Creflo Dollar - How To Honor Your Mother
If you have your Bibles, go with me to the book of Exodus chapter 20 and verse 12. Today we celebrate the wonderful gift of motherhood and the important role that mothers play in our lives. It's a day to honor and to show appreciation to our mothers for all that they have done and all that they continue to do for us. In today's message, I wanna explore the biblical basis for honoring our mothers and the importance of respecting them. The Bible teaches us that we should honor our mothers. And in Exodus chapter 20 and verse 12, he says: "Honour thy father and mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee".
So this commandment under the law is not only a moral obligation, but it also comes with the promise of blessings. Under the law when this commandment was given, it was the only one that had with it blessings. God promises long life to those who honor their parents and honor is defined as showing esteem for one or the one who deserves it, showing esteem. It's a word that means to show respect, to give attention to. The word even goes so far as to say, when you honor somebody, you give them priority above everything else. You give them a place of priority and a place of value. So honor is serious business.
Now, traditionally, to show you how serious honor was, there was such punishment that was dealt to children, adult children, mostly, who would not walk in the honor of a mother or a father. What they would do back in the day is that the whole neighborhood, like, if you lived in the neighborhood, the whole neighborhood would come and get that dishonorable child and they would drag him to the front of the neighborhood and all of the neighbors would stone the child to death. Thank God we're not under the law. There'd be some stoning going on right now. Thank God we're not under the law. But this is just to show you how serious it was.
Look at Matthew 15 and 4, just staying in this vein to show you how serious it was and then show you how things have been adjusted a little bit. Matthew 15:4: "For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth," not cussing, "but he that curses the father or mother, let him die the death". I'm like, whoa, in any dispensation, this would be serious. And then Proverbs chapter 30, verse 17, look at this. Proverbs 30 and 17. He says: "The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagle shall eat it". Dang. It was serious business, right? The way we respect our parents says a lot about how we respect God. That's why it was so serious. The way we respect our parents, especially our mothers, says a lot about how we respect God. And it was so serious back then because the actions of dishonor disrupted family multiplication and expansion.
And so unfortunately, the reality is that not all parents treat their children well, we understand that. Sometimes parents' behavior can be unhealthy and harmful to their kids. We understand that. But the Bible instructs us to honor our parents, but it does not command us to stay in harm's way. But the way those commandments to honor God, when you see those commands to honor God or to honor your parents, most of that was aimed at adult children and not so much young children. Young children, most of that is like obeying your mother and father, as a kid. But we're talking about them grown-up children now. He said there's a level of honor that you should walk in and understand that you should do this until your parents leave the Earth. Huh, in some nations of the world, you would receive a seven-year prison term for being unemployed too long and not taking care of your parents. "Man, ought to bring that law in over here".
Let's give some examples. Throughout the Bible, there are many examples of mothers who placed important roles in their lives, in the lives of their children. One of those examples is a woman by the name of Hannah. Hannah was the mother of Samuel. And in Samuel chapter 1, you can read that, it talks about Hannah prayed for a child and how God answered her prayer by giving her a son. And then Hannah dedicated Samuel to the Lord and raised him up to become a great prophet. So Hannah's example teaches us the importance of prayer and dedication in the area of motherhood. She prayed for a child and dedicated that child to the Lord.
And let me say this to every mother. If you have dedicated your children to the Lord, you should not be carrying that care to bed every night. God got them. I said, if you've dedicated your child to the Lord, don't be moved by what it looks like. God got them. God got them. He will raise them up. They will fulfill the will of God for their life. They can act like a hellion if they want to. But I tell you when you dedicate them to the Lord, they might run but they can't hide. God will find them. You gonna be all right. And don't let your children shame you as a mother. Don't let them shame you. "Well, you should have did that. You should have did that". Hold up, put a little pin there.
