There are bad mothers in our world today causing pain and heartache for their families living in dysfunctional households. Mother’s Day is not a day they want to give flowers or even a card. My grandfather was an alcoholic and my mother broke the cycle of alcoholism. The abusive environment she grew up in resulted in unresolved anger, bitterness, and resentment that spewed out into our family. My siblings and I often heard our mother say how much she hated us as we were growing up.
The Bible does not gloss over and air brush people to make them look good. The Bible contains raw, truth- filled events and people including mothers who were bad.
Lot’s wife was fleeing with her family their city of residence, Sodom, because God was going to destroy the city for its’ great wickedness. God had warned Lot’s family not to stop or look back. The longing of what she was leaving behind was too much for Lot’s wife. She looked back and became a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19)
Lot’s daughters become mothers by getting their father drunk and having sex with him as he lay in a drunken stupor. (Genesis 19)
Potipher’s wife tried to seduce their handsome slave, Joseph. When he refused her forceful advances she accused him of attempted rape and he was thrown in prison. (Genesis 39)
Maacah, used her influence as queen mother while her son, Abijah ruled over Judah. She re-instituted the cultic worship of the fertility gods Baal and Asherah. (1 Kings 15)
Jezebel married Ahab, the warrior king of Israel and together they became wicked rulers who followed false gods instead of the only true, God. (1 Kings 16)
Athaliah – following the death of her husband and son, each of whom reigned as king, massacred all but one of her own family so she could rule over Judah. (2 Kings 11)
Herodias, hated John the Baptizer, because of he spoke against her marriage to Antipas. She was the divorced wife of Antipas’ half brother, Philip. Her daughter’s dance pleased the king so that he promised to give her anything she wished. Herodias had her daughter request the head of John the Baptizer on a platter. A king can never break his promise. (Matthew 14)
Our mother has great regrets from the past and each of us has forgiven her. This Mother’s Day, we will take her out for lunch, help her with some errands around her home, and each of will say words which were not always said or felt growing up. Today, the words are authentic and freely spoken often. “I love you, Mom.”
1 Peter 5:10 And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
If you grew up with a bad mother, how has God restored you?
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