“Hey Daddy, I have an idea that we can do before school is out.”
It was Wednesday night. My son and I were driving home from church. He is a typical 7-year old, full of big ideas and the energy to make them happen. We had just talked about building a new doghouse over the summer break.
“Ok son, what’s your plan?”
“What if we tried to tell some of our neighbors about Jesus. I could read something from the Bible and you could tell them what it means.”
I paused, not sure what to say. In that moment, I could think of a dozen excuses. Like too many Christians, we do not really know our neighbors. From what we do know, we are not excited about learning more. In fact, the family he wanted to visit is known for their colorful language. What if they slam the door? What will that do to his faith?
I might have believed my excuses, if God had not giving me the same burden. Over the previous week, I had felt a growing conviction to witness to families on my block. How could I say that I love my neighbors, if I had never spoken to them? How could I tell them the sweetest name I know, if I did not even know their names?
“Ok son, we’ll try to go.”
“But when?”
“Maybe tomorrow, after you get home from school.”
“Daddy this is great. It’s just a walk across the street and it’s kind of like we’re being missionaries.”
So, we made our plans, deciding in advance what we would say. He chose John 3:16-17, then packed his Bible in a book bag. He even made some notes to help me explain about Jesus. That night, we said a special prayer for our neighbors.
To my shame, I wanted him to forget about it. But by morning, he was calling this our mission. Over breakfast and on the way to school, he kept plotting. After school, his excitement had only grown.
“Dad, are we still going?”
It was time. As we walked across the street, I put my hope in God. After all, this was his idea and it was up to him to work it out.
I knocked… No answer, but those few steps of obedience had filled me with courage.
“Son, let’s keep going and try the other neighbors.”
Over the next 20 minutes, we visited two apartments next-door to our house. Both ladies we met were church attendees who had already professed faith in Jesus. We have now learned their names and hope to become their friends.
“Hey Daddy, when do you think we can do this again?”
“I think tomorrow will work, we still have a lot of people left to talk to.”
Photo Credit: Flickr
Here is a list of Bible verses and quotes I’ve put together for Mother’s Day. These could be used in writing mother’s day greetings cards, mother’s day sermons, mother’s day Sunday school lessons or crafts. Leave me a comment if I’ve left off your favorite scripture for mother’s day.
Jesus Arranged For His Mother’s Care Before His Death
John 19:26-27 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” (27) Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
Bible Verses & Quotes About Mothers From Jesus and The New Testament
Mark 10:29-30 ESV Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, (30) who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.
Matthew 10:37-38 ESV Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. (38) And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Matthew 12:46-50 ESV While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. (47) (OMITTED TEXT) (48) But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” (49) And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! (50) For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Matthew 15:4-6 ESV [Jesus speaking] For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ (5) But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from me is given to God, (6) he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.
Ephesians 6:1-3 ESV Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. (2) “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), (3) “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
2 Timothy 1:5 ESV I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.
Old Testament Scriptures About Mothers
Exodus 20:12 ESV “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
Deuteronomy 5:16 ESV “‘Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
Leviticus 19:3 ESV Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father, and you shall keep my Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
Verses From Proverbs About Mothers
Proverbs 1:8-9 ESV Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, (9) for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.
Proverbs 6:20-22 ESV My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching. (21) Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. (22) When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you.
Proverbs 10:1 ESV The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
Proverbs 15:20 ESV A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother.
Proverbs 19:26-27 ESV He who does violence to his father and chases away his mother is a son who brings shame and reproach. (27) Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.
Proverbs 20:20 ESV If one curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in utter darkness.
Proverbs 23:22-25 ESV Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. (23) Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. (24) The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him. (25) Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice.
Proverbs 28:24 ESV Whoever robs his father or his mother and says, “That is no transgression,” is a companion to a man who destroys.
Proverbs 29:15 ESV The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
Proverbs 30:11 ESV There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.
Proverbs 30:17 ESV The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.
Proverbs 31:1 ESV The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
Proverbs 31:10-12 ESV An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. (11) The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. (12) She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
Bible Definition For Mother’s Day
Mother From Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
Honored in Israel as she is not in the East generally; one superiority of Judaism over other contemporary systems (1Ki_2:19). King Solomon rose up to meet and bowed himself unto Bathsheba, and set her on his right hand (Lev_19:3). Figuratively, a city is mother of the surrounding villages its daughters (Jos_15:45; 2Sa_20:19). Ezekiel (Eze_21:21) uses “mother of the way” for the parting of the way into two roads which branch from it, as from a common parent; however, Havernick, from a Arabic idiom, translated it as “the highway.”
**These Bible Verses are from the ESV (English Standard Version)
This morning, I took our two foster girls home. We’ve had them since November, but driving away from their mom’s house it seemed like much longer. It’s a sad story, just like most foster care stories you’ve heard. Each of these stories are different, but they all center on broken down families and kids without much hope.
We’ve been doing foster care longer than we’ve had our own kids. It started just after we were married. A little boy named John came into our life – even now it’s hard not to cry when I think of his story. But his life, like all the others, has moved on beyond our help. I could name over 25 children who have come and gone out of our lives, and even now their stories are still a part of us.
Last night I asked my wife, “Did we do a good job with these girls?” After a long silence she said, “We could’ve done more.” There is always more we wish we’d done.
- I regret that I didn’t spend more time praying with the girls. They shared in our times of family worship, but I could’ve taken more time to walk them to Jesus.
- I regret that I didn’t love them more. After so many times, it gets harder to open my heart to anyone I know will be gone inside a year. Love isn’t meant to be short term, but I could’ve done more to love them.
- I regret that our lives were so busy. The girls had a several visits and appointments each week, plus our family pace didn’t slow. I wish now that we had cleared the calendar and lived a simple life.
- I regret that we weren’t more involved with their family. We have arranged to keep bringing them to church, but we could’ve worked harder to build relationships with their mother and stepfather. It takes effort, but we could’ve overcome the awkward relational dynamics to better serve the girls.
Despite these regrets, I believe that God will use our ministry to these families. I’ve learned that all good works are made good only by God’s grace. We tried to serve the girls and show them Christ, and I trust that God can overcome all our failures.
I’m so thankful to God for these experiences as a foster father. We cry when the children come, and we cry when they leave. But there is a blessing to be found every time you enter the broken lives of others. Despite the hard days, there were many more happy ones.
Sometimes our friends ask us why we keep doing foster care? My best answer is this: When God is in something - there is nothing else we’d rather be doing.
This article was written by Brent Thomas, Teaching Pastor and an Elder of Grace Community Church in Glen Rose, TX. You can find more of Brent’s articles on his website titled Colossians 3:16
As you might know, we are currently (and very expectantly) expecting our fourth boy. Lord willing, Eli Calvin will be here very soon. We are often overwhelmed by the weighty blessing that is raising children. This became all the more apparent for us the other night as we were watching television and came across a preview for a show called something like “True Dreams of a Soccer Mom” or something like that. I can’t remember the actual name of the show, but the premise was that three women had “put their dreams on hold” to raise their families, but this television show was going to give them the chance to pursue what they really wanted in life. One was a fashion designer, one a police officer and I don’t know what the other was. Continue reading →
