Family in Christian preaching emphasizes the home as a spiritual foundation where love, unity, and godly example shape faith across generations. Illustrations often use the imagery of houses, parental influence, and children’s growth to highlight the importance of nurturing spiritual formation and legacy within the household (Ephesians 6:4, Proverbs 22:6).
A home is defined by love and unity, not just a physical house.
A cute little girl was sitting on top of a pile of luggage in a hotel lobby. Her parents were at the desk registering for their room. A sympathetic lady asked the little girl if they were visiting relatives in the city. "Oh, no," the girl replied. "We're going to live at this hotel until we find a house. My Daddy has a new job and we had to sell our house and move." The lady said, "Oh, it's too bad you don't have a home." To which the girl replied, "Oh we have a home-it's just that we don't have a house to put it in." Your Family Devotions Are Important
Twelve convincing reasons for having family devotions:
It unifies the family and sweetens home life.
It cultivates the Christian graces and relieves tension and misunderstanding that sometimes threaten the fellowship of the home.
It aids our boys and girls in becoming Christians, and helps them to develop ideals that guide them in vital Christian living.
It yields spiritual resources for daily tasks and assists us in cultivating dependence upon God.
It strengthens us in the face of adversities and disappointments and enables us to trust Christ implicitly in all of life's circumstances.
It makes us conscious during the day of the abiding presence of our Savior and Frie nd.
It bears a Christian witness to the guests in our home.
It undergirds the Christian teaching of the Sunday School and the ministry of the church.
It affords opportunity for the Christian family to pray for and to sharpen its concern for non-Christian families.
It helps us to give a right place to spiritual values and saves us from an undue concern for the temporal things of life.
It encourages us to put Christianity into practice in our homes.
It honors God and provides an excellent outlet for the expression of our gratitude for the abundance of daily mercies and blessings which come from Him.
Christiana's journey with children shows the importance of family discipleship.
A little boy after reading Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress," asked his mother which of the characters she liked best.
She replied, "Christian, of course; he is the hero of the story."
The child responded, "Mother, I like Christiana best, because when Christian set out on his pilgrimage he went alone, but when Christiana started she took the children with her."
Raising children well is more important than maintaining appearances or property.
When he entered baseball's Hall of Fame, ex-slugger Harmon Killebrew recalled, "My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, 'You're tearing up the grass.'
"'We're not raising grass,'Dad would reply, 'We're raising boys!'"
A godly legacy profoundly impacts future generations for good or ill.
Max Jukes lived in New York. He did not believe in Christ or in Christian training. He refused to take his children to church, even when they asked to go. He has had 1,026 descendants-300 were sent to prison for an average term of 13 years each; 190 were public prostitutes; 680 were admitted alcoholics. His family thus far, has cost the state in excess of $420,000. They have made no contribution to society that is of any benefit.
Jonathan Edwards lived in the same state, at the same time as Jukes. He loved the Lord and saw that his children were in church every Sunday, as he served the Lord to the best of his ability. He has had 929 descendants-of these, 430 were ministers; 86 became university presidents; 75 authored good books; five were elected to the United States Congress and two to the Senate. One was Vice-President of this nation. His family never cost the state one cent but has contributed immeasurably to the life of plenty in this land today.
How is your influence and what legacy will you leave with your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren?
Early childhood is critical for spiritual formation and resisting Satan's influence.
Is Satan actually interested in the childhood years? After all, children from birth to six could not be any real threat to him and his forces of darkness. Or could they?
Scripture tells us that Timothy, while still young enough to have to be fed, dressed and carried, knew the Holy Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:15). He had an experiential knowledge of them; they meant something to him. Samuel's heart was already submissive at weaning when taken to the temple to serve God (1 Sam. 1). John the Baptist leaped in the womb at the presence of Jesus in Mary's womb.
It has been said, "Give me a child the first six years of his life and you can do what you will with him thereafter." It is during that short period that the bulk of a child's personality, character, habits and intellectual makeup is established.
The battle lines in the warfare for our children's souls are clear. God says, "All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children" (Isaiah 54:13, NKJV). "By the year 2000 we will, I hope," says Women's Lib advocate and Ms. magazine editor Gloria Steinem, "raise our children to believe in human potential, not God."
Already born with an "I-want-what-I-want-when-I-want-it" nature, preschoolers are ripe to fall prey to a love for the world and all that is in it (1 John 2:15-16).
Satan's snares are everywhere. The Saturday morning cartoon lineup is just one classic example. Constant scenes of violence and moral decadence purposefully desensitize impressionable minds. Hidden behind many of the seemingly cute and innocent cartoons are occult symbolisms. "Magic" lures them to eventually practice witchcraft. Youngsters, bombarded with appeals to materialism, plead, "Buy that for me, Daddy!" They can then vicariously "act out" cartoons and movies through similar toys.
Another please-meism snare are story books which convey that all of life is meant to be "fun, fun, fun." This attitude is further exemplified in shows like "Sesame Street" which teach that entertainment and education are inseparable. (Entertainment is Satan's counterfeit for joy.) Then there are Satan's whispers in parents' minds: "Play is a child's work. Let kids be kids! Their natures are innocent; they should be free to explore. Curriculum should be fun, according to the interests of each child and his experience."
Bit by bit, preschoolers can thus be taken captive because what they think upon, they will become (Proverbs 23:7).
What can concerned parents do to prevent this from happening? We must stay alert to Satan's tactics and teach our children how to put on the whole armor of God to withstand his attacks (Ephesians 6:10-12). This means actively, constantly and purposefully teaching them the love, discipline and understanding of God's Word. No time of day is exempt from this responsibility (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). Therefore, providing a God-centered, God-purposed education is also essential. In other words, every day should be consistent with Philippians 4:8. The ultimate objective should be to rear our children to view the world as a spiritual battleground-not a playground! For then they will be truly equipped for every good work, thinking and living as mature Christians (2 Timothy 3:17). A Child's Ten Commandments to Parents
My hands are small; please don't expect perfection whenever I make a bed, draw a picture, or throw a ball. My legs are short; please slow down so that I can keep up with you.
