Everyone wants a good mother, and most mothers want to be the best mother possible. Good mothers are needed today. The poet William Ross Wallace wrote "the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." That statement was penned in 1865 and the sentiment has not changed – nor has the need.
Mothers must understand the important role they play in their children’s lives. While dads are important, moms normally have the greatest influence on the leaders of tomorrow. God’s word tells about many mothers who influenced their children for good.
In the Old Testament, Hannah stands out as a good mother. She desperately wanted a child. Her wisdom is seen as when faced with a problem for which she could find no solution, so she turned to God.
Mothers today should follow this example of turning to God as they contemplate being a mother and especially after the children arrive. Mothers should remember to pray and pray often for their children and for themselves to be the best mother possible.
While many books have been written about motherhood, the best book on the market for raising children is the Bible. Prayer and Bible study should be a part of each little one’s formative years.
Hannah made a promise to God that she would dedicate a child to God, if she had one. She was willing to keep her promise to God and brought the young lad to Eli just as she had promised.
"And she said, … For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore, also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there" (1 Sam. 1:26-28).
Notice she "lent him to the Lord." What a wonderful thing for a mother to do. More of Hannah’s willingness to train boys to follow God and then to encourage them to become preachers of the gospel are needed.
Children need the example of both mothers and fathers becoming Christians, working diligently for God and putting God first at all time.
In the book of Ruth is another example of a good mother. She endured many hardships in her life. Her family lived during the time of a great famine and had to travel to a foreign land (Moab) to find food.
This would be a great hardship, but more happened to her. Her husband died, leaving her with her two sons (Ruth 1:3). Some women might have given up and turned from God, but evidence shows Naomi continued to serve her God.
Her sons marry women of Moab, Orpah and Ruth. They resided there about 10 years and the sons died. Naomi heard the famine was no longer in her homeland, so she set about to go back, leaving Moab.
She told her daughters-in-law of her plans and told them to return to their homes. Ruth shows us by her statement to Naomi the influence Naomi had been on her: "Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me" (Ruth 1:16,17).
Matthew records the name of Ruth in the lineage of Christ.
When one gets to the New Testament, two mothers that stand out as those who made a difference in the lives of their children are Lois and Eunice.
Paul said, "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" (2 Tim. 1:5). By this passage the faith and love of both women is seen.
Their instruction of Timothy in the scriptures, serves as an example for mothers to do the same. "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 3:15).
There are a lot of books to help with children, but the Bible is the book all need in their lives. Being a mother is a great thing, but proper training of a child must occur. The Bible should be the first book used to train a child.