And so I want to preach this morning, obviously, on the topic of motherhood, and it is an important
topic.
It's probably one that we really don't preach about enough, but obviously there's a lot
of other things we've got to preach, but I don't want to ever have this attitude as a
preacher that the Mother's Day sermon is just something I've got to kind of get out of the
way.
I've just got to kind of pay my dues to the moms in the crowd and just preach their service
otherwise I'm going to be in hot water.
It's a really important job, the job of a mother.
It's something that we need to encourage ladies to do and to help with.
I'm going to try to preach a more practical sermon for the ladies.
Normally it's one you try to encourage ladies and things like that, and of course that's
something we want to do, but sometimes we just need to hear some nuts and bolts about
how to actually live things in our Christian life and how actually to do things.
Because the motherhood is a job that requires skills and abilities that must be developed.
I want to preach a sermon titled The Seven Skilled Positions of a Mother.
We could talk about how a mother, she's just fulfilling one role, but really a mother is
actually fulfilling several different positions.
I'm going to just go through seven that I thought of, but we could probably sit around
and brainstorm some other, we could add to the sermon.
We could add other positions to this, but I want to preach this morning about the seven
skilled positions of a mother.
Make no mistake about it, they are skilled.
That's what I was beginning to say is that the role of a mother is a very skilled position.
It's one that, yes, we should encourage ladies to endeavor to do and things like that, but
also at the same time, we have to sometimes just preach about the basics, how to actually
go about fulfilling this role of a mother and the many roles that she plays within that role.
So we want to help mothers who are or are beginning to keep house.
And that's what we're going to be preaching about is keeping house.
That is the role of a mother.
And that's not a popular message today to say that a woman's place is in the home, but
we're not here to be popular.
We're here to be biblical.
And that's what the Bible clearly teaches.
We don't make any apologies for that.
And that's not to downplay a woman's worth or value.
In fact, I think it is emphasizing her worth and value.
It's a very difficult position.
It's a very skilled position that a woman is called to to keep house, to raise children,
and so on and so forth.
And here's the thing.
The skills that a mother must possess to do this job well are not intrinsic.
They don't just come naturally.
They're things that have to be developed.
Now, obviously, some aspects of motherhood come naturally, the nurturing, the caring,
the love.
That's something that should just be there, and it is.
But the skills to perform that job well as a mother are things that have to be developed
or things that have to be learned and put into practice.
And I believe many mothers struggle today because they have not refined these skills.
They have not refined these skills that are required in order to be successful in the
roles that they're called to play.
And again, many aspects of motherhood are inherent.
But like any skilled position, skills, abilities have to be developed.
You think about any other job.
Just walk into some skilled position as whatever.
You want to take the job of some craftsman.
No one just steps into that knowing everything about how to build some ornate piece of furniture
and how to finish it, make it look nice and everything.
They have to learn all the skills, finding the lumber, picking it out, crafting it, joining
it, finishing it.
There's a lot of skills.
There's usually an apprenticeship that's involved in something like that.
So it'd be foolish to sit back and think, well, every mother should just know how to
do everything right out of the gate.
That's not the case.
And the Bible shows us that it is actually something, there are a lot of skills that
have to be taught and learned by mothers in order to fulfill the skilled positions that
they are called to.
We're going to look at several of these skills that have to be learned, that have to be refined
in order for mothers to succeed at their job.
And I say job, that's what it is, it's work.
But I'll also say this, at their God-given roles.
This is a God-given role.
This isn't just, you know, my personal dogma, this isn't just my personal creed or the dogma
of the church.
This is what the Bible teaches.
This is the role that a woman is called to fulfill.
We read it this morning.
If you're in Titus chapter 2, keep something in Titus 2, we're going to be coming back
later.
I'm going to have you bookmark a few places this morning.
But it says there in verse 1, but speak thou the things which become sound doctrine.
So he's saying, here's what I want you to preach Titus, and then he calls it sound doctrine.
So the verses following are what?
Sound doctrine.
Okay?
And he addresses what?
The roles of men and women.
And he says that the aged men may be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith and charity
and patience.
The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers,
not given to much wine, teachers of good things, that they may teach the young women to be
sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, and what?
Keepers at home.
That's the role they're called to play.
Good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
So first of all, mothers must understand their role as a keeper at home.
And while that is increasingly undervalued by society, it is God-ordained.
Which means this, that it's of great importance.
Regardless of whatever worth the world does or does not put upon that position, God has
ordained it and therefore it is a very high calling to be a keeper at home.
So the Bible commands it.
You go over to 1 Timothy chapter 5, 1 Timothy chapter number 5.
He says in 1 Timothy chapter number 5, I'll begin reading in verse 14, I will therefore.
So what's God's will?
For the younger women, right?
I will therefore that the younger women.
So I want to know God's will for my life.
Are you sure?
Because it doesn't have anything to do with being a marine biologist.
He says I will therefore that the younger women, what, marry, bear children, guide the
house.
Not pursue your dreams in your 20s, run around in your 30s, and when you feel like settling
down and having a few kids, get to it.
That's not what he said.
But that's what society teaches, isn't it?
He said I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house,
give none occasionally the adversary to speak reproachfully, for some are already turned
aside after Satan.
So that's a pretty interesting contrast there, isn't it?
You got God's will, and then you got being turned aside after Satan.
You say, well, no, I'm liberated.
I'm out, I'm free, I'm running around, I'm having a good time.
I might not be doing God's will, but it's not that bad.