My eyes have not seen the world as yours have; please let me explore safely: don't restrict me unnecessarily.
Housework will always be there. I'm only little for such a short time-please take this time to explain things to me about this wonderful world, and do so willingly.
My feelings are tender; please be sensitive to my needs; don't nag me all day long. (You wouldn't want to be nagged for your inquisitiveness.) Treat me as you would like to be treated.
I am a special gift from God; please treasure me as God intended you to do, holding me accountable for my actions, giving me guidelines to live by, and disciplining me in a loving manner.
I need your encouragement, but not your praise, to grow. Please go easy on the criticism; remember, you can criticize the things I do without criticizing me.
Please give me the freedom to make decisions concerning myself. Permit me to fail; so that I can learn from my mistakes. Then someday I'll be prepared to make the kind of decisions life requires of me.
Please don't do things over for me. Somehow that makes me feel that my efforts didn't quite measure up to your expectations. I know it's hard, but please don't try to compare me with my brother or my sister.
Please don't be afraid to leave for the weekend together. Kids need vacations from parents, just as parents need vacations from kids. Besides, it's a great way to show us kids that your marriage is very special.
Please take me to Sunday school and church regularly, setting a good example for me to follow. I enjoy learning more about God.
Children's enthusiastic participation in family worship teaches us about genuine relationship.
Many of us come to worship expecting to be entertained. If the song leader is not great, if the preacher is not polished, and if the Scripture readers and prayer leaders are just common, they are disappointed, and often times seek a new congregation. As children participate in family devotionals, they always show great interest. The song leading is rarely great, but they are familiar with the songs so they sing with great enthusiasm. As they pray, and are led in prayer, it is with a keen interest in all that has happened that day, and with a Bible story, even if it is the twelfth time they have heard it. Why all this interest? Why are they not as "fickle" as those we mentioned above. The answer is obvious, RELATIONSHIP! Children are participating in a family event, therefore, they are interested. This is Mom and Dad stuff! Brothers and sisters are involved! This is who they are, therefore it is vital and important to them. They appreciate every little thing that is being done.
We need to let the children instruct us. We have allowed the thinking and philosophy of a spoiled world influence our thinking in the church, AND IT IS NOT GOOD! When we gather together, there is a lot of family stuff going on. Our Father is to be worshiped, our brothers are leading, our sisters are singing, there is a lot of our relationship going into that special time. What is wrong is that we have forgotten who we are, so the unique privilege is lost on us. We have come as one who expects to be entertained, not as a family member who expects to participate and appreciate. It is just that simple. If we will remember the relationship, we can better appreciate worship, even when it is not all that polished! Let the children speak!
Teenagers should learn to help and serve family, not avoid responsibility.
A teenager was lounging on the floor watching TV when the phone rang. "Hello, son," said the voice. "Where is your mother?" "She is out working in the garden." "What?" barked the father. "Your mother is not as young and strong as she used to be. Why are you not helping her?" "I can't," was the reply. "Grandma is using the other hoe."
Parents must equip children with godly values to thrive independently in life.
We want to send our children into the world with solid gold values that cannot be destroyed. A wise Dutch grandmother helped us think about it in this way: When our kids go off to camp, we don't just shove them empty-handed out the door with a cheery admonition to "have a great time!" We send them off prepared by packing a suitcase filled with all the things they'll need to survive and enjoy the experience. And if we're not sure what they'll need, we compare notes with other parents and check with the camp counselors. Since we won't be with them, we want to know they're leaving us with everything they need firmly in hand for the whole time they are away.
This defines parenting in a nutshell-but instead of Camp Muskeeta-bite-a as their destination, we're packing up our kids to head for Life. During the 18 or 20 years they'll live under our roofs, our task is to equip them with all they'll need to go on as God's people through the rest of their lives, without us constantly at their side. That means without our dollars, our direction, our discipline, or our devotion to God.
In packing for Life, forgetting to instill an essential godly quality can have devastating consequences. Not knowing how to handle money can lead to financial ruin. Not being able to establish a loving relationship can bring them to divorce. Not discovering God for themselves can leave them spiritually empty and lost.
Neglecting children's spiritual invitations leads to regret and broken family faith.
A little boy with shiny eyes,
His little face aglow.
Said, "It is time for Sunday School.
Please, Daddy, let's go!"
"Oh no," said Daddy, "Not today.
I have worked hard all week;
And I must have a day of rest,
I am going to the creek.
For there I can relax and rest,
And fishing's fine they say;
So run along, don't bother me,
We will go to church some other day."
Months and years have passed away
But Daddy hears that plea no more
"Please, let's go to Sunday School!"
Those childhood days are o'er.
Now that daddy's growing old,
When life is almost through,
He does find time to go to church,
But, what does his son do?
He says, "Old Man, you're kidding!
I have caroused around all night,
A-popping pills, and smoking pot-
You should have seen me fight!"
The daddy lifts a trembling hand
To brush away the tears,
He seems to hear the pleading voice,
Distinctly through the years.
He sees his small son's wistful face
Upturned, with eyes aglow,
Saying, "It's time for Sunday School,
Please, Daddy-won't you go?" A Father's Prayer
Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.
Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be; a son who will realize that to know Thee and know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.
Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenges. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fall.
Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.
And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.
Then, I, his father, will dare to whisper, "I have not lived in vain." The Kind of Dad I Would Buy
If I went shopping for a man to be my dad, here is what I'd buy: one who would always stop to answer a little boy's "why?" One who would always speak kindly to a little girl or boy, one who would give a bit of sunshine and joy.
I would pick a dad who followed the Bible's Golden Rule, and one who went regularly to church and Bible school. I would buy the very finest Dad to place in our family tree-and then I'd try to live like him, so he would be proud of me.
Fathers should lovingly guide, pray for, and set godly examples for their children.
Always trust them to God's care.
Bring them to church.
Challenge them to high goals.
Delight in their achievements.
Exalt the Lord in their presence.
