A REJOICING MOTHER (Proverbs 23:22-25)
INTRODUCTION:
Today we celebrate Mother’s Day, a day set aside each year for our mothers. Charles Swindoll wrote this in his book Strong Family: “The following is a list of ‘I owe you’s’ which apply to mothers all over the country, all of which are long overdue. Stop after each one and consider the priceless value of the one who made your life possible—your mother.
Dear Mom:
As I walk through my museum of memories,
I owe you—for your time. Day and night.
I owe you—for your example. Consistent and dependable.
I owe you—for your support. Stimulating and challenging.
I owe you—for your humor. Sparky and quick.
I owe you—for your counsel. Wise and quiet.
I owe you—for your humility. Genuine and gracious.
I owe you—for your hospitality. Smiling and warm.
I owe you—for your insight. Keen and honest.
I owe you—for your flexibility. Patient and joyful.
I owe you—for your sacrifices. Numerous and quickly forgotten.
I owe you—for your faith. Solid and sure.
I owe you—for your hope. Ceaseless and indestructible.
I owe you—for your love. Devoted and deep.”
--Charles R. Swindoll, Strong Family[1]
This morning my message is directed more towards each of us as children to our mothers, not so much to mothers. What a blessing it is as an adult to still have a living mother, but even if your mother is no longer living you can still honor her memory on this day set aside to celebrate our mothers. Let’s pray and then get into our passage of Scripture for this morning.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles this morning to Proverbs 23:22-25. We will be focusing mainly on the second phrase of verse 22. Please stand, if you are able, in honor of the reading of God’s Word and please follow along while I read.
Proverbs 23:22-25,
“Listen to your father who begot you, And do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy truth, and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding. The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him. Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.” (Proverbs 23:22–25, NASB95)[2]
RATE YOUR MOTHER HIGHLY (Proverbs 23:22b)
I know that several things are said about fathers in these verses which is understandable since fathers and mothers kind of go together. However, this morning we are going to focus on what is said about mothers. Verse 22 speaks of mothers, and it commands us to not despise our mothers when they are old. This command is to every one of us whether our mother is living or not. We are exhorted not to despise them. Now I am not saying that any of our mothers here are old, but we can all agree all mothers are older than their children. Here in God’s Word, we are commanded not to despise our mothers when they are old. We must first look at this word “despise” because as it is used here is not how it is used in today’s culture. Here despise does not mean to hate, which is how we use it today. For example, I might say that I despise sushi, which would mean that I hate sushi and I don’t want to eat it. In the Bible, this word “despise” does not mean to hate, but rather it means to think little of, or to belittle in your mind, to not pay attention to or to not consider. This then gives us a better understanding of what the author of these Proverbs is commanding us to do. You are not to think little of your mother when she is old, don’t ignore her, don’t play her off, don’t think her concerns are unimportant. Despise not your mother when she is old.
It is an unfortunate reality that our culture, our society is youth oriented. Everything in our culture is geared to youth. It is the young men and women in our society that are honored. They are the ones who are glorified in our media, they are the ones that are emulated in the fashion world, it is the young people that America looks to and I believe that is a great tragedy. We know that in the Oriental culture this is not the case, and we know that the Jewish culture is a near Oriental culture. In the Oriental culture, and in the Jewish culture age was and is honored. It should be that way in our culture today, and part of the reason that America is in the condition it is today is because age and the wisdom that comes with age is not honored. Young people, you do not have all the answers, I would even venture to say that you have a lot fewer answers than you possibly could imagine. The answers for the needs today do not rest with the younger generation, not that I have anything against the younger generation and understand that some of them are extremely smart. The answers for the needs today do not rest with the younger generation, rather they rest with the older generation who has been down the road a little farther and has experienced life and has seen and lived history and have learned some things and understand some things that can only be learned and acquired by age and maturity. So, we see in the Bible that God honors the elderly as they are maturing, and commands us to honor them, to lift them up and to seek their wisdom and their counsel so that we take the right path. Because of this we read in Proverbs 23:22, “And do not despise your mother when she is old.” (Proverbs 23:22b, NASB95)[3] What does this mean for us? It means that as we mature, we must not forget our aging mothers, we must not neglect their needs and concerns, and we must recognize what they have to offer not only to us but to generations beyond me as we listen to what they have to say. The Bible teaches us some ways in which we can honor our mothers and I want to share two of those with you this morning.
RESPECT HER PERSON (Exodus 20:12; Proverbs 20:20)
The first way in which we can honor our mothers is by respecting their person. What does it mean to respect their person? The fifth commandment of the Ten Commandments sums this up for us. God said in Exodus 20:12, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.” (Exodus 20:12, NASB95)[4] According to this command as a son or daughter we are to honor our mother and our father. Now I understand that no parent is perfect, and maybe you don’t believe yours should be honored, but remember that none of us are perfect either. You cannot blame your problems on the way that your parents raised you, your problems are due to your choices. Now don’t get me wrong, I understand parental influence, but I also understand that we each have a sin nature and that we each must make choices. With that said, it is ultimately my choice which determines which direction I will go. There are thousands of examples of people whose upbringing was anything but ideal, yet instead of choosing to continue in the same way as their parents, they chose instead to go a different direction and completely changed their lives for the better, and this despite how they were raised. So even if your parents were imperfect, and they were because there is no perfect parent on earth, you and I are still charged in the Scriptures to honor our mothers and our fathers.