Well, the Bible says you're turned aside after Satan because you're doing things the way
he wants you to do.
Make no mistake about it, the devil, he wants women to do everything but what the Bible
commands, just like he would for men.
He doesn't want men to be strong, to be leaders, to be providers.
He wants to disrupt the family unit because of the fact that that's what God has ordained
for us, the family unit.
So the alternative to God's will is Satan's will.
Keep something, I Timothy 5, go to Proverbs 31.
These are where we're going to be.
If you want to just keep something Titus, Timothy, somewhere in there, they're so close
together, don't sprain a thumb or anything.
Proverbs 31, verse 27, talking about the virtuous woman, the woman that's going to be preached
about all across this country and world today, on Mother's Day.
It says she, the virtuous woman, looketh well to the ways of her household.
That's what she's concerned with.
That's what her priority is, her household, keeping house, and eateth not the bread of
idleness.
They, oh, these housewives are lazy.
Oh, these housewives, what have they accomplished is what the world would say.
But anyone who's actually tried to fulfill that role well knows the work that goes into
it.
And us husbands who have wives that are fulfilling these roles, we see and we know behind the
scenes there's a lot of blood, sweat, and tears going on to fulfill that role, to look
after that household.
She eateth not the bread of idleness.
The devil does not want this position of motherhood to be fulfilled, and he does not want it to
be fulfilled well.
So this indicates to us the vital importance of a mother.
Look, if Satan is taking the time to turn women aside after his will, that should just
show us how important God's will is for ladies, how important this role really is that the
devil would take the time to try and disrupt that.
So while, just kind of as means of introduction, we see that the role of the mother is not
to be underestimated.
And that the role of the mother is a skilled position, and I want to talk to you this morning
about several of those positions and how we can improve upon them as mothers.
Now while every position of a mother is essential, no doubt some of them are more menial than
others, aren't they?
There's the menial tasks, right?
The mundane labors, the lesser skilled positions, which really, if we're being honest, probably
take up quite a bit of time.
The cleaning, right?
And I want to talk about the first position of motherhood.
It is skilled, no doubt about it, but it is more of a menial one, isn't it?
And that would be, as the PC crowd would call, an environmental engineer.
That is a term out there.
My mom worked at the hospital as a switchboard operator during the Clinton years or whoever
it was that brought all that PC talk in, and so we no longer refer to them as janitors.
They are now environmental engineers, right, because they're engineering the cleanliness
of the environment around you.
They're still running it when you say, wow, did they take more on, are they doing more
than just mopping floors and sweeping and dusting?
No, they just sound more important, right?
Now it is important, isn't it?
I mean, try not cleaning and see what happens.
Try not running the vacuum, try not dusting, try not cleaning, try not doing the dishes.
It's unsanitary.
So the very first position I want to talk to the ladies about is one they're all probably
very familiar with, and that is of an environmental engineer, I'm putting it nicely, a maid cleaning
up.
And this is a very tough job, in large part because it is so mundane and because it is
very menial, and that's what the world will look at, and really that's the only thing
they see.
Oh, you're just there to pick up his socks and make his food.
And they can say that in a very demeaning way.
And you can kind of understand, you know, they think that's all there is to being a
mother.
We understand there's much more to that, but this is a very important part of it, of doing
the cleaning, of doing the cooking, of doing these things.
And mothers, this is probably one of the first things they need to really work on and really
get a hold on.
Because this is the type of duty that's just going to be day in, day out, it's not going
to stop.
Right?
It's not like you do one load of laundry and you're done for life.
You know, the clothes get worn again, they get dirty again, you know, the dishes, you
clean them all up, then they get dirty again, and so on and so forth.
It's just this never-ending cycle of cleaning and cleaning.
So how can mothers improve this skilled position?
Yes, mundane.
Yes, monotonous.
Yes, menial, but essential and skilled.
You know, I believe one way ladies can improve in this area is through keeping a schedule,
having routine maintenance, you know, thinking about what needs to be done every day, what
needs to be done every week, what needs to be done every month, what's something I need
to do three or four times in the year, you know, when do I do my spring cleaning, and
actually writing it down and actually having a schedule where you can sit down and see
it.
Otherwise, it could just get overwhelming.
Just like any other job where you have a lot of different things you have to do, if you
don't sit down and write it down and see where your time is going, you're going to lose track
of that time.
And the next thing you know, this is piling up, and that hasn't gotten changed, and this
is whatever.
So that would be the first way, and I don't want to spend a lot of time on this point,
but if you would, go over to Exodus chapter 18.
This is important.
This, you know, this right here is going to be, you know, probably one of the most important
points of the sermon, because if you learn this, it's going to free you up for all those
other very skilled and very important positions that mothers are called to play, that they're
called to fulfill, okay?
So the scheduling, you know, use the apps, use the calendars, use the checklist, get
some kind of a system in place where it's, where things aren't just piling up on you.
So you have your time.
Well, I know I'm going to do this.
You know, this is something I do.
You know, I have a checklist of things.
I know there's certain things I have to do every week, certain things I have to do every
day, and every day when I start my day, I look at that checklist, I look at what's been
scheduled, and I can look at, oh, that's next week.
You know what's great about that, what's so liberating about that is that now I know I
don't have to waste any more mental capacity worrying about something.
I've got to get this done before Sunday.
Oh, but I already know that I've got that scheduled to do on Thursday.
So now I don't have to sit there and worry about it.
I can think about other things.
You know, and there's a lot to be said.
That's a whole sermon in and of itself.