Frown on evil.
Give them love.
Hear their problems.
Ignore not their childish fears.
Joyfully accept their apologies.
Keep their confidence.
Live a good example before them.
Make them your friends.
Never ignore their endless questions.
Open your home to their visits.
Pray for them by name.
Quicken your interest in their spirituality.
Remember their needs.
Show them the way of salvation.
Teach them to work.
Understand they are still young.
Verify your statements.
Wean them from bad company.
Expect them to obey.
Yearn for God's best for them.
Zealously guide them in biblical truth.
The most valued quality in a father is spending meaningful time with his children.
Did you ever notice in the TV family The Waltons how the father was always available; or in Little House on The Prairie, how Laura's dad was always there for the tight squeezes? Contrast these situations with the modern dad who is gone from morning to night. Things have certainly changed since the 1930s and the earlier house on the prairie days, maybe too much. Years ago, Dr. Charlie Shedd held a contest called "One Neat Dad." He asked contestants to send in letters recommending their dad for this great honor. Here's a list of the ten most appreciated qualities for "One Neat Dad."
He takes time for me.
He listens to me.
He plays with me.
He invites me to go places with him.
He lets me help him.
He treats my mother well.
He lets me say what I think.
He is nice to my friends.
He only punishes me when I deserve it.
He is not afraid to admit when he is wrong.
Qualities one to five are versions of the single word, "time!" Spell it-listen, spell it-play, spell it-help me, spell it-jump in the pickup ...it all comes out in the same four letters, T-I-M-E. Time was the most appreciated trait of "One Neat Dad"!
Children value simple, loving moments with their fathers more than grand gestures.
A prominent Philadelphia Christian businessman's wife felt he was not spending enough time with his six-year-old daughter. He decided to make up for that failing all at once.
He had his limousine driver take him to her school, where she was picked up and deposited next to him in the backseat. They took off for New York City where he had made reservations for dinner in an expensive French restaurant and had tickets to a Broadway show.
After an exhausting evening, they were driven home. In the morning, the little girl's mother could hardly wait to find out how the evening had gone. "How did you like it?"
The little girl thought a moment. "It was okay, I guess, but I would rather have eaten at McDonald's. And I did not really understand the show. But the best part was when we were riding home in that great big car and I put my head down on Daddy's lap and fell asleep." In Daddy's Shoes
I watched him playing around my door,
My neighbor's little boy of four.
I wondered why a child would choose
To wear his dad's old worn-out shoes.
I saw him try with all his might
To make the laces snug and tight.
I smiled to see him walk, and then
He'd only step right out again.
I heard him say his voice so glad,
"I want to be just like my Dad."
I hope his Dad his steps would choose
Safe for his son to wear his shoes.
And then a shout and cry of joy,
A "Hello, Dad!" and a "Hi-yu, boy!"
They walked along in measured stride
Each face aglow with love and pride.
"What have you done today, my lad?"
"I tried to wear your old shoes, Dad,
They are big but when I am a man
I'll wear your shoes. I know I can."
They stopped and stood there hand in hand
He saw his son's tracks in the sand,
His words-a prayer-came back to me,
"Lord, let my steps lead him to Thee."
Children imitate their parents, making godly example crucial for fathers.
To get his goodnight kiss he stood
Beside my chair one night
And raised an eager face to me,
A face with love alight.
And as I gathered in my arms
The son God gave to me,
I thanked the lad for being good,
And hoped he'd always be.
His little arms crept round my neck
And then I heard him say
Four simple words I can't forget
Four words that made me pray.
They turned a mirror in my soul,
On secrets no one knew.
They startled me; I hear them yet,
He said, "I'll be like you."
Expressing value and affirmation to children deeply impacts their lives and faith.
A woman in Alabama told us about being with her husband at his father's deathbed. As the end approached, the father suddenly sat upright with a look of terror on his face. "What's happening to me, son?" he cried, grasping for the younger man, and then he sank back into the pillows.
The woman's husband was so visibly shaken, he staggered out into the hall. Joining him, the wife said softly, "This must be so terrible for you to have seen your Dad dying this way."
"That's not what got to me," her husband choked out, "It's that this is the first time in my life he ever called me 'son'."
Jesus didn't wait until the cross to let His disciples know how much He valued them. When He first met Nathaniel He said, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile." And after a year or so with Simon, He said, "Blessed art thou, Simon, Bar-Jonah." The gospels radiate with His affirmations toward these and the rest of His disciples.
Children learn faith more from their fathers' actions than words.
He couldn't see much reason
To go to Bible school;
And yet he didn't argue
With Daddy's Sunday rule.
But still he often wondered-
If Daddy's words were true,
Since Bible study's needed,
Why Dad did not go too?
One day when he was angry,
His Daddy overheard
Him say in tones emphatic,
A string of ugly words.
The boy was quickly summoned,
By an indignant shout;
And as the lad stood trembling,
His Daddy cursed him out.
And then a new adventure,
The boy embarked upon;
He tried a little smoking,
Which led to more than one.
His Daddy whipped and lectured:
'Twas quite a stern attack,
And then the son gave answer:
"I got them from your pack!"
We need no application,
The truth shines bright as day;
We teach much more by doing,
Much less by what we say.
Do naught but what you truly
Desire your child to do;
He may not always hear well,
But he is watching you! The God-Image in Fathers
It has been said a child is not likely to find a Father in God unless he finds something of God in his father.
A Bible school teacher asked her class to draw a picture of God for her. A little boy finished first and said, "I drew a picture of my daddy because I don't know what God looks like, but I know what my dad looks like." (What a great responsibility we fathers have).
It is so important for us to be the kind of parents that will make our children want to honor their father and mother (Ephesians 6:1-4).
A father’s involvement and godly example nurtures a child's faith and character.
I wish you could meet my Dad;
He's really quite a guy!
I wouldn't trade with anyone,
And here's the reason why:
Whenever I have problems,
Doubts, or questions, too,
We talk them all over, Dad and I,
And find what's best to do.
