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The # 1 Way A Mom Shows Love To Her Family 
We asked the question, what’s the #1 thing a mother should do to show love to her family? 
Should a mother:
  • Be involved in her children's activities?
  • Cook meals for her family?
  • Be submissive and respect her husband?
  • Play games with her family?
  • Encourage the learning of homemaking (i.e. cooking, gardening, handiwork, etc.)?
  • Keep her home clean and tidy?
All of the above are good qualities of showing love, per the Bible's guidance:

"Train a child"….encourage their learning so they may be prepared for whatever God has planned for them as adults. (Proverbs 22:6)

"Love, honor, and respect husband"…this is model behavior your children will watch and learn from. It boosts your husband and therefore, allows your husband to better fit into the role God has called for him (It's very important the mother and father learn the roles that God has designed for them).  (Colossians 3:18)

"Spend time together"…very important to spend time together, away from distractions (i.e. TV and computer) to enjoy and get to know one another so that you can better be there for your family.  (Proverbs 31:27)

"Proverbs 31"…yes, you should be there cooking and cleaning for your family and household.

Here’s the tricky part…though all of the above are important, God calls mothers (and fathers!) to something even higher…
Mothers, women, men, and dads are to love and honor God above all else,  including themselves and the responsibilities of their household, including raising their children.  The #1 way a mother shows love to her family is to love and honor God above all else!


"Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."   (Deuteronomy 6:5, emphasis added)

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."  (Colossians 3:2, emphasis added)

"...what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul" 
(Deuteronomy 10:12, emphasis added)


It’s very important to learn to love God above all else.  The great thing is that by doing this, God helps you to re-prioritize your life in a way where all that He wants and designed to be accomplished gets fulfilled!!  It’s a pyramid effect…
God
Marriage
Kids & House
Work & Entertainment
All Other “Priorities” that come

Place God first; then your marriage, your children, household, and everything below will fall into place. 

So often the verses to train a child, submit to your husband, etc. are taken to heart, but the verses about honoring God above all else get neglected.  We are to honor the latter without neglecting the first.  The most important job anyone has is the relationship within their heart for God.
"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well"
(Matthew 6:31-33)


It's easy to put God first, once we've come to know Him better.


"For God is not a God of disorder but of peace." (1 Corinthians 14:33)

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phillipians 4:6-7)

"Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you." (Job 22:21)


I’ll leave you with a metaphor to ponder over, one that my family and I often refer to when things become off kilter:

Picture a large glass jar and on the outside of the jar are lots of various sized pebbles and one large rock.  The large rock represents God; the next sized rocks (there are two) represent your marriage; then next  sized rocks represent your children; then your work and household are pebbles; then entertainment and other “priorities” that compete in our life are represented by millions of sand grains.  If you put the jar (your life) together in order by placing the large rock first (God), then the 2 rocks (your marriage), and so forth, there will always be room for the sand grains to fit.  BUT, if you fill your life with the sand, you will always have trouble fitting the large rock (God) in, and maybe even the 2 smaller rocks (your marriage).  This metaphor is meant to help you realize how vitally important it is that God always comes first, then your marriage, then your children.  All of life’s other “stuff” will always find a place.

May the Lord be with you as you take this to heart.
"Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the LORD your God gives you for all time."  (Deuteronomy 4:40)


Written by: David and Kristina Edmisten, Copyright © 2010.  www.justopenthebook.com


Strengthen your life with God's word! Each week, you'll receive God's truth and how to apply it in your daily life!

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