But here's the principle I really want to emphasize on this point of being, you know,
the skilled position of being, you know, a janitor, of keeping house, of being an environmental
engineer, right, is delegating chores to children.
Because, you know, if you're fulfilling God's will as a mother, you know, you're having
children.
You know, you're being fruitful, you're multiplying.
You know, obviously kids have to grow into this position.
You know, we're not going to go to our new board and say, time to take the trash out.
I don't care if you can't walk, you know.
You know, I've seen you scoot around, get it done.
You can take it out one piece at a time.
And this is a very biblical concept here.
Let's look at Exodus chapter 18.
We'll begin reading in verse 14.
It says, and when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, what
is this thing that thou doest to the people?
Why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?
So he's showing up, and Moses is judging the people, and he's out there with a great multitude.
I mean, millions of people.
And when you have a group of people together, like in Moses' day or in a family, you know,
there's going to be problems.
There's going to be issues.
Because that's just the nature of people.
And somebody's going to have to sit there and figure things out and rule and make judgments,
and you need to do this, and you need to do that.
And Jethro is sitting here, and he's watching this, and he's looking at Moses, saying, why
are you standing here all from morning until even?
This is taking up your whole day just sitting here and trying to figure anything out for
everybody else.
And Moses said unto his father-in-law, because the people come unto me to inquire of God.
When they have a matter, they come unto me, and I judge between one and the other.
And I do make them know the statutes of God and his laws.
And Moses' father-in-law said unto him, the thing that thou doest is not good.
Thou wilt surely wear away both thou and this people that is with thee, for this thing is
too heavy for thee.
Thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.
Harken now unto my voice, and I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee.
Be thou for the people to Godward, that thou mayest bring the cock of thyself to me.
They bring the causes unto God, and thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt
show them the way wherein they must walk and the work that they must do.
Moreover, thou shalt provide out of all the people able men such as fear God, men of truth,
hating covetousness, and place such over them to be rulers of thousands and rulers of hundreds,
rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens, and let them judge the people at all seasons.
And it shall be that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter
they shall judge.
So it shall be easier for thyself, they shall bear the burden with thee.
If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then shalt thou be able to endure,
and all this people shall go to their place.
So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law, and did all that he had said.
So what we see taking place here in Exodus is this advice being given to him is that
of what?
What's he telling him to do?
You need to delegate.
You need to delegate responsibilities.
You can't just take everything on yourself, or you're going to, what, wear away.
He said, the thing that thou doest, in verse 17, is not good.
And that's, you know, I think a lot of times mothers, they get in this mode where they
think, well, it's just better for me to just do it myself, because then I know it'll get
done right, and it'll be done, and I can move on to the next thing.
And I can understand that.
That's very tempting, and that's, you know, people in all different kinds of jobs fall
into that trap.
I just think, well, you know, I'm going to waste more time just trying to show you how
to do this, and I can just get it done, and I can be on to the next thing.
But the Bible says here this, that this is not a good way to look at life.
This is not a good way to go about things.
The thing that thou doest is not good.
Isn't that exactly what Moses was doing?
Well, I'll just, you know, all you guys just show up right here, and I'll figure everything
out for everybody.
Rather than me having to tell, you know, this guy how to do what, and this guy go to that,
and try to train everybody to do my job, I'll just sit here.
But Jethro said, it's not good.
In verse 18, he said, thou will surely wear away.
You know, in mothers, they have such a self-sacrificial nature as it is, they say, well, I don't mind
if I wear away.
I'll wear away.
I'll work my fingers to the bone.
You know, I'll be tired.
I'll be exhausted.
I'll put in long days.
I'll let myself go.
I won't, you know, make time for myself.
I'll go ahead and wear away.
Okay, that's not a good idea.
But okay, but read on.
He says, thou shalt surely weigh both thou and this people that is with thee.
If the leader goes, the followers go with him.
If the mother wears out, the children are going to suffer.
And isn't that the mother's primary concern to begin with?
Isn't that why she's doing so much hard work is for the care of the children?
So why would a lady want to wear herself out in this manner, wear herself away, and then
cause the children to suffer if the well-being of the children is what she's concerned with
to begin with, if that makes sense?
He said, for this thing is too heavy for thee.
And thou art not able to perform it to thyself alone.
Look at verse 22.
Let them judge all the people at all seasons, and it shall be that every great matter they
shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge.
You know, there's some things that the ladies need to just learn to let the kids do.
The small matters.
And you know, what's the smaller matters?
It's not going to be, you know, paying the bills.
Got your ABCs down?
Here's a calculator and a calendar and a checkbook.
That's a great matter.
But what about taking out the trash?
What about learning to do some dishes?
What about learning how to close a dishwasher and push a button?
These are small matters.
But these are the things that add up day in and day out, day in and day out, week after
week, month after month, year after year, decade after decade that can wear mothers
away.
Do not learn to delegate these things to their children who need to learn these things.
I mean, I remember when I was, you know, I started washing dishes 8, 9, 10, whatever,
and you know, then I figured, then we started learning about dishwashers.
I'd go to my friends and say, well, they have a dishwasher.
So I'd go to my mom.
I'd say, mom, you know, it was me and my two sisters.
There's three of us.
I'd say, mom, can we get a dishwasher?
She'd look at me and say, I got three.
I'm like, oh.
It took me a second, and she just, you know, went about her day.
I'm like, oh, you mean me?
I'm the dishwasher.
She's like, yeah, why do I need to pay to have something installed, run all that plumbing
when I can just tell you to go do it?
You know, I learned to wash dishes.