He helps me practice baseball,
And gives me useful tips;
And even lets me go along
When he takes fishing trips!
Then, too, my Dad's a Christian;
We often kneel and pray;
He helps me live as Jesus taught.
Yes, sir, my Dad's O.K.
Children model their lives after their fathers' example, for better or worse.
"Well, what are you going to be, my boy,
When you have reached manhood's years:
A doctor, a lawyer, or orator great,
Moving throngs to laughter and tears?"
But he shook his head, as he gave reply
In a serious way he had:
"I don't think I'd care to be any of them:
I Want to Be Like My Dad!"
He wants to be like his dad! You Men,
Did you ever think as you pause,
That the boy who watches your every move
Is building a set of laws?
He's molding a life you're the model for,
And whether it's good or bad
Depends on the kind of example set
To the boy who'd Be Like His Dad.
Would you have him go everywhere you go?
Have him do just the things you do?
And see everything that your eyes behold,
And woo all the gods you woo?
When you see the worship that smiles in the eyes
Of your lovable little lad
Could you rest content if he gets his wish
And grows to Be Like His Dad?
It's a joy that none but yourself can fill
It's a charge you must answer for;
It's a duty to show him the road to tread
Ere he reaches his manhood's door.
It's a debt you owe for the greatest joy
On this old earth to be had;
This pleasure of having a boy to raise
Who wants to Be Like His Dad!
Prioritizing tasks over family can cause missed opportunities to cherish loved ones.
Joseph M. Stowell gives this illustration:
"I thoroughly enjoy working in my yard. I've got my own system of fertilizing my lawn, cutting it, and caring for it. One year, when my son Joe was in his early teens, I spent all spring getting the yard to look just the way I wanted. We had a basketball hoop at the end of our driveway, and on several occasions Joe came along and said, 'Dad, let's play basketball.'My response was always, 'Joe, not right now. I'm busy working in the yard.'Or, 'I've got to trim this edge here.'Or, 'I've got to do the fertilizing now.'
Later that summer, I visited a hospital on several successive nights to comfort a family whose boy-about Joe's age-was dying. One evening as I drove home, it struck me that I had a boy just like that, that it was a great gift from God to have a healthy young son, and that I had permitted things-a lawn-to eclipse the value of time with him. I drove down our street and saw my beautiful, green, wonderfully manicured lawn. I drove into the driveway, saw the basketball hoop, and thought, I don't care what I have to do tonight; one thing I'm going to do right now is play basketball with my son.
So I threw open the door and yelled, 'Hey, Joe! Let's play basketball!'And he said, 'Not right now, Dad-I'm busy.'I was convicted, and I wondered, How could I ever have let things eclipse the importance of my son?
When you think about the truth about people, beware the treachery of the seduction of things."
Children need love, fairness, and individuality respected by their mothers.
Remember...that I am a gift from God, the richest of all blessings. Do not attempt to mold me in your image, my daddy's, my brother's, or our neighbor's. I am an individual and should be permitted to be myself.
Remember...not to crush my spirit when I fail. Don't compare me with others who outshine me.
Remember...that anger and hostility are natural emotions. Help me to find outlets for these normal feelings-in play or physical exercise-or else they may be turned inward and may become much deeper and much more serious.
Remember...to discipline me with firmness and reason. Do not let your anger throw you off balance. If I know you are fair, you will not lose my respect or my love.
Remember...that each child needs two parents. When you side with me against Daddy, I have feelings of guilt, confusion and insecurity.
Remember...not to hand me everything my little heart desires. Otherwise I will never know the thrill of earning, the joy of deserving.
Remember...not to make threats in anger, or impossible promises when you are in a generous mood. To me your word means everything. When I can't believe in you and Dad, I have difficulty believing in anything.
Remember...that there is dignity in hard work, whether it is performed with calloused hands that shovel coal or skilled fingers that manipulate surgical instruments. Let me know that a useful life is a blessed one, and that a life of ease and pleasure-seeking is empty and meaningless.
Remember...not to try to protect me from every small blow and disappointment. Adversity strengthens character and makes us compassionate. Trouble is the great equalizer; let me learn it.
Remember...to teach me to love God and our fellow men. And, Mommy, please don't send me to worship service and Bible school-take me there.
A mother's love and teaching reflect God's wisdom and love.
"Do not forsake the law of your mother" (Proverbs 1:8).
The law of your mother-unwritten, but indelibly stamped upon your mind! It's the law of love, of kindness, of selflessness, of giving!
Motherhood-just think of its blessings, joys, sorrows, challenges and triumphs. There's no greater ecstasy than holding her newborn, and no greater anguish than the broken heart a child may cause. A mother's love is the nearest thing on earth to God's love.
The wisdom of God is exhibited in motherhood. We are not the by-product of some impersonal biological process. We were not made on an assembly line by the combination of chemicals. Our mothers nurtured us and formed an intimate relationship with us before we were born. She jeopardized her life for us. The greatest lessons we have ever learned have come from loving, caring, sacrificing mothers who were always available to us.
A woman's greatest, most fulfilling and far-reaching role is expressed in motherhood. LET US THANK GOD FOR CHRISTIAN MOTHERS! Let us be sensitive and grateful, not only on Mother's Day-but everyday for our mothers and the mother of our children. My Child
I do not ask that you repay
The hours of toil and pain.
The sacrifice of youth and strength
Shall not have been in vain.
I do not ask for gratitude,
But only this, my child;
That you shall live your life so well,
My gifts be not defiled.
The nights I watched beside your crib;
The years of love and care will amply be repaid;
If once I see you standing there,
An upright and honest soul,
On whom success has smiled,
That I may say with humble pride,
That's my child!
A child defines a mother as the essential caregiver and provider.
A little girl's definition of "mother": "A mother is a person who takes care of her kids and gets their meals and if she is not there when you get home from school you wouldn't know how to get your meals and you wouldn't feel like eating them anyhow."
Children worry less about mother's appreciation when they see her valued by others.
