The Power of a Mother

​In honor of Mother's Day, I want to share with you part of the story of Susanna Wesley's life. She was the twenty-fourth child of Dr. Samuel Annesley, a Puritan minister. Born in 1669, Susanna had a deep desire to learn and had the opportunity to do so through her father's books. At age nineteen, she married Samuel Wesley, whom she met at her sister's wedding. Both came from nonconformist backgrounds and decided to join the Church of England.
 
It is reported that Susanna had nineteen children in a little over twenty years, nine of whom died in infancy. She took responsibility for raising her ten children with a strong Christian and moral education. Their schooling began at age five. A couple were able to read the New Testament in Greek by the age of eight. Susanna took particular interest in her daughters' education.
 
While her husband was in London in 1712, Susanna decided to invite some of her neighbors to what became known as her "Kitchen Meetings" where she preached to her children. Several writers tell us that, at times, over two hundred friends and neighbors joined the Sunday evening meetings. In addition, they say that she had theological knowledge superior to that of many pastors. Her influence on her sons, John and Charles, was evident. In fact, she is remembered as "The Mother of Methodism" since the boys adopted her teaching methods. John wrote that his mother was a preacher of righteousness.
 
It is obvious that Susanna believed and followed the Scripture written in Proverbs 22:6. "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not turn from it." As a godly mom she went about fulfilling her responsibility to teach her children the importance of having a loving relationship with God.


If we look back to creation, we see that Eve brought life into the structure of Adam's world. She came as a companion and helper. Adam and Eve were dependent on one another to give birth to children. Then it became the responsibility of the woman to be a nurturer of life. May I suggest, however, that the ultimate purpose of a mother is to love God. Everything else will follow this. Godly moms are a product of fulfilling their first purpose in loving God.


My own mother modeled faith to my brother and sister and me. We were blessed to have a mom who had the fear of the Lord within her. God also modeled His care and concern for His children in Israel by teaching them about Himself, providing for and directing them in their relationship with Him. Through the prophet Isaiah, He made a promise to His children. "As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 66:13)


May we all be challenged by these godly examples of care given to children and the obvious results of godly influence on them. Mothers over the years have demonstrated the love of God and helped to impact generations.