Proverbs 31

Solomon is describing the virtues of his mother.

“Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

- Proverbs 31:31 (NIV)

Our mothers leave a lasting legacy in us that we all need to understand how to navigate.

I. A Mother’s Influence – The Science

God created mothers for a special purpose.

There have been many scientific studies that have revealed the biological and psychological bonds we have with our mothers.

“… we are not single genetic individuals but a mixture of our own cells and the cells of our mothers (and for mothers, the cells of their children)”

- Dr. J. Lee Nelson, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

The scientific term for this connection is called: Microchimerism

Mother and child share DNA with each other while the child is formed in the womb, and this DNA lives on in both mother and child.

Now the man named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.

- Genesis 3:20 (NASB)

“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,”

- Galatians 4:4 (NASB)

“When your days are finished and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

- 2 Samuel 7:12–13 (NASB)

“When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years old, being, as was commonly held, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli,”

- Luke 3:23 (NASB)

“For You created my innermost parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.”

- Psalm 139:13 (NASB)

II. A Mother’s Influence – The Spiritual

Paul gives us a beautiful example of the spiritual influence a mother has:

"For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelled in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well."

- 2 Timothy 1:5 (NASB)

Sincere: “anupokritos” (greek); without hypocrisy

Your actions, attitudes, and lifestyles are aligned with the beliefs you profess.

Mothers often serve as the first shepherds of a child's soul.

Eunice – Not a Perfect Mom

“…Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek…”

Acts 16:1b (NASB)

III. Biblical Mothers Who Left a Legacy

The Bible is filled with examples of a mother’s place in the spiritual development of their children.

Jochebed: The Mother of Moses

“When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the boy was crying. And she had pity on him and said, 'This is one of the Hebrews’ children.’Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, 'Shall I go and call a woman for you who is nursing from the Hebrew women, so that she may nurse the child for you?’ Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Go ahead.’ So the girl went and called the child’s mother. Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.’ So the woman took the child and nursed him. And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. And she named him Moses, and said, ‘Because I drew him out of the water.’”

- Exodus 2:6-10 (NASB)

Hannah: The Mother of Samuel

“It came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, ‘Because I have asked for him of the Lord.’ Then the man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, ‘I will not go until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, so that he may appear before the Lord and stay there for life.’”

- 1 Samuel 1:20-22 (NASB)

Bathsheba: The Mother of Solomon

“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not ignore your mother’s teaching;”

- Proverbs 1:8 (NASB)

Mary: The Mother of Jesus

“And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued to be subject to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and people.”

- Luke 2:51-52 (NIV)

“Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. And you shall repeat them diligently to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the road, when you lie down, and when you get up. You shall also tie them as a sign to your hand, and they shall be as frontlets on your forehead. You shall also write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

- Deuteronomy 6:4–9 (NASB)

God is unfolding your legacy story that will set the course for your son or daughter to navigate.

But, Can God Really Use Me?

“...but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong”

- 1 Corinthians 1:27 (NASB)

Your children don't need a mother who never fails; they need a mother who honestly trusts God through her failures.

“...for it is God who is at work in you, both to desire and to work for His good pleasure.”

- Philippians 2:13 (NASB)

God created you for a purpose. A powerful purpose.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."

- Ephesians 2:8-10 (NASB)

IV. A Conflicting Reality

Not every mother in the Bible was a Eunice or a Lois.

“When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and eliminated all the royal children.”

- 2 Kings 11:1 (NIV)

“Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be prolonged on the land which the Lord your God gives you.”

- Exodus 20:12 (NASB)

It’s a Choice

It is an individual choice: What will we do with the legacy that our mothers have built in us?

“...and he was well spoken of by the brothers and sisters who were in Lystra and Iconium.”

Acts 16:2 (NASB)

A Life Principle

You can’t control every circumstance thrown your way, but you can control your response.

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”

- Philippians 4:11b (NIV)

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

- Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

V. Conclusion

Being a mother is a life-long project of preparing your child for God’s plan and mission in their life.

• Mothers: You may never see the finished story, but your faith is the compass they will carry. It’s your legacy.

• Sons and Daughters: Honor your mother’s legacy by using it. It’s a choice.

"For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."

- 2 Timothy 1:6-7 (NIV)

Mothers provide the kindling−the Word of God and the life example−but the son or daughter must provide the breath to fan the flame; which their own "Yes" to God.

When both happen, the legacy of faith from a mother becomes unquenchable.

It is unstoppable!

Make a Decision