What are some of the ways that we can honor our parents? We honor them by having a loyal heart that always loves, remember we were loved by our parents, and we can return that love by having a loyal heart that always loves them even if they were imperfect. To honor our parents means to guard our tongues, in other words to never criticize or talk down about your mother or father. I thank God for my mother, she loved the Lord and lived that out in her life. Instead of criticizing her, I would rather glorify her for who she is in Christ. Even if there are imperfections in her life, we should not criticize but rather give praise for the sacrifices your mother made for you and for the role model she is in your life, especially if your mother loves the Lord Jesus and lives in obedience to Him. To honor our mother is active and is seem in our love and praise for who they are to us. Listen to what God says to the one who does not love his mother, but instead despises her, He says in Proverbs 20:20, “He who curses his father or his mother, His lamp will go out in time of darkness.” (Proverbs 20:20, NASB95)[5] God says some strong thing to the one who does not honor his mother. Listen to Proverbs 30:17, “The eye that mocks a father And scorns a mother…” (Proverbs 30:17a, NASB95)[6] What is an eye that mocks, how do you scorn your mother? Have you ever rolled your eyes at something your parent has asked you to do? Have you ever said something derogatory under your breath when asked to do something by your mother, or maybe out loud you said “bruh?” That is a mocking eye or scorn for you parents. Listen to the rest of Proverbs 30:17, “The eye that mocks a father And scorns a mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.” (Proverbs 30:17, NASB95)[7] Is that literal? If I were you, I wouldn’t put it to the test. We honor our mothers by respecting their person.
REMEMBER HER FAITH (Proverbs 22:6; 23:23-25; Matthew 13:44-46)
A second way that we can honor our mothers is by remembering their faith, that is if you had the privilege of having a mother who loves the Lord Jesus and seeks to obey Him. I had this privilege and my parents lived out their faith in front of us and told us stories of God’s provision and goodness to them. Praise God for godly parents who seek to raise their children to reflect their faith. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6, NASB95)[8] My parents trained me in the way I should go, and I have not departed from it and could not ever even imagine that as my love for the Lord Jesus grows stronger every day.
Our passage this morning tells us how we go about remembering our mother’s faith. Verse 23 says, “Buy truth, and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding.” (Proverbs 23:23, NASB95)[9] We do not literally buy truth, what the author means is that in whatever way, by whatever sacrifice it takes, find truth, and hold onto it all your life, don’t give it up, don’t sell it but make the truth of the Gospel the truth of your life. Jesus explained it this way in Matthew 13:44, “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44, NASB95)[10] or again in verses 45-46, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45–46, NASB95)[11] This is what the author means, truth is like that treasure hidden in the field, or that pearl of great value, do whatever is necessary to make the truth of God’s Word your truth, and from the truth of God’s Word you will get wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. What is the result of pouring this truth into your life and making it your own? You will fall more and more in love with the Savior who redeemed you with His blood, who purchased your salvation through His death and resurrection, and who justified you by your faith in Him, He declared you righteous. That is the result of buying truth at whatever cost and making it your own.
There is a further result, go back to Proverbs 23:24-25. “The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him. Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.” (Proverbs 23:24–25, NASB95)[12] Do you want to honor your father and your mother, you will by your faith, by your righteous life. It will cause your father to rejoice and be glad, it will bring joy and rejoicing to your father and mother. When they see that you have not departed from the training with which they trained you and that you have made the truth of God’s Word your own, then the mother who loves us and gave birth to you will rejoice.
CONCLUSION:
“And do not despise your mother when she is old.” (Proverbs 23:22b, NASB95)[13] “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1–3, NASB95)[14] We celebrate Mother’s Day and set aside one day a year to show our mothers special honor, honor that we should honor them with everyday not just because we are commanded to do it and it honors and glorifies the Lord when we obey His word, but because of the sacrifices that they have made for us. Listen again and reflect on this list that I read at the beginning of my message:
Dear Mom:
As I walk through my museum of memories,
I owe you and I honor you—for your time. Day and night.
I owe you and I honor you—for your example. Consistent and dependable.
I owe you and I honor you—for your support. Stimulating and challenging.
I owe you and I honor you—for your humor. Sparky and quick.
I owe you and I honor you—for your counsel. Wise and quiet.
I owe you and I honor you—for your humility. Genuine and gracious.
I owe you and I honor you—for your hospitality. Smiling and warm.
I owe you and I honor you—for your insight. Keen and honest.
I owe you and I honor you—for your flexibility. Patient and joyful.
I owe you and I honor you—for your sacrifices. Numerous and too quickly forgotten.
I owe you and I honor you—for your faith. Solid and sure.
I owe you and I honor you—for your hope. Ceaseless and indestructible.
I owe you and I honor you—for your love. Devoted and deep.”
--Charles R. Swindoll, Strong Family[15]
Happy Mother’s Day!
[1]Swindoll, Charles R., Swindoll’s Ultimate Book of Illustrations & Quotes., Nashville, TN : Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1998, pg. 396.
[2]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[3]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[4]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[5]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[6]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[7]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[8]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[9]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[10]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[11]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[12]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[13]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[14]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[15]Swindoll, Charles R., Swindoll’s Ultimate Book of Illustrations & Quotes., Nashville, TN : Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1998, pg. 396. (And I honor you is my addition)