All over the world during Mother’s Day, multitudes will gather in churches, homes and restaurants to celebrate the mothers in their lives.  Like other holiday seasons millions will be spent on flowers, candy, and gifts as they sincerely want to bless their mothers.  However, many out of obligation or to quench any feelings of guilt, will just send a card or perhaps give their mother a call on the telephone.  Others will despise the thought of any such display toward their mother and go on with their day as any other day.

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Mother’s Day is a time of recognizing and honoring the mothers in your life: birth mothers, step-mothers, mother-in-laws, grandmothers, spiritual mothers.  Yet, how many people will simply stop there?  How many people will take into consideration all that the Lord says about honoring our mothers? What does the Bible say about the consequences of not honoring our mothers?

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The First Commandment With A Promise

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Although the commandment in Exodus 20:12 begins with “Honour thy father and thy mother,” we may not realize there is a promise that comes from honoring them.  In Ephesians 6:2 we are given the revelation that this is the first commandment given that comes with a promise of long life.

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Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.  Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)  That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.  Ephesians 6:1-3

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Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.  Exodus 21:12

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This verse clearly teaches that there is a spiritual and physical consequence to honoring or dishonoring our mother or father.  In addition, Exodus 21:12 does not say honor your mother only on a designated day, but we are to give honor to our mothers everyday.  Not only does God acknowledge the importance of honoring our mothers, but on the cross Jesus passed his responsibility to one of His beloved disciples.

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When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!  Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.  John 19:26-27

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Notice that from that very hour she was taken into his home, and although he had his own birth mother, he also honored Mary as his mother.  Mothers can come in many shapes and forms.  In the book of Ruth we see the ultimate honoring of a mother-in-law.

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“Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.”  But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.  Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”  Ruth 1:15-17 NIV

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As Naomi had lost her husband and her only sons and was all alone, Ruth was determined to stay with her and honor her in everyway that she could.  Her kindness, loyalty, valuing and caring for Naomi was rewarded by the Lord and not only were her days long upon the land that the Lord gave her, but the Messiah came from her lineage.

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The Role of Mothers

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What are we honoring?  Mothers are the child bearers and usually the primary caregivers, and because they have contact with their children over a long growing period, they have an extraordinary effect on their children.  This is especially true if she is the solo parent.  Fathers are usually not as available as mothers for many reasons; work, career, financial obligations, outside interests, lack of interest all together, to mention a few.  So, mothers, have a tremendous impact on their children.

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Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.   She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.  She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.  Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.  Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.  Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.  Proverbs 31:25-30

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We see in 2 Timothy 1:5 how with all the time a mother spends raising up her child, her faith is also passed down to her child.  When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.  Timothy gives us an example of the many godly mothers and grandmothers in our lives that have passed down blessings to us.  All of us who have had godly mother figures need to thank God.  One way to do this is to honor them on Mother’s Day.

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And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.  Deuteronomy 6:6-7