IF THE POINT of life is the same as the point of a story, the point of life is character transformation. – Donald Miller

And the point of a mom, and every parent, is to point their children to Christ. 

Not just by the words she speaks into their life, but through actual demonstration. There are many who have good intentions, who mean well, but then delay in the actual doing part.

Motherhood is not your highest calling

As children start to live out their own stories, starting from a very young age, it is the mom who often has the unique responsibility to whisper a better story into their life. It is the mom who sacrifices the most time toward their children. It is the mom who has been created with a unique combination of gifts and talents to nurture them in a way only they can.

But motherhood is not to be your highest calling. It’s a very unique part for sure, and it is a divinely appointed position that only a woman can fully appreciate, but it shouldn’t be elevated to the holiest calling of all.

The mom’s holiest calling is to become the best version of themselves – to become more Christ-like. Mothers are to focus on their relationship with Christ above all else. They are to live out God’s redemptive story in their life and through every relationship they have. This is how they live a better story.

What does that “better story” look like, you ask? Like this:

• It is a story that is filled with conflict and the pursuit of meaning over worldly success.
• It is a story filled with courage, bold leaps of faith, and steadfast commitment to Christ.
• It is a story filled with failures, but even more, the transformation that takes place because of it.
• It is a story of love going to such extremes, and even when it’s undeserved and unappreciated.
• It is a story of her marriage taking priority above her relationship with her children.
• It is a story that she herself is writing and demonstrating by the daily actions she takes.

The best thing a mom can do is live an amazing story for her child.

It’s in the doing, not just the thinking, that a mom nurtures the mind of Christ in their children. It’s in the doing that they create a story that the child is more likely to want for themselves one day.

I think the reason some children turn away from their parents is because they see a boring story. They may have been raised in a Christian home, raised to fear God and be good obedient little children, but as they look at their parents, they see this utterly boring story. They shrink from that and then begin to pursue someone else’s story, maybe a close friend, and usually one that is more culturally defined.

The problem? It’s this: They don’t see that transformation taking place in their lives. They don’t see how they struggled with sin and dealt with it. They just see this holier than thou person who means well, but lives in stark contrast to the message she has preached.

I love what Ann Voskamp says:

God wants Prodigal Parents — not perfect parents. Lavish in love, extravagant in truth, big spenders of grace.

I’m very blessed to have been raised by a mom who herself lives an amazing story. She loves me unconditionally. Through her actions, I witnessed a life that was being transformed by Christ. That’s pure gold. That’s more precious than rubies. There’s so much treasure in seeing positive turns from a life of obedience to Him.

My mom didn’t just mean well, she actually did well for her children.

And a mom who does that deserves a standing ovation, not only in this life but in eternity as well.

Love you Mom!

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