One father was such an undemonstrative man that the children used to worry, for he never seemed to show their mother proper appreciation for her gaiety and the many ways she made their shabby old house a real home. But one afternoon she stopped at a neighbor's house to help with a sick child and delayed getting back. The father arrived home from work as usual and walked into the living room, which the eight children were filling with lively commotion.
The father stood in the doorway frowning, as he was surveying the scene. "Where is everybody?" he demanded.
Those children never again worried that their mother was not appreciated.
Showing love to mothers should not be delayed until it's too late.
The man stopped at the flower shop to order some flowers to be wired to his mother who lived 200 miles away. As he got out of his car he noticed a girl sitting on the curb sobbing. He asked her what was wrong and she replied: "I wanted to buy a red rose for my mother, but I only have 75 cents and a rose costs $2.00.
The man smiled and said, "Come on in with me. I will buy you a rose for your mother." He placed his FTD order of flowers to his mother and bought a rose for the girl. As they were leaving he offered the girl a ride.
She responded, "Yes, please, if you could. Take me to my mother," and she directed him to a cemetery where she placed the rose on a freshly dug grave.
The man returned to the flower shop, canceled the wire order, picked up the flowers and drove the 200 miles to his mother's home.
Unlike birds, human mothers love and care for their children unconditionally and forever.
My son found a bird's nest. It was empty. After just one season, the mother bird was finished with it. Next year she will build another. But I am glad human mothers are not like birds.
Did you know that if someone handles eggs in a wild bird's nest the bird may stop sitting on them? And, that if a mother bird has a defective chick she will shove it out of the nest and not allow it to grow up?
Thank God our mothers care for us, regardless of the many problems we have. They take care of us when we are hurt or sick. Like God, they love us even when we do wrong things.
A mother bird keeps busy feeding her young and protecting them. That is all she does, though. Think of how often our mothers have to be nurses, teachers, housekeepers, cooks, chauffeurs, counselors, and friends. With all we ask it is a wonder they don't push us out of the nest.
Baby birds are out of the nest in one season. The mother becomes free from caring for them. Our mothers are forever. They continue to do things for us even when we get older. They never stop caring for us. They pray for us. They become grandmothers and care for our children.
Mothers are a treasure. Take a moment to meditate on all that your mother has done for you. Be sure to honor and thank the mother God gave you. A Mother's Beatitude
Blessed is the mother who understands her child, for she shall inherit a kingdom of memories.
Blessed is the mother who knows how to comfort, for she shall possess a child's devotion.
Blessed is the mother who guides by the path of righteousness, for she shall be proud of her offspring.
Blessed is the mother who is never shocked, for she shall receive confidences.
Blessed is the mother who teaches respect, for she shall be respected.
Blessed is the mother who emphasizes the good and minimizes the bad, for in like manner the child shall make evaluations.
Blessed is the mother who treats her child as she would be treated, for her home shall be filled with happiness.
Blessed is the mother who answers simply the startling questions, for she shall always be trusted.
Blessed is the mother who has character strong enough to withstand the thoughtless remarks and resentments of the growing child, for again, in due time, she shall be honored.
Faithfulness in supporting roles is as valuable as front-line service in God's work.
A few years ago a lovely Christian mother gave her pastor criticism he deserved. He had preached a strong sermon on personal evangelism pointing out every Christian's obligation to reach out and win others to the Lord. In the conclusion of the sermon he tried to obliterate every excuse that anyone might have for failure to lead others to Christ. The sermon needed to be preached, of course, as it still does. Only apparently he had been guilty of some unfair emphasis.
After the sermon he was invited home with a lovely Christian family. The husband was completing his resident work as a medical doctor, and had little spare time, but still he spent time in the church's personal work program. The wife beautifully cared for their three lovely children. All of them were very young-one still an infant in arms-and required a lot of time.
During the meal the wife asked the pastor if he remembered the Scripture, "For as his share is who goes down into battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage" (1 Samuel 30:24). He confessed his ignorance, and she gave the context of King David insisting that the home guard be rewarded equally with those who had the more obviously essential role of fighting in the front line.
And then she shared a wonderful truth which is so easily forgotten. She mentioned that she felt that taking care of children, patiently teaching them the ways of God and His great values, looking for moments of readiness to deflect them gently when they get on the wrong track was "staying with the baggage." She went on to point out that she often felt guilty for not doing more of the "church" work than she did. But she felt her greatest ministry was being a dedicated Christian mother.
My friend, all you need to say after listening to a needed reprimand like that is one word-Amen.
Teaching children obedience is foundational to their character and spiritual growth.
At a banquet, the mother of George Washington was sitting beside a distinguished French officer. Turning to Washington's mother, the officer asked, "How have you managed to rear such a splendid son?"
She replied, "I taught him to obey."
Too many people have a strong "will" and a weak "won't."
A mother's selflessness and obedience impact her family's spiritual life profoundly.
Professor William James, Harvard's famous psychologist and the author of that well-known book, The Varieties of Religious Experience, said: "A teacher asked a boy this question on fractions: 'Suppose that your mother baked an apple pie, and there were seven of you-your parents and five children. What part of the pie would you get?' 'A sixth, ma'am,' the boy answered. 'But there are seven of you,' said the teacher. 'Don't you know anything about fractions?' 'Yes, teacher,' replied the boy, 'I know all about fractions, but I know all about Mother, too. Mother would say she did not want any pie!' " The Obedient Son
A distinguished French officer asked Washington's mother how she managed to rear such a splendid son. She replied, "I taught him to obey." A Mansion Near the Throne!