I remember pulling the chair up there to the sink, standing on a chair, getting my hands
in there.
You know, with mom, sometimes she had to come back and look at those dishes and go, do them
again.
You missed a spot.
You're going to make everybody sick.
Make sure you get all the suds off.
Now, was that easy?
Was that easy for my mom to take the time to show me how to wash dishes the right way?
Was it frustrating for her?
Sure.
But was it worth it?
Was it worth her taking the time to do that?
Sure it was.
Because then when she was out trying to earn a living, we would come home, and there would
be just a list of your chores today.
And she knew that those chores were going to be done when she got home, at least they
better be.
Because she took the time when we were younger to train us on how to do those things.
She took the time to show us, this is how you wipe down a window.
This is how you sweep.
This is how you put in a load of laundry.
This is how you fold clothes.
All these little menial tasks, I'm telling you, if ladies would get ahold of this, and
if they have not begun to do this, this is probably the most important point, is to begin
delegating these tasks to the younger children.
Because you have a lot more important things to do.
She says there, it shall be, excuse me, verse 22, it shall be that every great matter shall
they bring unto thee.
It's not just so mom can sit back and put her hands behind her head and just bring me
a drink.
You know, I'm going to take it easy.
You know, it's because she's got a lot of other things that demand her attention that
are very important that the smaller children, the young kids cannot do.
If thou shalt do this thing in God's command thee, verse 23, then shalt thou be able to
endure.
You know, and mothers with the younger children and kids who have not begun this process,
you know, it can feel like they're ready to just pull their hair out.
And they just look at like the rest of her life is just going to be some long, bleak,
miserable existence of just constantly cleaning and constantly taking care of other people.
Thou shalt not be able to endure.
But if you will do this, you will be able to endure.
So that's something that we should probably all learn to do in our own lives, mothers
especially if they have not begun to do so.
But it does involve a time of training, doesn't it?
It does mean that the mom's going to have to take the child aside and show them how
to do these tasks.
And here's you say, well, that's just so frustrating.
I don't know if I can do that.
Well, you have to learn to look at it as an investment.
This is an investment in my time to free me up.
Because motherhood is a full-time position.
In fact, it's more than that.
In fact, there is no time off.
You see, how many hours a week?
All of them.
She's on call, right?
No paid vacations.
It's a very demanding job.
You have a lot of things to do.
Begin to delegate these things so that you can begin to fulfill the other key roles,
the skilled positions that a mother is called to.
And number two, that of a nutritionist or a chef, right?
You know what's great about this, motherhood, is that, I was thinking about this, is that
you know, ladies when they're young, they have all these dreams of being all these things,
and they're like, oh, I'll be an accountant.
I'll be a judge.
I'll be a lawyer.
Do you know moms play all these roles to some degree in their lives?
We're going to look at them.
I want to be a chef.
I want to cook elaborate meals and ornate meals and nutritious meals for people.
Welcome to motherhood.
That's a role you get to fulfill.
You get to live out that childhood dream of being a chef, right?
Look at Proverbs 31, if you're still there, and keep something there.
We're going to be in Proverbs 31 several times.
I'll move along here for the sake of time, but it says in Proverbs 31 verse 15, she riseth
also while it is yet night and giveth meat to her household.
The virtuous woman is someone who gives meat to her household.
She feeds them.
She gets up early while it is yet night and begins preparing for the day.
Now you can begin to see why it's so important to delegate all these other things.
When there's that load, she gets up early and doesn't go, oh, I got to get to that load
of laundry.
I got to get up, make sure all this trash is taken out.
I got to get up and sweep the ... That should all be taken care of.
We have to get to the point where the kids are capable of doing that, but if we're there,
delegate that stuff, now it's time to move on to that next role of being the nutritionist,
the chef, the one who's going to give meat to her household and a portion to her maidens.
She consider it the field and buyeth it with the fruit of her hands.
She planteth a vineyard.
She's talking about feeding her household.
It's an important role.
In some parts of the world, you could see why people would be malnourished, but in this
country, I don't see why there's any reason why our families should be suffering from
poor nutrition.
We have health food stores, there's Whole Foods, there's Sprout.
Walmart's got an organic section.
They'll bring it to your door.
Instacart, you just get on the phone, ding-dong an hour later or whatever, and the food's
just right there.
Ladies, this is an important role because this is the health of your family that you're
talking about.
This is their health.
It's really easy to just throw the chicken nuggets in the oven and then just slop them
down in front of the ... Here you go, soup's on, and look, there's a time and place for
it, and be perfectly honest, I enjoy that every once in a while.
I didn't get the fish sticks and the tater tots growing up.
My mom didn't spoil us with those things, so whenever it's fish sticks and tater tots,
it's a happy night for me.
Is that good for my health in the long run?
Is that good for me and the kids that just every night just some reheated, deep-fried
whatever, no fresh vegetables, no fresh fruit, no meats, no well-balanced meals that have
been prepared and have nutrition in mind?
No.
That would not be good for her.
That's what we need.
That's the role of a mother.
She is to play that role.
That's part of keeping house.
To me, that sounds pretty important.
When you're taking care of the well-being of other people in your household and feeding
them healthy, nutritious meals, another way ladies could improve in this area is invest
in the kitchen, invest in the training and the equipment needed to do this.
I'm dead serious about this.
Buy the $300 bread mixer if it means you're going to make better, more nutritious bread.
We as husbands, that's why we got to go out and work.
We got the skills to pay the bills because she can have the skills to make the bills,
if you know what I mean.
