Mothers, God Sees It All - Matthew 25:34-40

Introduction: How much is your mother worth? Various institutions have sought to break down all the things a mother does and then place a monetary value to it. However, before we look at the worth of a mother, I want to provide my short list on all the things a mother does for her family:

Master Chef (for the most part). Some mother’s offer burnt offerings to their family.

Housekeeper

Teacher/Tutor

Nurse

Chauffeur

Counselor

Referee

Event planner

Personal shopper

Laundry manager

Financial manager

Childcare provider (24/7 availability)

  Now, according to estimates from Salary.com and other sources, if you assigned average hourly wages to each of these jobs and accounted for the long hours (often 90–100 hours a week), the annual "salary" of a mother could range from $150,000 to over $180,000 in the U.S.

   But even that doesn't capture her emotional labor, unconditional love, sacrifices, and influence on a child’s moral and spiritual development—priceless elements that no paycheck could ever fully cover.

   Mothers do so much that you probably couldn’t even keep an adequate log of all the work they do behind the scenes—sleepless nights, quiet prayers, and unseen sacrifices.

   Even those closest to Mom may not see all the things she does, and mom’s may go without recognition (at times it is a thankless role), but be assured moms that according to Jesus every small act of love done in His name is a gift done unto Him. Jesus said in Matthew 25:40,

    “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

   All the various small daily acts of love that mothers do may seem unnoticed by the world—but they are seen, valued, and honored by God. God sees it all!

   Warren Wiersbe wrote, “God measures greatness by faithfulness, not fame.”

  If you are a child and you have/had a faithful mother, you are/were indeed a very blessed individual. And if you were raised by a godly mother, you ought to give God THANKS every day. Don’t take for granted a godly mother. There are a lot of us who looking back would have loved to have been raised by a mother who feared the Lord.

  Now, I want to reread for us the words of Matthew 25:34–40,

   34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

   What do we learn from those words of Jesus? We learn…

1. God Sees Your Ministry – Matthew 25:40; Matthew 6:4

   40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

   We read back in Matthew 6:4,

   “that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”

   Mom’s do so much every day – in secret. They often labor in the background—no one sees all the things a mom does every day – changing diapers, doing laundry, making meals, cleaning house, picking up after the family, staying up late with sick children, and praying in silence for her family.

  In the Matthew 25 verses we discover that Jesus highlights that acts of love for the least are in fact acts of love for Him.

   Mothers, I hope that you find that idea comforting and encouraging. Yes, as you serve your children you serve Christ. An act done for a little one is an act done for Jesus Christ. Don’t you ever forget this.

   ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Prayer and Folding Laundry

  I read about a mother who when she would fold laundry used that time to pray for each one of her children. Every piece of clothing that she folded she prayed for the child that it belonged too. That mother will never have a spotlight on her, but only heaven will tell of its eternal impact. Never underestimate the power of a praying mother.

   Charles Spurgeon penned, “God sees every unseen act of love and counts it as worship.”

   Yes moms, God sees the midnight feedings when you are exhausted, the carpool prayers as you taxi your children to their events, and the time where you feel overwhelmed but still serve. God sees dear mother – God sees!

2. God Sees Your Modeling – Matthew 25:35-40; Philippians 2:5-7

 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

   As I read these verses, I saw all the following service that was being rendered. Don’t miss the words, “you gave.” Jesus spoke about…

· Feeding the hungry

· Watering the thirsty

· Housing a stranger

· Clothing the naked

· Visiting the sick

· Communicating with the prisoner

   Jesus made it clear that whenever you did any of these things for others, that you were doing them as if you were doing them unto the Lord.

Mom as a Bondservant

   In Philippians 2:5-8 we read,

  5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

   There are a lot of moms who have taken on the form of a bondservant – willingly!

A Mother Serves

   Think with me of the many loving acts of a mother:

· She gave birth to you. (One mother reminded her child, “I brought you into this world and I can take you out).

· She cared for you when you could not care for yourself.

· She bathed you.

· She fed you.

· She changed your diapers.

· She held you.

· She read stories to you.

· She comforted you.

· She sang to you.

· She cuddled with you.

· She stayed up when you were sick.

· She visited you in prison – when you were placed in a play pen or sent to your room. (Note: Some play pens had bars, and the children would stand behind them and shake the playpen while wearing striped pajamas).

   The bottom line is that your mother mirrored the ministry of Jesus Christ– “taking on the form of a bondservant.” Your mother served you – still serves you. Most mothers find it a joy to serve their family.

· A mother reflects Christ when she cares for a sick child.

· A mother reflects Christ when she is patient with you – when she doesn’t send you on to meet Jesus early.

· A mother reflects Christ when she speaks a word of wisdom into the life of her child.

· A mother reflects Christ when she disciplines a child in love.

   In Mark 10:45 we are told the following about Jesus Christ,

   For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

   Jesus came to SERVE, not to be served – so do moms. They serve you 24/7/365. They serve you even when they don’t feel good, they serve you with a joy that only comes from being a mother, and they serve you sacrificially– they don’t expect anything in return from you. However, it would be nice if you remembered all that they have done for you. This Mother’s Day YOU (their child) seek to SERVE your mother. Show some appreciation to your mother today!