Now, go have your baby and then come back and talk to me later. You've done all, you did all you knew to do for the time, all right? Somebody said, "It wasn't enough". Yes, it was enough, because Jesus has committed to continuous education. You do what you know to do and then you dedicate them to the Lord. You give them to God and let God do whatever you didn't do. And when they pull that stuff out about, "You didn't do this and you didn't do that and you didn't do that," you just say, "You know what? Did all I needed to do. But now this is why you need to get saved so that Jesus can finish the work". But don't you walk around in shame. Isn't it amazing how they can tell you how you ought to be a parent? And they ain't got child yet. The carrying a child for 9 months and then birthing the child out of your body. Spitting out a whole human being.
Now I'm gonna tell you, if it was up to men to have babies, the earth would be empty. Oh no, why they trying to do this campaign about men can have babies too. What man wanna do that? You know how much courage it takes? "Well, a woman is a", I don't care how adaptable your body is. That thing hurt, that hurt. Every child ought to be apologizing to his mama. "Mama, I'm sorry". And if you got a big head, you need to get on your knees and apologize. I'm sorry, it's just... Another example is Mary, the mother of Jesus. Think of that, the mother of Jesus. Was chosen by God to be the mother of our Savior. And she accepted this calling with humility and obedience.
Mary's example teaches us the importance of obedience and trust in God's plan for our lives. I mean, what are you gonna teach God? I've got to trust him. And so there are some practical things I want to bring to your attention today. Some practical things that you can do to show honor to your mother. You know, normally I would take the attitude of, you know, depends on what the series we're on. Oh, well, you know, we'll just celebrate Mother's Day and then I'm gonna just pick up preaching for where I am. But I'm realizing, the older I get, it is important to single these precious celebrations aside. You need to be appreciated, you need to be celebrated, and your church needs to get behind the celebration, to value motherhood.
And so, some practical ways to show it. Number one, make your mother look good. Somebody say, "How you do that"? By simply being a good person. Don't be out there acting crazy and embarrassing your mama. Make your mother look good. People will make the connection. Make her look good, make her smile. You know, it used to be some folks would hold up and say, "I'm not gonna do that". Why? "My mama". There's some basketball players on TV, when they're playing basketball, would go crazy. But they think, "My mama. Mama gonna call me: 'Don't embarrass me.'" You remember when you...I never could remember this. You remember when your mama say: "Boy, you got them underwear on, they got holes all in it. What if you got to go to the hospital and you got them things on, embarrassing me"? Never could get that but make her look good.
Number two, let them know you understand what they have done for you. Pick a time where you understand, "I know what you've done for me, Mom. I know you've been praying for me every day. I know that and I thank you". If there's an area that you become aware of, let them know. "I know and I thank you, I know you've been patient with me and I thank you. I know I disappointed you here but you didn't give up on me and I thank you".
Number three, provide the gift of your presence. Provide the gift of your presence by visiting and listening to their stories. You'll learn something. I was with my family a couple of weeks ago and I learned a lot. I walked out of the house, I said, "Got dog, I learned a lot". The gift of your presence.
Number four, and here's a big one. You honor them by not expecting them to bail you out. Uh oh, been funny so far. Work hard to avoid dishonoring your parents by not looking for a bailout. Work hard to avoid dishonoring your parents. Like it or not, your debt reflects negatively on them. Think about that now. What you gonna do when they leave? You ain't got your stuff together yet that you still going to your mama to bail you out? "Yeah, Mama, I know but, but, but". Get your "but" out of the way and figure out how to live a life where you will stop trying to buy stuff to impress somebody who don't care, and putting it on your mother. That's dishonorable. They spent all their life raising you. Seem like it's your time to give back to one who has given so much to you.
Number five. It got quiet in here on that one, didn't it? Don't be waiting for your mama to die for your prosperity. You act like you don't understand what I'm saying. I tell my kids, "Don't be waiting for me to and your mama to die and for you to prosper. We try not to leave nothing. We're trying to spend every dime. That's why I don't want you to make me no soup right now because you too excited about. You better get a job. You better figure out how to prosper on your own. Don't figure out, you might be tricked. You might be expecting something that ain't gonna be there when I'm leaving". Amen.