Ian MacLaren, that great preacher of the Word of God, once visited a home and found an old Scotch woman standing in her kitchen, weeping. She wiped her eyes with the corner of her apron, and when the minister asked her what was the matter, she confessed, "I have done so little. I am so miserable and unhappy." "Why?" asked MacLaren. "Because I have done so little for Jesus. When I was just a wee girl, the Lord spoke to my heart, and I did want so much to live for Him." "Well, haven't you?" asked the minister. "Yes, I have lived for Him, but I have done so little. I want to be of some use in His service." "What have you done?" "Nothing. I have washed dishes, cooked three meals a day, taken care of the children, mopped the floor, and mended the clothes. That is all I have done all my life, and I wanted to do somthing for Jesus." The preacher, sitting back in the armchair, looked at her and smiled. "Where are your boys?" he inquired. She had four sons and had named them after Bible personalities. "Oh, my boys? You know where Mark is. You ordained him yourself before he went to China. Why are you asking? He is there preaching for the Lord." "Where is Luke?" questioned the minister. "Luke? He went out from your own church. Didn't you send him out? I had a letter from him the other day." Then she became happy and excited as she continued. "A revival has broken out on the mission station, and he said they were having a wonderful time in the service of the Lord!" "Where is Matthew?" "He is with his brother in China. Isn't it fine that the two boys can be working together? I am so happy about that. John came to me the other night-he is my baby and is only nineteen, but he is a great boy. He said, 'Mother, I have been praying and, tonight in my room, the Lord spoke to my heart about going to help my brother in Africa! But don't you cry, Mother. The Lord told me I was to stay here and look after you until you go home to glory.' " The minister looked at her: "And you say your life has been wasted in mopping floors, darning socks, washing dishes, and doing the trivial tasks. I'd like to have your mansion when we are called home! It will be very near the throne." A Mother Rebuked
Are all your thoughts for this life and none for eternity? A young lady of twenty, a child of rich parents, was trained by her mother in all the arts of fashionable life. The daughter was happy amid the flatteries of her admirers, and the mother's pride was satisfied. Soon sickness came, and the minister was called in. He talked of death, judgment, and eternity, and the young lady trembled. In her dying hour, she called for her fine clothes. They were brought; looking up to her mother, she said, "These have ruined me. You never told me I must die. You taught me that my life in this world was to be happy and to enjoy the vanities of life. What could you mean? You knew I must die and go to judgment. You never told me to read the Bible or go to church unless to make a display of some new clothing. Mother, you have ruined me." A few moments later, she died. The Disappointed Mother
A widow whose children had left her one by one to go to the "new country" (as she called it) heard each of them promise to save money and to send for her "very soon." Time passed; the children married and had children, but no mention came of sending for the old mother. She longed to see them, but thinking they lacked the means, she saved up enough money herself to pay them a surprise visit. But, her reception was the reverse of what she had fondly anticipated. Her children, who had prospered, seemed annoyed at their mother's coming, criticized her old-fashioned dress and speech, and had no room for her. The disappointed woman came back and entered a home for the aged, where she proved a blessing to all about her, shedding on those around her the love that her own children had rejected. No bitterness remained in the heart of the aged saint. "It seems to me that I knew what our Lord suffered," she told a friend, "when He came to His own dear people and they gave Him the cold shoulder. Just think! He came unto His own and His own received Him not! I can understand how that wounded His loving heart." Yet she could praise God for the experience since it drew her closer to her Savior and made her more compassionate toward others.
A mother's quiet witness of Christ can lead to radical heart change in her child.
A university student who had filled his wall with indecent pictures received an unexpected visit from his mother. She never said a word about them or gave any indication she had noticed them. But before she left she hung a picture of Christ in the middle of the other pictures. When she visited him again, the only picture hanging on the wall was Christ's. God had radically changed her son's heart.
A mother's persistent love reflects God's unfailing love for His wandering children.
A young man who was tired of the monotony and the restrictions of home decided to leave, to go to a place where he could wander and be free. He got fed up with that, however, as he realized it was not what he had dreamed it would be. He decided to write to his mother and tell her that he was going to take the train back home. He told her that if she still wanted him, she should hang a white handkerchief on top of the tree in their yard which could easily be seen before the train stopped at the little home-town station. How amazed the wandering young man was when he found that his mother had used every available handkerchief to hang on the various branches of the tree. He could not understand how his mother could continue to love him. It was a mystery to him that his mother's love had increased instead of diminished. It is so with the love of God for the wandering child.
Lack of supervision, not just physical needs, can cause harmful behavior in children.
A mother made an appointment with her young child's pediatrician. She said she had noticed that he had eaten dirt on several occasions.
To the doctor, she said, "I've always heard that if a child eats dirt, there is some deficiency. Do you think his dirt-eating indicates a lack of something?"
The doctor replied, "Yes-very definitely. A lack of supervision!"
Integrity must be taught at home; external defenses fail without it.
In ancient China, the people desired security from the barbaric hordes to the north, so they built the great Chinese wall. It was so high they knew no one could climb over it and so thick that nothing could break it down. They settled back to enjoy their security. During the first 100 years of the wall's existence, China was invaded three times. Not once did the barbaric hordes break down the wall or climb over the top. Each time they bribed a gatekeeper and then marched right through the gates. The Chinese were so busy relying upon the walls of stone that they forgot to teach integrity to their children. A Dollar for Your Child
"Bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4).
His name was Rusty, and he was barely 11 years old. He still had the look of a little boy. He was homeless, not old enough to be hardened, but certainly old enough to be frightened. His mother lived in town, but she didn't want him.
Rusty lived in the alley behind the shop of one of our church members. He slept in a cardboard box.
In an effort to get legal custody transferred to a Christian foster home, a little group met in an attorney's office: Rusty, Rusty's mother, the social worker, the attorney, and a pastor. They were severing all legal ties between Rusty and his mother ...and she did not care. The attorney carefully explained to Rusty's mother what was happening. He wanted to make sure that she understood that, in effect, she was losing all rights to her boy. Everyone was on the verge of tears-all except Rusty's mom.
Then came the question. The attorney worded it carefully, "Mrs. Brown, do you understand that when you sign this form, you are signing over all legal custody to the designated children's home?" She nodded her head in the affirmative. "Mrs. Brown, do you have any questions?" She had only one. "Do I get any money for this?" she asked. Everyone seemed dazed by this sledgehammer query. There was a long pause. Finally, 11-year-old Rusty pulled out his pocket book, extracted a dollar he had earned sweeping floors, and gave it to his mother. And she took it!
