HEAD-TO-TOE ASSESSMENT OF A MOTHER

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Today is Mother’s Day, a holiday that officially began in 1914.

 

B.      We could spend our morning looking at mothers in many ways.

1.      Stats about mothers in the Bible

a.      Used 320 times in 292 verses

b.      Used 93 times in 84 verses in the New Testament

c.       First use (Gen. 2:24)

d.      First mother, Eve (Gen. 3:20)

e.       Last use (Rev. 17:5)

f.        Last mother mentioned, Eunice (II Tim. 1:5)

2.      Famous Bible mothers:  Eve, Sarah, Rebekah, Jocebed, Ruth, Hannah, Bathsheba, Elisabeth, Mary, and Eunice

 

C.     This morning, however, I want us to do a “Head-to-Toe” assessment of a mother.

1.      A Head-to-Toe assessment is a medical procedure.

2.      It is a systematic way of collecting data through the use of sight, hearing, smelling, and touching in order to detect health problems.

3.      We will do a brief “Head-to-Toe,” not to detect problems, but to show the value of a mother.

 

I.                   A MOTHER’S HEART

 

A.    The heart is the center of one’s understanding, decision-making, purposing, and emotions (Prov. 23:7)

 

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…

 

B.      A good mother’s heart is filled with two things:

1.      Love for her children

2.      Compassion, that is, the ability to suffer with her children

 

C.     When Solomon’s wisdom was being tested by two mothers.  The mother of the living child would not allow her child to be put to death.  She was willing to give her child up to another woman instead of seeing her child killed (I Kings 3:26).

 

Then spake the woman whose living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it…

 

II.                A MOTHER’S EYES

 

A.    A mother’s eyes are always watching for her children.

1.      She is vigilant.

2.      Some accuse mothers of having eyes in the back of their heads.

3.      A good mother does not want harm to come to her children.  She constantly watches to see if anything harmful is approaching her children.

 

B.      When David grew old, Adonijah, one of his sons, sought to usurp the kingdom from his father (I Kings 1:5).  One of the individuals who approach David about this matter was Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother (I Kings 1:17-18).

 

And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the Lord thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and shall sit upon my throne.  And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not.

 

III.             A MOTHER’S MOUTH

 

A.    A good mother realizes that she is a steward to the precious souls of her children that God entrusted to her.  Thus, out of her mouth proceeds much wisdom and instruction (Prov. 31:26).

 

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

 

B.      Timothy had learned the Scriptures from the time he was a child (II Tim. 3:15).  We learn in the first chapter of II Timothy that it was his grandmother and mother who were responsible for that training (I Tim. 1:5).

 

When I call to remembrance the unfeign faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

 

IV.             A MOTHER’S BREASTS

 

A.    The first nourishment that a child receives is from his mother’s breast (I Sam. 1:22; Isa. 28:9).

 

B.      Even after the child is weaned, the mother is usually the one who provides food for her family (Prov. 31:15).

 

She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

 

V.                A MOTHER’S ARMS

 

A.    When child is afraid, he will run to his mother’s arms.  He knows that her arms offer a place of safety.

 

B.      Proverbs 31:17

 

She girdeth her loins with strength, and stengtheneth her arms.

 

VI.             A MOTHER’S HANDS

 

A.    A mother’s hands are always busy at work.

 

B.      “A man works from rising till setting sun, but a woman’s work is never done.

 

C.     The virtuous woman

1.      Proverbs 31:13

 

She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

2.      Proverbs 31:19

 

She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands to the distaff.

 

3.      Proverbs 31:27

 

She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

 

VII.          A MOTHER’S LAP

 

A.    For some reason, children are prone to getting hurt.  They run to mom and she sits them on her lap to take care of them.

 

B.      He lap is a place of comfort and healing

1.      Isaiah 66:13

 

As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

 

2.      I Thessalonians 2:7

 

But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cheristheth her children.

 

VIII.       A MOTHER’S FEET

 

A.    A mother’s feet represent how busy she is.  There are very few times in the day wherein she is able to sit down and rest.

 

B.      The virtuous woman

1.      She seeketh wool and flax (Prov. 31:13)

2.      She is like the merchant’s ships; she bringeth her food from afar (Prov. 31:14).

3.      She considereth a field, and buyeth it:  with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard (Prov. 31:16).

4.      She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy (Prov. 31:20).

5.      She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant (Prov. 31:24).

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    Many of us have had mothers who used their whole bodies in our service.

 

B.      Some mothers are using all from head to toe to take care of their children right now

 

C.     Their efforts are hard, long, unnoticed, and little appreciated. 

 

D.    What they have done, or, are doing, is one of the greatest works in all of the world.

1.      “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.”

2.      “Men are what their mothers made them” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

3.      “Our mothers put God first when they fill their highest mission within the walls of their own homes” (Ezra Taft Benson).

4.      “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother” (Abraham Lincoln).

5.      “The world needs our mothers” (Liya Kebede).