I think this is number five. Pick up the tab once in a while. It means the world to your mom, when you at least try. All your life, you've gone out somewhere and she's always picked the tab up and paid it. You pick it up. You grown, you're an adult. When you take your mama somewhere, pick the tab up. Don't be looking at her saying, "Well, I would pay for it but I ain't got but $5". Well, why you ask her out? You gonna ask her out and then look for her to pick the tab up? That's dishonorable. That's not honorable. If you can't afford to go to a restaurant, invite her over and cook, and if you can't cook, ask somebody and your relatives that can cook, but don't do that.
Number six, I mean, I like what Taffi did. Boy, Taffi like, she get up and look around. She say, "You pay this". And they were like, "Uh"? "Huh, you pay this. I'm waiting in the car. Because I ain't going back to the kitchen and washing no dishes. You better... well, you're gonna wash the dishes". It's dishonorable for that. Number six: Show a positive regard for parents through your words and your behaviors. A regard for them. I regard my mother through my words and my behavior.
Number seven: In the Old Testament, grown children would provide care, they would provide time, and they would provide financial support if needed. This was the culture's version of Social Security. They didn't have it back then. And there are some adult children who just look to take the Social Security from... elderly people are not being honored in this country the way that they should be honored, and it's something we have to change. There is no way your mom ought to be working on her third retirement because you can't seem to get it together. And a word of advice to mothers.
Don't be going in and rescuing a grown man who ought to be... he 50 years old. Don't be going there, rescuing him. "Well, I'm a mama. I just don't want him to be homeless". Let that butt sleep outside a couple of times on the curb. He'll be a lot, lot thankful for whatever job he can get to do, what need to be done. And like I'm telling you, it's not hard. It's a issue of mathematics, how you want to live and how much you're making. It's real simple. Now, when you look at how much you wanna live and it costs this much and you look at how much you're making and you're making this much, what you're making is not enough to take care of how you're living.
So you're gonna have to either reduce how you're living or increase how much you're making. It's real simple. You know, it don't even take the Holy Ghost helping you to figure that out. That's simple math. That means you can't live in an apartment that cost $3000 a month and you ain't making but $1200 a month. "Well, where you gonna live at, at that price"? I don't know. You might have to rent a room or buy a tent. But that's your problem. You gotta figure that out. I'm too real. I need to go and hurry up with this sermon.
Number eight: They refrain from dishonoring their parents. You have to refrain from dishonoring your parents. And therefore there... let me give you a couple of ways to do that. If you will honor them by refraining from dishonoring them. In other words, to treat your mom, number one, as if she is insignificant, is dishonoring. They get no honor, if you treat her like she is insignificant. That's dishonorable. Number two, second part of this, to strike, hit, abuse, or be cruel to your mother is dishonoring. It is a dishonoring thing, but I have counseled people who have come to me because their children are striking them, hitting them. And I know you think it's ridiculous.
But there are mothers who are being physically abused by their children. That's so dishonoring. The next one: to curse your mother, not cuss her. That's not good either. But to curse your mother is like pronouncing condemnation and wishing some sort of evil would harm or destroy them. It's literally cursing her with the words of your mouth, wishing something ill that would come upon them. That acts like a boomerang, and it actually comes back on you. The day that we have chosen to celebrate and to honor our mothers, it is a serious occasion, more serious than what I've ever thought it was.
It is an occasion that we all have an opportunity to evaluate just where we are, not to promote fear and say to you, "Well, you know, if you've done any of these things, you're going to hell". No, there's a grace that's available to help you to improve no matter where you are today. And God loves you, but you can't do no better until you know better. And maybe by bringing some things to your attention, we can promote a community that brings honor, recognition, and value to mothers that are getting older, that we respect them and honor them and love them and do all kinds of things that we can make their latter days much better than their former days.