In less obvious ways, all over America, there are parents who are trading their parental responsibilities for the almighty dollar. Kids shouldn't have to grow up by themselves. Let me paraphrase: "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world ...and loses his own children?"
Parents must actively teach, model, and plan for their children's spiritual growth.
President Theodore Roosevelt had four sons. He was very proud when the first three sons announced their intention to join the military. But when his fourth son also decided to join the Army, the old Roughrider balked. "Not all my boys," he said to his wife. But she replied, "Ted, if you raised them as eagles you cannot expect them to fly like sparrows."
Every parent should have a dream for his or her children. Isaiah put it this way: "And all your sons will be taught of the Lord; and the well being of your sons will be great" (Isaiah 54:13). Three things to consider:
You announce what you want your child to be by what you teach him. It is not the church's responsibility to teach your children. It is yours as a mother and father. One man had been in a non-Sunday School congregation. When asked why, he said, "We did not object to classes. What we were afraid of was that parents would quit teaching at home." Was he right?
You announce what you want your child to be by the example you set. It is amazing how some parents put the ball games, camping trips, and fishing trips above attending worship, and then are amazed that their children leave the church. Someone wrote, "What you are thunders so loudly that I cannot hear what you say."
You announce what you want your child to be by the plans you make for him. Your children know if something is really important to you. Have you been saying from the time they started school, "Now make good grades so that someday you can go to college." They know how important that is to you. Have you encouraged them to be a preacher, a missionary, Bible school teacher, elder, etc.? By your plans, you have told them what you think is important. Will Your Children Go to Heaven?
One congregation found that where both parents were faithful to the Lord, including active interest in the local congregation's programs, 93 percent of the kids remained faithful. On the other hand, if only one of the parents was faithful, that figure dropped to 73 percent. Where the parents were only what we would call reasonably active in the Lord's work, only 53 percent of the young people maintained their faith.
Now here comes the shocker: In those cases where both parents attended only infrequently, the percentage of their children who remained faithful to the Lord dropped to 6 percent. Want your children to go to heaven? Then make certain you are leading them.
A mother's persistent love seeks reconciliation between a quarrelling father and son.
There was an Englishman who had an only son; and only sons are often petted, and humored, and ruined. This boy became very headstrong, and very often he and his father had trouble. One day they had a quarrel and the father was very angry, and so was the son; and the father said he wished the boy would leave home and never come back. The boy said he would go, and would not come into his father's house again till he sent for him. The father said he would never send for him. Well, away went the boy. But when a father gives up a boy, a mother does not. You mothers will understand that, but the fathers may not. You know there is no love on earth so strong as a mother's love. A great many things may separate a man and his wife; a great many things may separate a father from his son; but there is nothing in the wide world that can ever separate a true mother from her child. To be sure, there are some mothers that have drank so much liquor that they have drunk up all their affection. But I am talking about a true mother; and she would never cast off her boy.
Well, the mother began to write and plead with the boy to write to his father first, and he would forgive him; but the boy said, "I will never go home till father asks me." Then she pled with the father, but the father said, "No, I will never ask him." At last the mother came down to her sick-bed, broken-hearted, and when she was given up by the physicians to die, the husband, anxious to gratify her last wish, wanted to know if there was nothing he could do for her before she died. The mother gave him a look; he well knew what it meant. Then she said, "Yes, there is one thing you can do. You can send for my boy. That is the only wish on earth you can gratify. If you do not pity him and love him when I am dead and gone, who will?" "Well," said the father, "I will send word to him that you want to see him." "No," she says, "you know he will not come for me. If ever I see him you must send for him."
At last the father went to his office and wrote a dispatch in his own name, asking the boy to come home. As soon as he got the invitation from his father he started off to see his dying mother. When he opened the door to go in he found his mother dying, and his father by the bedside. The father heard the door open, and saw the boy, but instead of going to meet him, he went to another part of the room, and refused to speak to him. His mother seized his hand--how she had longed to press it! She kissed him, and then said, "Now, my son, just speak to your father. You speak first, and it will all be over." But the boy said, "No, mother, I will not speak to him until he speaks to me." She took her husband's hand in one hand and the boy's in the other, and spent her dying moments in trying to bring about a reconciliation. Then just as she was expiring--she could not speak--so she put the hand of the wayward boy into the hand of the father, and passed away! The boy looked at the mother, and the father at the wife, and at last the father's heart broke, and he opened his arms, and took that boy to his bosom, and by that body they were reconciled. Sinner, that is only a faint type, a poor illustration, because God is not angry with you.
I bring you to-night to the dead body of Christ. I ask you to look at the wounds in his hands and feet, and the wound in his side. And I ask you, "Will you not be reconciled?"
A wife's joyful reunion with her husband after years apart shows deep conjugal affection.
A woman who had not seen her husband for three long years, caught sight of him in the ranks of one of the returning regiments in Portland recently, as it was marching through the streets. The overjoyed woman rushed to the ranks, embraced and kissed her husband, and marched along by his side amid the cheers of the spectators.
True affection is shown by willing sacrifice and tender care for loved ones.
Xenophon relates, that when an Armenian prince had been taken captive, with his princess, by Cyrus, and was asked what he would give to be restored to his kingdom and liberty, be replied, "As for my kingdom and liberty, I value them not; but, if my blood would redeem my princess, I would cheerfully give it for her." When Cyrus had liberated them both, the princess was asked, "What think you of Cyprus?" She replied, "I did not observe him: my whole attention was fixed upon the generous man who would have purchased my liberty with his life."
Joy in victory can come from the desire to please and honor one’s parents.
Epaminondas was one of the greatest generals of Greece. When he had conquered Sparta and delivered Greece, in the midst of universal applause he was heard to say, "My joy arises from my sense of that which the news of my victory will give my father and mother."
— L. M. Stretch
A daughter secretly nourished her imprisoned mother with her own milk, showing deep filial love.
