Our church has hosted an event several years that involves a potter working at his wheel, shaping clay into vessels. The mesmerizing scene includes scriptures from Jeremiah declaring the Word of God, “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel” (Jeremiah 18:6). The fingerprints of God are on our lives as He shapes us into vessels of honor that can be used for His glory.
God uses mothers as tools for this work. Mothers have an influence on children that is hard to measure. Paul said to Timothy, “I thank God…when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also” (II Timothy 1:3,5). The Christian faith in Timothy’s family was passed down from generation to generation through the women.
What fuels the influence in a mother’s life?
First, her influence is found in the words of her mouth. Proverbs 31 celebrates and describes the godly woman. Verse 26 states, “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.” Wisdom and kindness mark the words she speaks. Wisdom shapes the child’s heart to follow God. Kindness softens the mother’s correction in a moment of discipline. The truth is, sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can do a lot of damage, too. Kindness is a powerful tool in dealing with others.
Second, her influence is found in the prayers of her heart. Hannah longed for a child, and God granted her prayer. She committed that child to the Lord in prayer. Children who watch their mother pray understand that her strength comes from God. She intercedes to the Lord for the provision, protection and salvation of her children. The godly woman of Proverbs 31 has a deep reverence for God that is known in her household (Vs. 30).
Third, a mother’s influence is rooted in her care for her family. Second to the Lord, her husband and children are her greatest concern. Proverbs 31 says of the godly woman, “The heart of her husband safely trusts her” (Vs. 11). This same woman is praised by her children (Vs. 28). The attitude of the home is shaped by the loving care of the godly woman.
George Washington once confessed, “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.”
A child’s life is deeply impacted by a mother’s influence. Her fingerprints, spiritually speaking, are all over the lives of her children. They are like clay in her hands. God bless our mothers, and may God bless families with many more godly mothers.