Faith & Insight: Happy Mother’s Day

As Mother’s Day approached, I was reflecting on how blessed I am to have such great mothers in my life.

My wife is an amazing example of motherhood. She is a caring person and always considering the interests of our children above her own. She thinks about things I would not have and loves in ways I am incapable of. I am deeply grateful for her and amazed at the grace God has given me.

The older I become the more I come to appreciate my mother. She stayed at home and cared for her family. Often this was a thankless job which she held with dignity. Because of her, I grew up feeling loved and cared for. She is a model of motherhood.

When I look to scripture, the mother of Jesus is perhaps the greatest example of what it takes to be a godly mom. She was after all chosen, above all others, to be the mother of the messiah. The Bible tells us that she was “highly favored” and that the Lord was with her. However, we know very little about how she gained this status.

Mary seemed ordinary. She was a young woman pledged to be married at an early age. She came from a modest family and lived in a small town in which nothing good was thought to come from. It was this seemingly ordinary person that God chose to do an extortionary thing.

Luke does tell us some things that give us an insight into Mary’s character and why God had chosen her. He writes that the angel Gabriel came to her and with a message. She had found favor with God and was going to conceive and give birth to a son. He would be great and would be son of the most high. Although Mary questioned the nature of a virgin birth, she quickly answered by saying, “I am the Lord’s servant, may your word to me be fulfilled.”

It is in Mary’s reply that her “highly favored” character shines through. It shows her to be selfless and obedient to the will of God. For most the message would have been met with apprehension. At this time, a child outside of marriage would lead to rejection from her family, she could have lost her future husband, and would have been looked down on by her community. However, Mary did not consider the threat that obedience would have had on her social status, but only concerned herself with following God’s plan.

Mary is an example of selfless devotion to God. The character that made her a great mom was her response to His call. She answered with faith over the fear of social judgment and was obedient regardless of the cost. This is the model of motherhood that God highly favors. It is what he is looking for in mothers today.

This Mother’s Day show him your devotion. Be a godly example to your children. Show them that above all else you are the Lord’s servant. Happy Mother’s Day.

Micheal Hurlbert is the pastor of Carson City’s First Christian Church.