Someone once said, “Behind every great man is his mother.”
I believe that’s true!
In fact, if it wasn’t for our mothers none of us would be who we are today.
God had a special plan for mothers from the very beginning.
Instead of continuing to create human beings, God chose to give women the ability to join Him in the creation of life.
In the Garden of Eden, He commanded Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply and fill the Earth.
Thus, humanity began and Eve is remembered as the very first mother.
The Bible says in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Many Olympic champions started their training at a very young age.
The same is true of many successful musicians, singers, athletes, etc.
By teaching our children about the Lord we can literally change the future because strong families make strong churches — and strong churches make a strong nation!
So, you can see the profound influence and responsibility that mothers carry.
Being a mother is tougher today than ever before.
There are more problems, more expectations, more joys, and more heartaches.
Thomas Edison wrote this tribute to his mother: “I did not have my mother long, but she cast over me a good influence that lasted all my life.
The good effects of her early training I can never lose.
If it had not been for her appreciation and her faith in me at a critical time in my experience, I would never have likely become an inventor.
I was always a careless boy, and with a mother of different mental caliber, I would have turned out badly.
But her firmness, her sweetness, and her goodness were potent powers to keep me on the right path.
My mother was the making of me.
The memory of her will always be a blessing to me.”
I believe that one godly mother is worth a hundred clergy.
As a mother, you may not know what plans God has for your children so teach them to do what is right.
Bring them to church even if you must stay in the nursery with them for a while.
Several years ago, I saw a mother get frustrated at church because her little ones wouldn’t stay in the nursery without her.
She said, “I might as well stay at home because all I do is come to church and go to the nursery!”
I encouraged her to continue coming to church because she was laying a biblical foundation in her children that would follow them the rest of their lives.
During their first few years of life, children learn a great deal about the world around them.
And it is those years that determine how children will act and respond to the people they meet.
That is why the Bible urges mothers to teach their children about God when they are young.
Proverbs 31 tells us about the virtuous woman.
The virtuous woman is one who can be trusted by her husband.
She takes care of her children, handles money wisely and works diligently with her hands.
She is quick to help the poor and needy and brings honor to her husband.
She is wise and careful concerning the things she says.
And because she is full of virtue, her husband and children rise to honor her!
Sunday, May 14 is Mother’s Day.
I pray that all godly mothers will be honored for all of the things they have done and how they have influenced us.
That mothers will remember the responsibility God has placed upon them to teach their children how to love Him with all their hearts.
And that all mothers will join together and strive to be virtuous women.
Happy Mother’s Day, mom!

Rev. Doug Johnson is the senior pastor at Raven Assembly of God in Raven, Virginia.