Valerius Maximus relates, that a woman of distinction, having been condemned to be strangled, was delivered to the triumvir, who caused her to be carried to prison in order to be put to death. The jailer who was ordered to execute her was struck with compunction, and could not resolve to kill her. He chose, however, to let her die with hunger; but, meanwhile, suffered her daughter to visit her in prison, taking care that she brought her nothing to eat. Many days passed over in this manner, when the jailer, at length, surprised that the prisoner lived so long without food, and suspecting the daughter, took means of secretly observing their interviews. He then discovered that the affectionate daughter had all the while been nourishing her mother with her own milk. Amazed, at so tender, and at the same time so ingenious, an artifice, he related it to the triumvir, and the triumvir to the praetor, who thought the fact merited stating in the assembly of the people. This produced the happiest effects: the criminal was pardoned, and a decree passed that the mother and the daughter should be maintained for the remainder of their lives at the expense of the public, and that a temple, sacred to filial piety, should be erected near the prison. Percy.
A child’s innocent view values a mother as the noblest creation of God.
A boy of three years of age, hearing a visitor of his father's make use of the popular saying, that "an honest man is the noblest work of God," made this innocent annotation upon it: "No, sir: my mamma is the noblest work of God!"
Two brothers carried their elderly parents from a besieged city, showing devotion.
An ancient city was besieged, and at length obliged to surrender. In the city were two brothers, who had obliged the conquering general, and received permission to leave the city before it was set on fire, taking with them as much of their property as each could carry. The two youths appeared at the gates of the city, one of them carrying their father, and the other their mother.
Alexander valued his mother’s tears more than harsh criticism against her.
Olympias, Alexander's own mother, was of such an unhappy disposition, that he would never let her have any concern in the affairs of the government. She used frequently to make very severe complaints on that account; but he always submitted to her ill humor with great mildness and patience. Antipater, one of his friends, having one day wrote a long letter against her, the king, after reading it, replied, "Antipater does not know that one single tear shed by my mother will obliterate ten thousand such letters as this."
A son urges his exhausted father to save himself for the sake of the mother.
A father and son were fishing near New-York city. The boat was suddenly capsized, and they were thrown into the water. The father, who was not an expert swimmer, while his son could not swim at all, at once commenced to aid the lad. He, seeing that his father was becoming exhausted, calmly said to him, "Never mind me: save yourself, for mother's sake." Both his father and himself were rescued.
Two brothers contend to sacrifice themselves to save the other, showing brotherly love.
The Emperor Augustus having taken Adiatoriges, a prince of Cappadocia, together with his wife and children, in war, and led them to Rome in triumph, gave orders that the father and the elder of the brothers should be slain. The ministers of execution, on coming to the place of confinement, inquired which was the eldest? On this, there arose an earnest contention between the two young princes, each of them affirming himself to be the elder, that, by his own death, he might preserve the life of his brother. When they had continued this heroic and fraternal emulation for some time, the afflicted mother with much difficulty prevailed on her son Dytentus, that he would permit his younger brother to die in his stead, hoping that by him she might still be sustained. When Augustus was told of this example of brotherly love, he regretted his severity, and gave an honorable support to the mother and her surviving son. Percy
A wounded soldier stays beside his dead brother until he is buried, showing devotion.
Two days after the terrible battle of Chickamauga, I was passing over the battle field. In a thick clump of bushes, on the side of a ravine, I saw a young man seated beside a tree, with his arm bandaged. Seeing that his arm was badly wounded, I asked why he had not gone to the hospital in the rear. He replied, pointing to a corpse that lay near by "That is my brother; and I have determined never to leave him until he is buried." I had the dead man buried, and the wounded brother taken care of. Memphis Advocate
An elder brother dies trying to save his younger brother who fell through the ice.
"O Charlie! be careful, little brother you are skating too near that hole." The words came too late. Charlie did not see the sole, and before his brother had finished speaking, he saw the little fellow go out of sight under the ice. With all speed Harry hastened to the spot; he could see his brother, and, creeping to the edge, he reached out his hand; but the ice was not strong enough to hold him, and he fell in. Other boys, hearing their cries, were soon on the spot. Henry caught his little brother, held him up where strong arms could reach him. "Save, oh, save my brother!" he cried; then sank to rise no more. The elder brother gave his life for the younger.
A father and his two sons perish together while trying to rescue each other from serpents.
While the citizens of Troy were deliberating over the wooden horse which the Greeks had left, there came two huge serpents from the sea directly to the spot where Laocoön and his two sons stood. They first attacked the children, winding around their bodies. Laocoön attempted to rescue them from the tightening coils of the serpents, but in vain. They enveloped him, also, and father and children perished together. The most famous piece of statuary in existence—that of Laocoön and his children in the embrace of the serpents—commemorates this event.
A soldier dies holding a picture of his children, leading to an orphanage's founding.
After the battle of Gettysburg, a soldier was found dead upon the field, holding in his hand the picture of three small children. No clew to his name could be found. In the terrors of battle he had comforted himself with this picture. It was published, and by this means the children were found in a village of Western New York. The sale of this picture resulted in the founding of the "National Orphan Homestead" at Gettysburg, where the Humiston children, the originals of the picture, find a home, and their mother is the matron.
A dying poor girl is glad because her siblings will now have enough to eat.
A poor little girl in the Fourth Ward, New York, as she was dying, said, "I am glad I am going to die, because now my brothers and sisters will have enough to eat!"
Children connect a man to his community, enabling him to contribute effectively.
What would an engine be to a ship if it were lying loose in the hull? It must be fastened to it with bolts and screws before it can propel the vessel. Now, a childless man is like a loose engine. A man must be bolted and screwed to the community before he can work well for its advancement; and there are no such screws and bolts as children. Beecher.
Children enrich a poor man’s life more than wealth could.
I remember a great man coming into my house at Waltham; and, seeing all my children standing in the order of their age and stature, he said, "These are they that make rich men poor." But he straight received this answer, "Nay, my lord, these are they that make a poor man rich; for there is not one of these whom we would part with for all your wealth." Bp. Hall.