She needs to go out and get this.
Hey, I need this new set of knives that are actually let me cut.
I need to take some training so I actually learn how to julienne and dice and chop.
I want to take this course.
I want to buy this cookbook.
I want to improve in these areas because remember, we're talking about skilled positions.
The kids can make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but they're not going to be able
to make that nutritious, healthy meal.
I'm not saying every meal needs to be this five-star Gordon Ramsay-approved whatever,
but it's an important part of a lady's job is the kitchen.
I believe that they should be able to and should take the time to invest in equipment
and or training if necessary.
Take the online culinary arts class and learn the difference between saute and whatever
else there is.
I took culinary arts for like a year in high school.
You know what?
It was good.
I learned how to use a French knife.
I know how to julienne, chop, and dice and slice.
That's important.
If you don't know that as a lady, that would help you a lot to know that, don't you think?
Then sitting there trying to just pull chicken apart with a couple of forks.
You just grab a knife and plus it looks cool.
You ever seen those guys that just cut cucumbers?
They just go through vegetables.
I had a job where I was as a prep cook or a banquet hall where they would just ... You
need to prep a case of pineapples.
Here's a French knife and you just start going at it.
Some of those people in there, man, they were quick.
That's where I learned to crack eggs with two hands.
Crack 200 eggs into this pot.
You learn how to do it with two hands real fast.
We say, what's the point of that for a mother?
To be more efficient because we're going to keep going because there's more skilled positions
that you have to play as a mother.
You need to learn to become efficient and effective with your time.
Invest in the training.
Invest in the tools you need to be efficient and effective in the kitchen.
These positions, they require a physical hardiness when you think about it, a physical hardiness.
If you're going to be the housewife, you have to be able to roll up the sleeves and grab
the hamper, grab the laundry and get heavy.
You got to be able to get in there and sweep.
Maybe a large room, vacuum, get up there and dust, getting up on ladders, getting in the
kitchen and getting your hands dirty.
The motherhood is not for dainty women.
All the dainty women of the past, they had maids and things like that and they just worried
about wearing this and wearing that and so on and so forth.
We're just going to go play croquet in the backyard and the servants will bring tea.
That's not motherhood.
You are the servants in motherhood.
You're the one who's making the tea.
What I'm saying is this, is it requires a physical hardiness.
You need to be able to go in there and not be dainty about your job.
You need to be able to go in there and get after it.
Isn't that what the virtuous woman, that's exactly what it says of her.
Look at verse 17.
She girdeth her loins with strength.
The loins, it says that about a man.
Girdeth up thy loins like a man.
She's getting after it.
She girdeth up her loins with strength and strengtheneth her arms.
She's not weak.
She's strong.
She perceiveth that her merchandise is good.
I think sometimes the Bible says she's the weaker vessel.
It just says that she's weaker, which means we're both weak.
Men are weak too compared to God.
We all are.
We all have weakness.
Just because she's weaker than a man doesn't mean she's a weakling.
It just means men are stronger physically.
That doesn't mean that a woman should be without strength.
And if they're doing their job, they're gonna develop strength if they're getting
after taking care of these roles.
And I know I gotta move on here, but it requires a strength to be a mother.
This is a physical job that you've been called to.
It's a physical position, and you know what, it's a skilled position, and
maybe that's somewhat an area that needs to be developed, physical strength.
Because here's the thing, no Christian, no Christian, man or woman, but
including mothers, are called to a life of ease.
Motherhood is not a life of ease.
It's a very rewarding life.
We'll see that here towards the end.
There's a reward that is given, but in the meantime, that reward is earned.
It's not a life of ease.
But their hard work is rewarded.
Look at verse 27, it says, she looketh well to the ways of her household, and
eateth not the bread of idleness.
Her children take her for granted.
That's not what it says?
No, it says her children arise up and call her blessed.
Her husband also, and he praseth her.
You know, the virtuous woman is rare, and I'll tell you something else,
she's getting rare all the time.
Because there's less and less ladies out there that see the value in this, and
they don't want to fulfill this role.
They want to just go do whatever.
You know, fill in the blank.
Anything but this, anything about keeping house is what they want to do.
You know, and us, we husbands who are blessed to have, and
us new children that have a mother and a wife that fulfills this role.
Hopefully you're at least doing that today.
Hopefully at least today, you're rising up and calling your mother blessed.
Hopefully today, the husband is doing that also and
praising the wife, because I'm telling you, it's a skilled position.
There's several skilled positions that a mother is called to fulfill, and
they're difficult, they're hard.
Mothers are not only vital in the day to day upkeep of the house.
That's what those first two positions are.
The cooking and the cleaning.
Those are vital day to day positions that they have to maintain.
Through either themselves doing it, or delegating it to others, and
training others in their house to do those things.
They're vital to those roles, but they're also responsible for
some other very important roles.
Perhaps a few we could mention are, for one,
the upbringing of future generations, the upbringing of future generations.
That is the role a mother's called to play.
That of an educator.
We believe in homeschooling here, and that's the ideal.
I understand that not everybody is in a position where they can do that.
I'm not against anybody.
It's not like if you don't homeschool, you can't be a member here or
something like that.
But we promote homeschooling here.
And that's what we believe is ideal for the home, is homeschooling.
And that role falls on the mother.
On top of everything else she has to do,
she has this very important role of teaching children.
The Bible says in 1 Timothy 5, I'll read to you.
Let not a widow be taken from them under three score years old,
having been the wife of one man, well reported for good works,
if she have brought up children.
