Mothers Day 2022

Attitude of the Heart

The attitude of the heart will affect how one lives their life. For example a person with a selfish heart will typically live their life to gratify themselves because they believe that they deserve it. A person with a humble heart will be more likely to live to help others because they see serving others as a higher calling than serving themselves. Philippians 2:3-4

Philippians 2:3–4 NASB95

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Obviously this makes a difference in how a person parents. But before we explore this let’s take a look at Eve’s heart compared to Mary’s heart

Eve’s heart

Genesis 3:5–6 NASB95

“For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

Satan had convinced Eve that if she ate of the forbidden fruit that she would be like God. She believed that she deserved to be like God because she ate of the fruit that she was instructed not to eat. She did not trust in God’s boundary that was meant for her good. She wanted to be like God, so she went against God’s authority.

Notice the attraction of the fruit. It was desirable for food, a delight to the eyes, and to make one wise. All three of these attractions are self-gratifying. If we look at 1 John 2:15-17

1 John 2:15–17 NASB95

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.

We see that all three things that Eve gave into are warned against. The lust of the flesh = desirable for food, lust of the eyes = delight to the eyes, boastful pride of life=desirable to make one wise.

A prideful heart seeks after that which gratifies itself alone without any concern for others.

Contributed by Timothy Smith on Aug 2, 2004 (message contributor) A Sunday School teacher told her class of 2nd graders the story found in Luke 16 of the Rich man and Lazarus. How that when they were here upon the earth the rich man had everything that money could buy and poor Lazarus had to beg for mere crumbs. But when they died, the rich man due to his selfishness went to a place of horrible torment while Lazarus went to a place of paradise. In conclusion, the teacher asked her students the question: "Now, which man would you rather be, Lazarus or the rich man?" One little boy’s hand shot up immediately and he said, "Well, while I’m alive I want to live like the rich man, but when I die I want to be like Lazarus."

A selfish heart always wants whats best for them always. Just as the little boy indicated, I want what I can get while I’m alive, but when I die I want to go to heaven. It doesn’t work that way.

Mary’s Heart

Luke 1:28–34 NASB95

And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

The angel of the Lord told May that she was a favored one. Mary’s response indicates her humility. She was perplexed and pondered the salutation. She was a humble girl that didn’t think too highly of herself. She was a girl that loved God and lived a life that honored Him.

We also see that she is a girl that adheres to the commandments of God. When she was told that she was going to have a child, she indicated that although she was betrothed to be married she was still a virgin. A couple could not consummate the marriage until a year after betrothal. She honored this commandment.

We also see here that Mary admits that she doesn’t know everything. She inquires as to how she will have a child when she cannot be intimate with Joseph until the betrothal time ends.

She is probably concerned about how this will hurt Joseph and bring shame to her family. She is more concerned for them than herself. This is what a humble heart does. It puts others before themselves.

Application

The difference of a selfish heart and a humble heart when it comes to being a mom is the way the mom sees her children. A mom that sees her children as an inconvenience and pawns them off on everyone else so she can do what she wants to do is selfish. A mom that sees her children as the greatest blessing is one of a humble heart. This mom will do everything she can to make sure that her child is brought up in the best possible way.

Influences In Life

The influences a person allows in their life will determine what kind of life they will have.

Fifteen years ago, while taking questions from shareholders and fans at the Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting, the billionaire Buffett was asked by a teenager what advice he would give a young person to become successful.

Buffett's response was a bull's-eye, whatever your age or stage of life. The Oracle of Omaha replied:

It's better to hang out with people better than you. Pick out associates whose behavior is better than yours and you'll drift in that direction

We should choose to hang out with people that are better than us. This will keep us humble, but cause us to get better. This is in any area of life like parenting, education, job, moral, or any other area of life. We will see how the influences of Eve and Mary affected their lives.

Eve’s influences

Eve chose to listen to Satan. He was a dominant influence in her life. Unfortunately she paid a huge price for her influence. Genesis 3:16

Genesis 3:16 NASB95

To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.”

Because she chose to listen to Satan, she brought on herself pain in childbirth and subjection to her husband. Both of these you can blame on Eve. Many of you know the pain of childbirth. The word for desire here means to control. The wife will not be able to control the husband, but instead the husband will rule over the wife.

As a result of listening to Satan, she lived a life of disobedience. She ate of the forbidden fruit and allowed sin to enter in to God’s creation. Her sin has been passed down to every person that has been born except Jesus. (This is why the theology of the virgin birth is so important).

She also like Mary had to deal with the loss of a child. Cain her eldest killed Able. The bible is not clear regarding what influence Eve had on Cain but one may suspect that the influences Eve had may have contributed to this evil. This would not have happened if Eve would have listened to God rather than Satan.

The influences that Eve listen to brought sin into the world. Now let’s look at the influence Mary listened to

Mary’s Influence

Luke 1:35–37 NASB95

The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. “And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. “For nothing will be impossible with God.”

The angel of the Lord told Mary that the Holy Spirit would conceive in her womb the Son of God. Can you imagine something of this magnitude happening to you?

It didn’t make sense because nothing like this had ever happened nor will it ever happen again.

But Mary trusted believed the Lord. Luke 1:38

Luke 1:38 NASB95

And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

When she heard the voice of the angel of God she listened and obeyed by agreeing with God to have this happen.

Though it would be difficult for her, she submitted herself to the will of God. Because she did this the sin that Eve allowed to come into the world through her influence would be overcome by Mary’s obedience to her influence.

Application

Who you choose to influence your life will have a direct impact on your children’s life. If you choose to surround yourself with gossips, liars, and people that are not walking with the Lord then chances are your children will be influenced and do the same.

If you surround yourself with people that are following Christ, then it will show in how you raise your children. You will teach them how to see the Bible as the source of truth rather than Facebook.

The influences you allow in your life will have a direct impact on your children’s lives. I encourage you to choose wisely.

Relationship With God

Eve had a contentious relationship with God while Mary had a trusting relationship with God. We see this in their actions toward God. Although Eve had everything perfect she thought that God was holding back something from her so she took it upon herself to get what she thought she needed. It turns out that it cost her a lot.

Mary on the other hand had very little but trusted God everything. Even when things were going to be very difficult for her being pregnant out of wedlock, she trusted God to handle everything for her. He was faithful to do this. As a result Jesus was born, lived a perfect life, was crucified for our sins, and resurrected from the dead.

Mary trusted God because her relationship with Him was strong.

Application

Though your relationship with God cannot save your children, it certainly will influence them when they come to that decision themselves.

Conclusion

We see that the attitude of the heart, influnces in your life, and your relationship with God directly affect your being a poor mother or a great mother. You can follow the path of Eve or the path of Mary. The choice is yours. The price is your children!