important to recognize and appreciate all that they do.

Conclusion

Our mothers are imperfect people just like us. They have bad days, they sin from time to time, and just like any other relationship - they’ll let you down eventually.

BUT…

Today, we've seen that being a mom is an intense gig, it doesn’t pay well, and there’s very little gratitude or recognition of the job. We’ve also seen that there are many ways we can honor our mothers according to God's Word. We can honor them with respect, time, love and recognition. If you don’t have a plan as to how you’re going to spend the rest of the day, think about these four main points and pick one.

Let's make an effort to show our mothers the honor they deserve, not just on Mother's Day, but every day of the year. And let's remember that by honoring our mothers, we also honor the God who created them and gave them to us as a blessing.

Thank you, moms! Today and every day.

Let’s pray together.

Prayer: “Thank you Lord for the gift and role of ‘MOM’ in our communities. We pray for all those who have been, currently are, or hope to be mothers. May God bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you today and every day.”