If she have brought up children, if she's raised children.
And you know what?
Anyone can just watch kids grow.
Some ladies, they wanna treat their kids like they're those stupid little toys.
You just throw them in water and watch them expand.
There's a lot more to a child than that.
There's their mind.
There's their nutrition.
There's their well-being.
There's who they're going to be as a person.
That's a very important job, isn't it?
They are educators of the next generation.
Both in terms of scholastically, teaching them reading, writing,
arithmetic, very important skills, but also spiritually.
We won't take the time, I'm running out of time.
But you think about Timothy, right?
When Paul's writing to Timothy, he said, when I call to remembrance the unfeigned
faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and
my mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also.
So how did Timothy become the man that he was?
The spiritual leader that he was.
When Paul found Timothy, it says of him he was well reported of the brethren.
Meaning he already had a good reputation.
He was already somebody that Paul looked at and said, I can use this guy.
This guy has potential to do things for Christ.
How did he get there?
Because of the faith of his grandmother, and the faith of his mother.
They instilled things in Timothy that made him of great value in adulthood, for
the things of Christ.
A lot of ladies, ladies can go out and preach.
They can do a lot of great things for God.
The Bible shows, there's many, many examples.
There could be a whole other Mother's Day sermon right there,
about all the great ladies of the Bible that God has used.
But a lot of mothers, sometimes I feel like they get this idea that they're not
doing anything for God because, well, they're just staying at home and raising kids.
But that's what God has called you to do.
And you're raising the next generation.
You could be raising that next preacher.
You could be raising that next missionary.
You could be raising that next woman of God who's gonna go out and
raise another family, who's gonna do great things for Christ.
Look, ladies, it's not just all the hard menial work that goes by day by day that
you're called to, you're called to a very skilled position of being an educator,
of being somebody who's going to teach and instruct,
but somebody who's going to be a spiritual leader for the next generation.
Bible says of Timothy, continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and
has been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.
And I don't think Paul's referring to just himself there.
He's saying, look, continue in the things which thou hast learned and
been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.
Did Paul teach him?
Sure, but we saw also that Paul previously said, hey,
you learned these things from Lois and Unice, your mother, your grandmother.
They taught you these things.
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.
The Bible tells us that Timothy's father was a Greek, and
we really don't read much more about him, and that his mother was a Jewess.
And the impression that scripture gives us is that Timothy's upbringing,
his spiritual upbringing, fell upon his mother and his grandmother.
Now, is that the way it should be in every house?
Should dad just have nothing to do with the spiritual upbringing of the children?
No, of course not.
But a large part of it lies, falls upon the mother, doesn't it?
Of educating the next generation falls upon the mother.
Why? Because she's the one that's with them.
She's the one that's with them every day.
Spending time with them, having the opportunity to instruct and to teach.
It's a very skilled position.
And these roles are very vital to society as a whole, to the cause of Christ.
So these roles so far are of vital importance.
They might be mundane, they might be menial, but
you could definitely look at that role of an educator, spiritually,
and in terms of schooling.
Those are very important, and those are very intellectual, aren't they?
They're very above the shoulders, right?
Those requires an intellect.
Some of the smartest ladies I know are homeschooling mothers.
Sometimes I get a little sheepish around them.
When someone starts talking about history or arithmetic gets involved,
it's like, uh-oh, she's gonna find out how dumb I am.
Right?
Because they're intelligent, they're smart, they're sharp, they got it.
Because they're in this stuff every day, they're teaching this.
They are very well-educated people.
So these roles are of vital importance, but what about some of these roles that
the world would uphold and say, no, no, no, you don't want to do any of that.
You want to be a doctor, right?
Well, guess what?
Moms get to be a doctor too.
You didn't know that, did you?
Now I'm not saying she's gonna have a lab coat and a stethoscope and
a little name tag and a clipboard and write you a prescription, but
the Bible says in Proverbs 31, and I'll admit I was reaching a little bit for
some of these, okay, but it says, she stretches out her hand to the poor.
Yea, she reaches forth her hands to the needy.
You know, people that need things, people that are suffering, right?
Look when little Billy or whoever falls down and scrapes his knee or
they run into a wall or tooth gets knocked loose or, well, okay,
you gotta go to the dentist at that point, but, you know, a lot of things
that moms do, there's a lot of, you know, putting bandages on and
cleaning up wounds, putting on the neosporin and the essential oils and
looking after their health, their allergies, their, you know, their sick.
Moms play a role of a doctor.
Maybe sometimes a little bit more of a triage nurse, you know, depending
on your child's temperament, and obviously there's a time and place where
you just gotta go to the literal doctor, right?
What's a big part of being a mom?
Understanding health, understanding the human body, understanding how
children grow, you know, these are all very important things.
Being a pediatrician, being an ENT, the ear, nose, and throat, right?
Knowing when the ear, the infection's there, knowing what's causing this.
It's a very skilled position, isn't it?
I mean, they pay a lot, I mean, they pay people a lot of money to go do that
full-time professionally just to do that one thing.
You know, the ENT goes through a lot of schooling and training and gets paid
a lot of money just to sit there and do that all day.
This is a very skilled position that mothers are called to play.
They're called to fulfill the role of a doctor.
They're called to fulfill the role of a judge.
Remember that one?
You know, it says there in Proverbs 31 verse 26,
she openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
You know, she's opening her mouth with wisdom.
She's decreeing law, kindness.
She's discerning between good and evil.
She's breaking them up and saying, who did what?
And then she's, you know, it's judge, jury, and executioner is really her.