   Elisabeth Elliot said, “Motherhood is a sacred calling to reflect the self-giving love of Christ.”

  Someone said, “The greatest acts of love are often the quietest.” That pretty much sums up a lot of mothers.

3. God Sees Your Moments of Weariness – Galatians 6:9

   9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

   Do mothers grow weary? Yes! They are human. But hear this today – every mother needs to remember that nothing done for Christ is ever wasted. Even if no one else sees it. God sees all the good that you do. I would encourage you not to grow weary in doing good!

  Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 25:40,

   40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

   Every mother also needs to remember that her legacy isn’t built on one grand moment, but on years of love, prayers, guidance, and grace. Remain faithful moms. Do not grow weary – Keep doing good, never stop doing good.

   Listen to how these two famous Presidents described the influence their mothers had in their lives:

· George Washington (1st President) said, "My mother was the most beautiful woman I ever saw. All I am I owe to my mother. I attribute all my success in life to the moral, intellectual, and physical education I received from her."

· Abraham Lincoln (16th President) said, "All that I am, or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother."

   Mothers your sacrifices build lives – you raise giants! Kids that grow up and go out into the world and make an impact for God. Your love for your family makes a difference – you raise good citizens! Don’t you ever forget this. And remember too that God sees all that you do.

   Pastor Charles Stanley wrote, "Motherhood is a commitment to a lifetime of service — a service that often goes unseen by the world but is always noticed by God."

   Again, Elisabeth Elliot penned, "A mother’s service is not lost. It is poured out at the feet of Christ, who sees every cup of cold water given in His name."

Susanna Wesley: The Mother Who Raised a Movement

   In a small home in rural Epworth, England, during the late 1600s and early 1700s, Susanna Wesley raised 19 children, nine of whom died in infancy. Life was hard—her husband was often absent, their finances were strained, and their home even burned down twice. But out of this humble, chaotic home came John and Charles Wesley, the founders of the Methodist movement, which would reach millions with the gospel.

   How did it happen?

   It happened because of one mother’s daily faithfulness.

   Susanna, a devout Protestant, believed that the home was a church in miniature. She scheduled one-on-one time with each of her surviving children every week to talk, teach, and pray with them. She ran her household with order and discipline, but always wrapped it in warmth, song, and faith.

   Her kitchen smelled of fresh bread, her lap was a refuge, and her smile was a constant in the swirling struggles of 18th-century life. Though often burdened, she committed herself to two hours of prayer each day. When life became too busy, she would sit in her kitchen chair and pull her apron over her head, signaling to her children that she was having her quiet time with God.

   This small act became a legendary symbol of her devotion.

   Susanna also taught theology to her children and led Sunday gatherings in their home when her husband was away—sometimes drawing more people than the local parish church. Her messages were clear, filled with Scripture, and anchored in the gospel of grace.

   Her legacy?

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, once said:

“I learned more about Christianity from my mother than from all the theologians in England.”

Charles Wesley, her other son, wrote over 6,000 hymns, many of which are still sung today, including “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”

   All of this grew from a faithful Protestant mother, who believed that raising children in the Lord was the greatest mission field of all.

   It has been said, “Susanna Wesley never preached to crowds or traveled far from home. But her kitchen table became a sanctuary, her prayers shaped generations, and her daily faithfulness sparked revival. Her story reminds us that mothers are often the unseen architects of God's greatest movements.”

Conclusion: When the world overlooks, God sees. Mom’s your ministry matters – eternally!

   Today I am asking every child present to make sure that they SEE all the things that their mother does for them, after all, God does!

  Make sure that you don’t take your mother for granted. On this Mother’s Day shower her with appreciation, after all, none of us could afford to have all the services a mother renders. Do you have an extra 150,000-180,000 dollars in your pocket?

   So, in closing I want to give a word of encouragement to mothers, and then I want to share a word of encouragement to everyone else – to all of us children:

1. My encouragement for Mothers:

· Be encouraged—your labor is not in vain. What you do for your family, you do for Jesus.

· Keep showing up. Heaven takes note of the ordinary. Your faithfulness is an offering. It matters; it matters! Keep showing up moms.

2. My encouragement for Everyone Else:

· Honor the mothers in your life (biological, adoptive, spiritual). This is their day, but don’t forget them tomorrow, or take them for granted.

· Imitate their godly examples – serve with love in the everyday – the way your mothers have served you. Seek ways to serve your mothers this Mother’s Day.

· Look around: Who is “the least of these” you can serve today? Ask: What would my mom do in this situation?

   Mothers, the world may never give you a medal for bedtime stories, for tearful prayers over sick children, or for forgiving your children again and again.

  But Jesus says—“You did it for Me.”

A Prayer for Mothers

   “Lord, thank You for the mothers and mother-figures whose hands and hearts reflect Your love. Encourage them today. Remind them that their work matters eternally. Help all of us to serve in love, even in the smallest moments, knowing that You see it all.”