President John Adams once said, "I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry and porcelain." His point was a simple one: a good parent desires to make their personal ceiling the floor for their children. If true, I'm blessed to come from a rich heritage which enabled me to begin life on one of the top levels of a skyscraper. What my parents passed down was not much in the way of economical, social, or educational standing, but rather a spiritual legacy. I'm thankful to say I stand on the shoulders of giants who paved the way for me to know who I am in Christ and to help others do the same.

THE WORD

My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching. Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. 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 6:20-22

This past Sunday was a day to honor every mom and the sacrificial way they live to raise and nurture their children. As my wife and I are now in the thick of parenthood, seeking to raise our kids to love and follow Jesus, one of my greatest desires is to model for them what was modeled for me. As I have reflected on the most valuable lessons passed down to me, here are three of the most significant:

THREE LESSONS MOM TAUGHT ME

1. MEET GOD EVERY DAY

For much of my adolescence, like clock-work, mom would come into the living room around 7 or 8:00 at night and clear us out so she could do business with God. "I'm about to pray, so you can either join me or get out."

This was awfully inconvenient to me. Why in the tv room? There were tons of other rooms in the house! I mean, didn't Jesus say in Matthew 6 when you pray go into YOUR room?! And why at 8:00PM? In the pre-streaming days of cable tv, that time was often referred to as PRIMETIME... as in, prime television-watching time! Not to mention how utterly convicted I felt when I would hear my mother crying out to God on our behalf and petitioning Heaven for the needs of those closest to her. It's really hard to live a lukewarm lifestyle when someone is determined to burn in front of you.

Jesus taught us the importance of making prayer something personal between us and the Father. But Jesus also taught us to let our light shine before others, that they may see our good deeds and glorify the Father (Matthew 5). So how do we know when to be secretive and when to be demonstrative? The difference is in our motive. If our motive is to impress, it's selfish and of no use to the kingdom of God. But where our motive is to impact it is of great significance.

What my mother did in that living room night after night not only touched and affected the many she contended for in prayer, but also the children who sat in the next room taking note of her example. Mom still keeps a nightly business meeting with the Father to this day and only in adulthood have I come to realize just how much of a blessing that was to have in my childhood.

2. LIFE ISN'T THAT SERIOUS

If you thought this whole blog was going to be sentimental and gooey, let me shoot that expectation to bits right now. Mom is notorious for laughing at all the wrong things, in all the wrong settings, at all the wrong moments. Whether it's a funeral, a church service, a wedding, a graduation ceremony... no matter the setting, her inability to be reverent knows NO BOUNDS. It's one of the things we love most about my mom, mostly because we love to egg it on and watch her sweat and shake while trying to keep quiet.

Most everyone is familiar with the many radiant qualities of the "Proverbs 31" woman. But one verse in particular stands out to me. Proverbs 31:25 "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." I've found that what makes the joy of the Lord the strength of the faithful is not just the peace of knowing God is in control, but also the peace of knowing that God takes joy in us.

My mom grew up in a time where everything was very serious in the church, and I mean EVERYTHING. In the old pentecostal church there was a ton to laugh about but you didn't dare be the one laughing. While I'm thankful for the heritage of the generations who blazed the trail before us, I'm also thankful that we can see the humor in their mistakes and flaws, pure-hearted as they were. The same will be done in future generations as they look back on us. Through all the rules and religion, mom grew up having developed the two most identifying marks of her character: love for Jesus and love for life. Her humor and joy are a constant reminder that while many things in life are serious, many things just don't have to be.

3. LISTEN WHEN GOD SPEAKS

If there's one thing my mom is known for, it's being tuned in to what God is speaking. In fact, she has spent the last several years of her life sharing what the Lord speaks to her on a daily basis through a Facebook page that reaches hundreds daily and most recently through a book in which she compiled several words from the Lord and self published on Amazon (you can find it here).

I still have friends from college and earlier who I haven't talked to in years but they stay in touch with my mom because they desire for her to hear from heaven for them. Everyone seems to be so in awe of the way she leans in to receive from the Lord, but for my brother, dad, and I it was just the way life worked in our home.

Honestly it, at times, got in the way of our life choices! I can't tell you how many times in our lives that God tattled on me or my brother, especially in our more rebellious, teenage years. Mom would often have dreams or hear things in the spirit that made her aware of something going on in our lives. We couldn't get away with anything! Of course, now I'm very grateful for that, and pray all the same blessings on my children as well. Many times it wasn't even about our sin, but rather about our heart, the enemy's attacks, or something on a deeper level.

I'm thankful that I grew up in a home where hearing from the Lord was not some super spiritual occurrence nor a rarity in the life of a believer. On more than one occasion my dad came home from work to find my mom doing something like packing up the curtains. "What are you doing?" He would ask. "The Lord told me your job is going to give you a new position and we're moving." Sure enough, within weeks or months time, my dad would be notified by his boss. Clearly the business world always seemed to be a step behind mom's boss.

Jesus told us in John 10 that His sheep know His voice. Many believers today are settled on knowing the Word, knowing the tenants of our faith, and knowing in whom we place our trust. But sadly many have settled short of knowing the voice of God in their everyday lives. Mom would often get up in the middle of a show, a meal, or even a conversation to go into another room and begin writing furiously what the Lord was revealing to her in that moment. Her example is partly why I'm so adamant about having a journal on hand at all times. I never want to devalue what God is saying by not taking the time to write it down and hold it close.

CONCLUSION

Repeatedly the Bible tells us that children are a blessing and a gift. I think it has to remind us of that often because of how stressful it can be to raise them. But no scriptures come to mind that say mothers are a gift. Probably because no reminders are needed. God put it within our common sense to know how special mothers are. Now I'm getting to see a whole other side to motherhood as I watch my wife evolve from a mother of infants to a mother of toddlers and beyond. I'm blessed to have a front row seat to her example as well. To every mom, thank you for the lessons you are both intentionally and unknowingly giving us every day. May we all hold to them tightly!