I have been on the mission field for almost 5 months now. I have committed my life to Christ, and He guides me and is the sole reason for my salvation, but if it were not for my mother’s faithfulness to God and to our family, I don’t know where I would be. She has been faithful to loving me even when as a child or teenager I seemed unloveable. There were many times in middle school that I would despise my mother’s ideas or teachings and openly tell her so. I can look back on that now and can see God in her. Our relationship over the years has become more and more redeemed because I came closer and closer to Christ into a place where she already was and I thank God for that. I thank God for a mother who stuck it out and disciplined me and the rest of us (except David, he was never disciplined). I can only see the truth and how her discipline has changed the way I act and my relationship with Christ now that I’m seeking God in every part of my life. I can’t tell you the number of things my mother put on my tongue to remind me that nothing unwholesome should come out of it (Eph. 4:29). I can’t tell you the number of times I was grounded to my room because of disobedience; all to show me that it was not of God (Col. 3:20). Everything she did whether in discipline or in good deed was to point me to Christ. It came out of the overflow of God’s grace (1 Tim 1:14) that she was able to provide me with grace. It was out of the overflow of comfort that she was able to comfort me (2 Cor. 1:3-4). I say all this to say to mothers and fathers everywhere seek first Christ. Seek Him in all that you do. It will become evident in the way you discipline and your attitude and actions that Christ is at the center. It may not be evident to your son or daughter in that moment; it may take time.
I love my mother. She has undoubtedly shown Christ to me and THAT is ALL that will matter for eternity. Not the gifts under a tree or the types of candy in an Easter basket. Christ. Christ is everything. Put that on display for your son and daughter. Thank you Dena Bowman for your wisdom, your discernment, your discipline, your love, and your perseverance. You have shown me how to love like Christ and I will never depart from that. (Prov. 22:6).
