A MOTHER’S INFLUENCE
Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.
Introduction
The Power of A Mother’s Influence
Illustrated
TIME: A Key Ingredient Necessary For A Godly
Influence On Children
How To Use Your Time To The Best Advantage
John Newton is the author of one of the most beloved
songs of the Christian faith -- Amazing Grace. He was born in London July 24, 1725,
to a pious Christian woman and the commander of a merchant ship which sailed the
Mediterranean. In July of 1732, thirteen days before his seventh birthday, death took his
saintly mother who had, since his third birthday, been his teacher and friend. He was left
with only the memory of a godly mother and her Christian teaching.
When he was eleven, John went to sea and it was not long before he was
wholly involved in the ungodly vices of seamen. As one author put it, "he became a
dissipated sailor." He followed this ungodly path for many years, but finally,
the memory of his mother brought him to himself. He remembered her Christian teaching and
her godly life, and considered his ungodly lifestyle and his wretched life. The
recollection of his mother prompted him to again seek Christ. He searched the slave ship
for a Bible or some other book about Christ and found
Imitations of Christ
Imitations of Christ by
Thomas à Kempis. This book sowed the seeds of his conversion. On May 10, 1748 when the
ship nearly sunk in a violent storm he trusted Christ as his personal Savior. As a result
of his mother’s influence a stream of boundless influence flowed forward throughout
the world.
John Newton became a preacher of the Gospel. One of the people he lead
to Christ was Claudius Birchman. Birchman went as a missionary to India. No doubt, no one
has ever heard of Claudius Birchman. But, God mightily used a book this Englishman wrote,
The
Star in the East, to motive an American to become the pioneer of American foreign
missions. The man this book motivated was Adoniram Judson, who became a missionary to
Burma. Judson was the first American foreign missionary.
Newton also led Thomas Scott to Christ. Scott became a preacher and the
author of the famous Scott’s Commentary on the Bible. Rev. Scott
pointed despondant attorney and harp player, William Cowper, to the Christ of the Bible
and through reading Romans 3:25 Cowper was saved. He says, "I saw the
sufficiency of the atonement He had made, my pardon sealed in His blood, and all the
fullness and completeness of His justification." Not long after his conversion he
penned one of the great songs of the Faith, There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood.
William
Cowper was used of the Lord to write many great Christian hymns but he also wrote other
poetry, including The Negro's Complaint, an anti-slavery work, which had a mighty
impact on a short and sickly little Englishman named William Wilberforce. He became a
powerful English statesman and through his efforts slavery was ultimately abolished
England. Wilberforce was a dedicated Christian as well. He wrote, A Practical View
of The Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians…Contrasted With Real
Christianity. This book was instrumental in bringing Legh Richmond to Christ.
Rev. Legh Richmond is the author of the once popular Christian children’s book,
The
Dairyman’s Daughter. Between 1813 and 1820 there were 22 editions of this
book printed in America. The book was used of the Lord to bring about the salvation of
thousands. Under girding this chain of events stands the influence of John Newton’s
godly mother.
(Source Information: Golden Links in the Chain that Connects Mother
Home and Heaven edited by Mrs. J. P. Newman, © 1890, p. 56-57; Moody Monthly,
August 1931, pp. 594, 595; The Dairyman’s Daughter by Rev. Legh Richmond,
M.A., published in 1800’s by American Tract Society, pp. 11-12)
The Power of A Mother’s Influence
Illustrated
Mothers have a powerful influence on children and therefore must use
that influence to the glory of God. The early life of Moses reveals the powerful influence
of a mother in the life of her child as well as the vital value early childhood training.
Turn in your Bibles to Genesis 41. I want to refresh you memory
as to how the children of Israel came to be in Egypt. There was a famine in Canaan where
Jacob and his family lived. Jacob, who was renamed Israel by God, sent 10 of his 11 living
sons to Egypt. Their mission was to find food, buy it, and then return home. When they got
to Egypt, they were directed to the second most powerful political leader in all of Egypt,
Zaphnathpaaneah (Zaf-nath-pay-knee-ah) (Genesis 41:40-43 & 45). In fact, this was
their long lost brother Joseph, whom their father, Israel, thought was dead. To make a
long story short Genesis 46:27 tells us that the 70 relatives of Joseph accepted
the invitation to come and live in Egypt. That’s how Israel got into Egypt in the
first place.
