As I have been reading through scripture this past week the Lord has been sending a theme to my heart. In 1 Peter 1:5-8 it talks about “…Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

I started asking myself about when others see me, (especially my son and soon this little wee one inside of me) observe how I go about my days, how I react, how I love, how I live, will they unmistakably see my Jesus in me? Years down the road on this journey of life will the testimony of my life shape Josiah’s love for the Lord because he witnessed his Beloved Jesus in His mommy? 

In 2 Timothy 1:5 Paul was talking to young Timothy saying, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.” Timothy’s sincere faith that dwells in him was forged from the lap of his mommy. It dwells in him because of the sincerity of the faith he saw and emulated that was in his mother and his grandmother. 

And also in 2 Timothy 3:14-15, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it  and how from infancy you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” 

Just as Paul is exhorting Timothy to continue in what he has “learned” and “firmly believed” because he (Timothy) knows those “from whom he learned it” (in this case his grandmother and his mother) Timothy knew their characters, their hearts, the “sincerity of their faith” (1:5) walked out in their daily lives. They showed him Christ though their lives, through their actions, and words, they instilled the holy scriptures in him from his infancy, planting those seeds through his childhood and all through his growing up years and because of that, because he sees Jesus in such a stunning display through the testimony of his grandmother and his mother, Timothy’s faith is sincere and rooted deeply. Because of the teachings he had at his mother’s knee, because her love for Christ so compelled her to teach her son and it spilled over every facet of her life. He saw Jesus, he fell in love with Jesus. Because of the impact his mother made on his life… because she allowed the LORD to flow through her to her son… and spill over into his life. 

“The Hand that Rocks the Cradle” 

Woman, how divine your mission,

Here upon our natal sod; 

Keep—oh, keep the young heart open 

Always to the breath of God! 

All true trophies of the ages 

Are from mother-love impearled, 

For the hand that rocks the cradle 

Is the hand that rules the world.

  William Ross Wallace (1819-1881)

A mother’s sincere faith and loving instruction in the way of the Lord will shape this child, an eternal soul, and in turn shape the world. What a vital truth I need to remind myself each day that my life and my actions are being watched, will my children see Jesus displayed? The atmosphere I create in my home will mold the minds, hearts, habits, and lifestyles of my children. What are we portraying to our children? How our we molding their minds, their hearts, their lives?  May it be eternal. Oh mothers, how divine our mission!