In Praise of Moms Who Make Jesus Known

Yesterday we celebrated Mother’s Day, which gives us an opportunity to express our gratitude toward our mothers and all mothers.

But I want to keep the good vibes going today, and say “thank you” to all the mothers and grandmothers who intentionally find ways to make Jesus known to their children and grandchildren.

If we truly believe Jesus when he said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6), then teaching our kids about Jesus and how to walk with Him is the most important thing we can pass on to them.

In a recent survey by the Barna Group, mothers were identified as the ones who have the most influence on the spiritual direction of children.  Here’s one excerpt from their report:

Practicing Christians in their teen years consistently identify mothers as the ones who provide spiritual guidance and instruction and instill the values and disciplines of their faith in the household. Moms are their foremost partners in prayer (63%) and conversations about God (70%), the Bible (71%) or other faith questions (72%). This is consistent with Barna data through the years that show mothers to be the managers of faith formation (among other household routines and structures). Mothers are also the ones encouraging church attendance (79%) or teaching kids about the Bible (66%), God’s forgiveness (66%) and religious traditions (72%).

I want to praise the mothers who are using the influence pointed out by this survey in gospel-centered, Christ-directed ways.  These kinds of moms are heroes!

I’m so grateful to have a mother who continues to teach me life lessons about the way of Christ through her example.

And I am blessed to have a wife who consistently points my daughter to Jesus in both word and deed.

I am in awe of these two women – and all others like them.

Thank you, mothers, for making the world a better place by making Jesus known to your children.