05.16.2025
By Pastor John Crotts
A newspaper column once asked why it is that we only consider a police officer a hero after he or she dies in the line of duty. The same question could be raised about firefighters.
After the tragic events like September 11th, most Americans are stirred by the heroism of the first responders—and rightly so. I’m sure we will never know or rightly appreciate all of the individual acts of heroism that take place in these kinds of events. But these people were heroes on September 10th as well. The events of the next day just brought their character onto center stage.
Without taking away one bit of appreciation for what these men and women have accomplished, we must also remember to pay tribute to other heroes who serve even closer to home. These people rarely get the admiration they are due, but in many ways they also act heroically.
Being a mother is one of the highest callings God gives. In our culture, staying at home to raise children is looked down upon by some, but not by the Lord. Though God has given fathers ultimate responsibility for families (Ephesians 5:22-6:4), it is often Mom who carries out the day by day care and nurture. When my daughters got hurt, it would have been pretty rare for them to run into the room crying, “Daddy, Daddy!”
The Bible shows mothers right along side fathers giving instruction to their children. The wise king Solomon instructed his son, “My son, observe the commandment of your father, And do not forsake the teaching of your mother” (Proverbs 6:20). Such a warning implies that mothers should be pouring biblical truth into their children.
Because moms tend to have more time with their children, they have many more opportunities to turn real life situations into times for instruction, correction, or warning. The Bible is not meant to be merely read and studied in a sterile environment, it is meant to be part of everyday life.
A woman who is soaking her mind in the Scriptures, and searching for opportunities to teach and apply what she learns, first to herself and then to her children, is to be praised. Far from being a common task for those who cannot make it in a real job, these women are doing heroic work.
She is making a lasting impact in the lives of her children. She is also impacting every single person that her children touch. Susanna Wesley impacted two continents simply be striving to be a faithful mother to her sons John and Charles (among her many other children). When they went out to preach, minister, and write hymns, they took the influence of their mother with them.
A godly mother in today’s world receives opposition from at least four fronts. First, other individuals oppose a woman who seeks to raise her children to love Jesus. Even well meaning family members can pressure a woman to quit focusing on her kids and go make lots of money for herself. Many wonderful mothers can be demeaned at family or other social gatherings for being overqualified to “just stay at home.”
A word to husbands of such women: Guard the mother of your children. Guard her from your well-meaning family. Guard her from your selfish heart, if you are sending her to the wolves each day to finance your extras in life. I painfully realize that some mothers are forced to be at work against their heart’s desire. My heart goes out to you all. You are extra-heroic, and I believe God will give you extra grace until your circumstances allow for you to get back home. Some families, however, have misprioritized the things of this world above the eternal things that mothers entrust into their kids day by day. This needs to be guarded against.
The second source of opposition comes from society as a whole. The world we live in is hostile to the God we serve (see 1 John 2:15). It should come as no surprise that the world opposes mothers that seek to instruct their children in the ways of the Lord. From TV shows to magazines to radio talk shows these women are often patronized.
The devil and his demons also attack ladies and their calling to raise godly children. He will derail your desires, send distractions, and wreck your day to keep you from passing the gospel truth on to your young people. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7b). Fill your mind with the truth of God’s word and stand firm. The devil will not move you.
The final source of opposition is not a foreign enemy. It is the enemy within our own heart—the flesh, or remaining sin. Even after we become believers in Jesus, there remains a principle of sin within our beings. In harmony with the work of the world and the devil, your flesh will fight against any and all of your godly desires, including being the best mother you can be (see Galatians 5:17).
As you are tempted to covet possessions that your double-income friends have, as you become discontent with diapers and finger-paints, as you want to escape from the kids more than you want to equip them, remember the Lord. Remember His promises, and his blueprint for the family. Remember eternity. The Holy Spirit will give you power to overcome the greatest temptations your flesh can produce.
Anyone who can overcome these forces of earth and the spiritual realm and even try to raise godly children is certainly commendable. Any woman who actually (by God’s grace) makes some progress in training them to love Jesus is truly a hero.
While mothers rarely get a hero’s welcome as they enter their homes, they are worthy of such honor. Be sure to honor the mothers in your life this Mother’s Day!