She's doling out the punishment, too, right?
You know, I decree three slots, you know, assume the position.
It's judge, jury, and executioner.
It's a very important role.
You know, court is now in session.
All rise, the honorable mother wrestle, or mother whoever, you know, presiding.
You may be seated if you can sit.
But isn't that kind of a role mothers call to play, that of a judge?
And she has to step back and say, all right, let's sort this out.
Let's deal with the, she's involved in what?
The conflict resolution between siblings, and has to decree judgment.
And sometimes she has to, you know, call on the higher powers, you know.
Take this belt and go see your dad.
So she's called to several school positions.
She's called that of a doctor, that of a judge.
How about that of an accountant?
I just want to, I just want to keep books for other people.
That's what I want to do.
Proverbs chapter 31, verse 11, the heart of her husband doth safely trust in her,
so that he shall have no need of spoil.
You know, he knows that the income he's earning is going to be well spent.
So he doesn't have to go out and, you know, take spoil.
And spoil is what they would get after warfare.
Remember, they would spoil the enemy.
He's going above, beyond his normal duties, earning an income.
You know, he has to go out and spoil somebody.
Now, I'm not saying we as men, if we need to earn extra income,
we need to go spoil someone.
But you know what, I might have to go work that second job.
And here's the thing, if someone in my house is going to work a second job,
it's going to be me.
If someone has to go work a third job, it's going to be me.
It's not going to be my wife.
You know, she's going to be a keeper at home.
Why? Because that's a full-time job and more so in, that,
that already is three jobs.
You know, it already is multiple roles.
That already is a very skilled position.
I'll just go out and I'll earn the bread and, and bring home the bacon.
You know, and my wife, one of, one of the roles she'll play, of course,
and they're sitting down together discussing this and, and doing,
having the budget reviews and all that.
But you know, moms are the ones that are usually doing all the purchasing.
You know, they're, they're an accountant.
They're an, a purchasing agent.
You know, there's some companies that hire people to do just that,
to just see what's needed to buy things, to find the best deals, to, to be thrifty.
They literally employ somebody full-time.
They pay them a salary to do what?
To spend their money and to make wise purchases.
And that's part of the role that a mother, a wife, is called to play,
to be that of a purchasing agent, to be an accountant, to, to, you know,
know how to use finances wisely, to make smart financial decisions.
Why? So that the heart of her husband does safely trust in her.
He isn't worried about having to earn that second income.
He isn't even worried about, you know, having to pay for some lavish lifestyle.
You know, there, there's the, because of, you know, some,
some wasteful spending or something like that.
It says in verse 12, she will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
She's like the merchant's ships.
She bringeth her food from afar.
Instacart, right?
She finds the deals.
You know, she finds where the deals are, and she, she invests, she spends wisely.
Okay?
So a, a successful mother this morning has, you know,
developed essential skills in several areas, areas.
And again, we could probably come up with several more.
And here's the thing, the last position I want to talk about.
You know, a mother that has done these things, that has taken the time to develop
these skills, to develop these abilities, over time, and has put them into practice.
She's gained wisdom.
She has wisdom.
She has knowledge to impart.
And the last position I want to talk about when it comes to being a mother is
that of a advisor or a consultant.
And if you would go back to Titus chapter two, Titus chapter two.
You see, the experienced mother, or as what the Bible calls the elder women,
they've gained knowledge.
They've been, you know, they've run this gauntlet called motherhood.
And they've learned all the hard lessons along the way.
They've learned about the importance of delegating, the importance of, you know,
spending money wisely.
And they've, they've learned the recipes.
They know what tools are best for what job in the kitchen.
They've learned all this.
They developed these skills.
They've, they, they, they've mastered their craft.
And they have something to impart.
They have that, now they can fulfill the role of what?
An advisor, a consultant.
To who?
To the younger and less experienced mothers.
This is what the Bible teaches.
If you look there in verse three, the, the aged women likewise,
that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers,
not giving them much wine, teachers of good things.
They're to be teachers of good things.
And look, if you're teaching how to be a wife, how to be a mother,
how to raise godly children, you are teaching good things.
You are teaching things of eternal value.
It says in verse four that they may teach the young women to be sober.
So whose job is it to teach the younger women?
It's the elder women, the women that have learned this.
And unfortunately, you know, it seems like, you know, today,
unfortunately, there's a bit of a dearth in this area, isn't there?
Because our society has just taken women out of the home and
put them in the workforce for so long now.
Moms just say, oh, mom, what do I do?
Well, just put them in public school.
Let the government take care of them.
Well, mom, what do I, you know, he's upset.
Well, just leave him.
Get out, go find some other guy.
That's the, you know, a lot of the bad advice that's out there today.
Unfortunately, there's not many aged women, seasoned mothers who have taken on
these godly roles that have this knowledge and wisdom to impart to the younger.
We know we gotta change that.
Every generation has to change that.
Every generation has to revive, again, those things which have been lost.
You know, and maybe some of the ladies in here feel this way,
that there's just, they don't have some vast knowledge to draw upon.
Well, become that vast knowledge.
Become that, that vassal of knowledge for the next generation.
Learn these things.
It might not be easy, but it's worth it.
To teach the young women to do what?
To be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children.
And what's involved in that love?
Just, just, just these warm feelings?
No, to do these things, to fulfill that role, to help nurture and
guide and lead the home as a mother.
You know, the best way sometimes to learn is, or to, rather to, to instruct,
is by example, is by example.
