Quick Insight: Honor Your Mother – the Conduit of Your Strengths

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Insights are short, biblical truths to equip you to lead from your strengths.

Throughout scripture, God tells us to honor our parents: “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you” (Deuteronomy 5:16, ESV).

The word honor translated from the biblical command means to prize, to esteem, or to value.

You honor your mother by valuing her as the means by which you came into this world and the means by which you received your strengths.

Here’s an Insight: Your Strengths Have Been Passed Down to You

Woman talking with her motherAt issue is not whether you share some strengths with those of your mother. The point is that she was a vessel by which your natural strengths came to you.

Natural strengths are just that: “natural.” They are your unique way or manner – how you carry out tasks. Some may even refer to your strengths as “personality.” Strengths can be traced to the innate genetic material that exists within all of us and is passed down from generation to generation.

God drew upon your long line of genealogical history to give you a special combination of natural strengths.

Your Mother Was the Conduit

Psalm 139:13-14 says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalm 139:13-14, NIV). God used your mother to be the conduit of your strengths.

God’s heart is for us to be close to others – especially our family members and in particular our mothers – for it is within our moms that we were knit together by God.

Yet I know there are some who are reading this article that are estranged from their mothers. Let me encourage you to do this: take one step to re-engage. Ask God to give you the ability to reach out and simply thank your mother for bringing you into this world. Your humble step of faith to re-engage might be the catalyst God will use to heal the relationship with you mother.

For those of you who have a good relationship with your mom, take a moment right now to stop and praise God for the vessel He used to bring you to this earth. Then be sure to set aside time to tell your mother how much you love and appreciate her.

When it comes to honoring your mother – no matter what kind of relationship you have with her – trust God.

Use your strengths and take one step. Thank God. And thank her.

Now How Should I Live?

Every person is created by God with natural strengths, including your mother: “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines” (1 Corinthians 12:11, NIV).

  • Identify the strengths God placed in your mother.
  • Thank God for placing those strengths in her.
  • If your mother is alive, find a way to show her you value her strengths.

More About Valuing Strengths

Are Some Strengths More Valuable Than Others?

Diffuse Jealousy by Blending and Valuing Strengths in Others

Don’t Tolerate Differences. Value Them.