Now, we jump ahead several centuries to Exodus 1:7-11 -- And
the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed
exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. 8 Now there arose up a new king
over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. 9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people
of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 10 Come on, let us deal wisely
with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war,
they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And
they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
By now there are more than 2 million Israelites. Israeli’s greatly
outnumber the Egyptians and the powers that be fear that they will rebel and take over
their nation so, they take action to be sure that does not happen. The Israelites are
enslaved and put to forced labor. But that is not all. An infanticide decree is enacted
which demands that all baby boys born to Israeli women be put to death (Exodus
1:16). God
be thanked, the midwives charged with carrying out this heinous decree "feared
God" and would not carry out the kings command (Exodus 1: 17). So Pharaoh took
his decree to the nation. Exodus 1:22 says, Pharaoh charged all his people,
saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall
save alive.
Next, we come to Exodus 2. A woman for the tribe of Levi gives birth to
a baby boy and hides him for three months (Exodus 2:2). But you cannot hide a baby forever
with every Egyptian citizen is on the look-out for boy babies. So, the babies mother makes
a little ark or boat for the child, puts him in it and sets the little boat loaded with
baby in the reeds at the edge of the river and then positions the babies older sister at a
distance to see what happens (Exodus 2:3-4). Along comes Pharaoh’s daughter to take a
bath. She sees the little basket-boat in the reeds and sends one of her servants to get
the it, And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And
she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children. Exodus
2:6
It just so happened that Moses’ sister comes on the scene and
offers to find someone to nurse the baby. Pharaoh’s daughter thinks that’s great
and even pays the woman, who is Moses’ mother, to nurse and care for him (Exodus
2:7-10).
Listen carefully folks. Here’s why I am rehearsing the
Bible’s account of Moses to you. Moses stayed with his mother until he was weaned.
According to Bible scholars, in those days mothers would nurse children until they were 4
or 5 years old. They did not have formula or baby cereal in those days. Nursing was not
all that took place during those early years. The mother of Moses "redeemed the
time" and surely taught her son diligently. The training he received from his
mother and father before he was five years old shaped his character. Despite the fact that
that from 5 years old he was reared in luxury, exposed to paganism and given opportunity
to pursue sensuality, his early training paid off. How do I know? Turn to Hebrews
11:24-27 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of
Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than
to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater
riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing
him who is invisible.
I like the way Dr. John Stormer puts it. He says, "Really
examine this passage. See all that it reveals. As a result of the few early years of
training that Moses had before he was five years old, when he grew up, he…knew who
the people of God were --- knew that while sin offers pleasure it only lasts ‘for a
season’ --- knew and believed about the coming Messhia (Christ) --- correctly
evaluated that heavenly rewards are of greater value than earthly treasures --- knew that
the invisible God could protect him from the anger of an all-powerful earthly king --- and
had the character to do what was right no matter what it cost him."
Moses did all these things by faith. And we know that faith cometh
by hearing…the Word of God (Romans 10:17). The only opportunity Moses had to be
taught God’s word was during the few years his mother was nursing him. Moses’
early training paid off BIG TIME.
This true story is a dramatic illustration Proverbs 22:6 is true…
Train
up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from
it. It
is a testimony to the influence of s godly mother who diligently trains her children
early.
TIME: A Key Ingredient Necessary For A Godly
Influence On Children
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go:
and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a
child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.
Rearing children biblically takes time, lots of time! That is why the
Bible teaches that women with children are to be what has been called "stay at home
mom’s." Titus 2:5 puts it this way…keepers at home. That is
one word in the Greek and that word is oikouros (oy-koo-ros'; 3626) which literally means
a
stayer at home. It is clear from verse 4 that married women with children are
in focus here. They are to be "stay at home mom’s" bringing up their
children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
How To Use Your Time To The Best Advantage
- Take time to talk to your children – The average
child watches 4,000 hours of TV before they start school. While TV may keep a child
occupied it is an inadequate substitute for a loving mother or father. TV is only one way
communication. Children must learn two way communication. They need to learn how to relate
to people properly.
- Take time to read and sing to your children –
Today, many children are neither read to nor sung to!
- Take time to teach your children – Character is essential
regardless of how intelligent or talented your children are. The Bible says in Proverbs
11:3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of
transgressors shall destroy them. The following are a listing of 14 character traits
that should be formed in a child before that child starts to school –
- Attentiveness
- Cautiousness
- Contentment
- Faith
- Forgiveness
- Gratefulness
- Honesty
- Meekness
- Neatness
- Obedience
- Patience
- Reverence
- Sense of Security
Truthfulness
What American children need is godly mothers who will take the time to
exert their influence early upon their children. It will make a difference!
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