You know, I'm not sure that, you know, and, and here's the thing.
It's great when a, a younger mother has a more seasoned mother to go to and
say, hey, what do you think of this?
And that's great, that they have that, that they can go and talk to somebody.
And ladies can share advice and counsel with one another, and
they can learn from one another, and there's a give and take there.
But sometimes the best way to instruct to people is just through example.
The younger ladies can just look at what another family has done and
say, ah, there's wisdom.
And, and, and try to emulate what they've done.
And I'll be close by saying this.
You say, wow, I didn't,
had no idea that being a mother was such a skilled position.
It's probably cuz you're a dude, if you're thinking that.
All the mothers are like, uh-huh, yeah, it's about time somebody said it.
But here's the thing, ladies.
If this seems overwhelming, and, and I could see why it would,
don't expect to be an expert mother overnight.
Don't think you're just gonna have a few kids and just wake up the next day and
be like, oh, I'm an expert at all this, I figured all this out.
This is a process.
This is something that has to be grown into.
Just like any other skilled position, just like any other job.
Any man that has a job that requires some skill, you know, he had to show up and
be shown how to do, you know, take this, do that, you know, fill in this information.
There's a process of learning there.
And it's the same way in motherhood.
It's a lifelong occupation.
Even after the children are grown and gone, you know,
the daughter's gonna come back and say, mom, you know, here's what's going on.
And she's gonna be like, oh yeah, I remember when you did that.
Here's what I did with you and your siblings and so on and so forth.
It's a lifelong occupation.
You know, you might, you have to fulfill these roles and then you graduate to what?
Consultant, to advisor, as the aged woman that can impart knowledge and
understanding, if you've gained it in your own experience.
And again, that's a, you know, that's another role that the world puts a lot of
value on.
I mean, they'll, you know, there's entire firms of people.
All they're there to just come in and look at companies and say, well,
you need to change this, that, and do the other thing.
But that doesn't come overnight.
That's something that's gonna be developed.
Bible says in Proverbs 31, it was in our bulletin, verse 25, strength and
honor are her clothing, and she shall rejoice, when?
In time to come.
Look, not every mother's gonna wake up every morning and
just feel like rejoicing over getting to fulfill these roles.
She's gonna, you know, she's gonna do it anyway.
If they have character, if they have the grit and
the character and the tenacity to go after it and
develop and to put in another day, hard day's work as a mother.
You know, they will rejoice when?
In time to come.
When the child is grown.
When they do turn into a godly young person.
When they go out and start their own family that lives for Christ.
When they've you know, seen the fruit of their hands.
That's when the rejoicing comes.
Strength is developed, rejoicing comes in time.
But every, I do wanna conclude by saying this.
Is that each role a mother must fulfill deserves compensation and appreciation.
Doesn't it?
I mean, think about if you had to pay somebody else to do everything your wife
or mother does, you'd, you'd go broke.
If you, if she, if you literally paid her a salary for
what she does, what, what number would you put on that?
How, how, you know, what, what would that skill position be worth to you?
If you had to put a number on it.
It's not minimum wage, folks.
Oh, it's washing dishes.
It's a lot more than that.
How are you gonna put a price on that?
Are you gonna put, how much would you have to pay somebody to be on call 24 seven?
You have to pay them a lot of money.
I mean, we're talking six figures.
So mothers, you know, they deserve to be compensated and appreciated.
You know, us, dads, we shouldn't just act like, well,
every dime I have is mine and she doesn't deserve any of it.
Never, and I have no men like this that had this attitude of just like, well,
it's my money.
No, it's our money.
Because I can't do the things that I can do to earn that money without my wife.
We're a team.
Does that make sense?
She needs something, she's got it.
And if she tried to charge me for everything she's worth, you know, my wife
and any other good wife in the room, I'd go broke.
She'd get all of it.
So at the very least, how about some appreciation on Mother's Day for
all the skilled positions that a mother is called to fulfill?
You know, I want to encourage the ladies, you know, and
help them to be better at their jobs, because it's a very important job.
The Bible says, we'll close here in Proverbs 31.
Favor is deceitful, verse 30, Proverbs 31, 30.
Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain.
But a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
Now, who's going to do the praising?
It should be us husbands.
It should be us children.
And ultimately, if she doesn't get it here on earth, she will get it in heaven.
God, she will be praised by the Lord.
Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.
Excuse me.
So, I'll close just by saying this, is that, you know, a mother,
it says there that let her own works praise her in the gates.
Give her the fruit of her own hands.
That's what's going to make her worthy of praise, right?
A mother is not worthy of praise simply because she's given birth.
Now, I'm not making light of that process.
You know, that's obviously a very self-sacrificial thing to do, okay?
But to be worthy of praise, you know, that's just the beginning.
It is her works that bring her praise.
It's the role, how well she has successfully fulfilled the role that she's
called to play as a wife and mother.
That's what's going to bring her praise.
And when a mother endeavors to fulfill these many skilled positions that she's
called to by God, she is worthy of praise not only in this world, but in the world
to come, you know, and she said, I feel unappreciated.
I'm trying to fulfill my God-given role as a wife and mother, and
I don't feel appreciated, which should not be the case.
And today of all days.
But even if that is the case, at least a mother can know that she's going, if she
has fulfilled God, a God-given duty, who's going to praise her for that?
God is.
She's going to hear those words, well done, thou good and faithful servant.
You know, you fulfilled the will that I've given you to what?
To be that wife, to be that mother, to fulfill those skilled positions that the
Lord has called you to.
Let's go ahead and pray.