As mothers, we know that our kids need us. We know (at least in our heads) that what we do is important. We know that we can teach our children many things. Sometimes we just forget the importance of our work. How many of us think of motherhood as a mission field? Do you see it that way? Are you looking for ways to share the gospel with those around you, but forgetting how important it is to invest in the spiritual lives of your children?
What is Missionary Motherhood?
As mothers, we are true missionaries to our children. Unfortunately, we often forget to look at motherhood in that way. It is from us that our children learn the most, especially as they are growing.
Sharing the Gospel
As followers of Jesus, we are to spread the good news of the Gospel with those around us. How are you supposed to do that when you are home all day every day with your children? You barely make it out to go grocery shopping! Don’t forget, you have your children with you all the time. They may not act like it, but they are hearing what you tell them. They hear when you talk about the Gospel…when you tell how Jesus died for them…over and over again. Your children are learning from what you say AND what you do.
Models of the Gospel in action
As I just mentioned, your children learn from what you do-how you live. That can be daunting because we mess up all. the. time! However, when we mess up, we are teaching forgiveness. As we go through the day to day, week to week, year to year, we live out what God has called us to. We model it. This will not look the same as we go through the different seasons of our lives. Let me share some of the ways that we as mothers model the Christian walk to our children.
- We show them how to love and minister to others, especially those in need or those who are different from us.
- Model daily prayer and time in God’s Word.
- Sponsor children in need from around the world. We love Compassion International!
- Foster/adopt children who need a loving family. Share Jesus with them.
- Be an ambassador for Christ with your own children as well as those around you. Bring God into many of your conversations.
- Welcome others into your home. Be hospitable.
- Show them how a godly marriage is supposed to work.
- Model what it looks like to be involved in a local body of believers.
The heart of the Gospel is sacrifice
The very heart of the Gospel is sacrifice. Jesus gave up heaven to come to earth…as a baby…to grow up slowly…only to be separated from God when He died for our sins. He gave up everything! As Christ-followers, we are also called to give up everything. We are now His! As we follow God in our motherhood, we give up our time, our resources, our personal goals, our privacy and space, and sometimes even careers. Just like a missionary, we are giving up so much to follow God’s calling on our lives. Motherhood is definitely a mission field!
What does the Bible say about the role of a mother? To learn more about being a godly mother, check out these 10 characteristics of a good mother according to the Bible.
Making disciples
Just before returning to heaven, Jesus told his disciples to make disciples of all nations, teaching them what they had learned from their time with Jesus. As missionaries to our children, we need to talk to our children not just about what Jesus did for us but tell them about who He is, how He worked through history, and what He wants from us. We need to teach them to take everything back to the truth of the Bible. Our worldview, daily decisions, and life decisions need to reflect those truths. Train your children how to do that. Guide them.
Importance of a mother’s teaching
There are several verses in Proverbs that tell us not to forsake our mother’s teaching and to bind it to our hearts. Deuteronomy 6:7-9 reminds us to teach God’s ways diligently to our children…all the time. Proverbs 31 talks about how a godly woman will have wisdom and kindness on her tongue. Our mission is of the
Motherhood is a Calling
So, my friend, are you ready to embrace the mission field of motherhood? Psalm 127 reminds us of what a blessing our children are. Ephesians 4:1 tells us to walk in a way that’s worthy of our calling. Yes, motherhood is a calling. If you have a child, or 2 or 6, then motherhood is your calling; and motherhood is your primary mission field. We are raising warriors for God’s kingdom!
Which of these is the most challenging for you? Please comment below.
We’re all in this together!
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