A Look at Scripture, History, and Honouring Godly Mothers
Well, folks, here we are in the UK with Mothering Sunday coming around again, cards, flowers, family dinners, all that good stuff. And as believers who love the Word of God and want to stick close to what the Bible actually says, we've got to ask ourselves honestly: Is this thing biblical? Does the Lord tell us to set aside a special day like this?
Let me tell you right up front: No, the Bible doesn't command a Mother's Day or Mothering Sunday. No verse says, "Thou shalt observe the fourth Sunday in Lent to honour thy mother with gifts and praises." Nothing like that. But praise God, the Scriptures are full of clear commands about honouring our parents and valuing godly mothers. That's where we start, always with the Word.
What the Bible Actually Says
Turn with me to Exodus 20:12. The Lord says plainly,
"Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you." (NKJV)
That's the Fifth Commandment, and it's repeated in Ephesians 6:2-3 with a promise attached: "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." This isn't a once-a-year thing; it's a way of life. Honour your parents continually, and the Lord attaches a blessing to it.
And then look at Proverbs 31:10-31, what a beautiful picture the Lord gives us of the virtuous woman! She's a wife, a mother, a hard worker, full of wisdom and kindness. She fears the Lord, takes care of her household, and her family rises up to call her blessed.
Verse 28 says, "Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her." That's real honour, coming from the heart every day, not just on some calendar date.
We see it in the lives of mothers in Scripture, too, Hannah praying with all her soul for a son (1 Samuel 1), or Timothy's mum and granny passing down that sincere faith (2 Timothy 1:5). God honours mothers who walk with Him. That's the heart of it.
A Quick Look at the History
Now, where did this Mothering Sunday come from? Back in medieval times, maybe as early as the 8th or 16th century, it was tied to Laetare Sunday in Lent, a little break in the middle of all that fasting.
Folks would go back to their "mother church", the parish where they were baptised, or maybe the cathedral, for worship and fellowship. It drew from verses like Galatians 4:26, where Paul talks about the Jerusalem above being "the mother of us all," or Isaiah 66 with its pictures of comfort like a nursing mother.
So, it was mostly about the Church as our spiritual home, and then naturally, people would visit their earthly families too.
After the Reformation, a lot of the Roman layers got peeled away in England, and it became more about family and going home to church. In the early 1900s, someone revived it to honour mothers more directly, sometimes throwing in "Mother Church" or even a nod to Mary, but that's a later addition, not the original core.
And today's version? It's mixed with the American Mother's Day, cards, chocolates, all commercialised now. Distant echoes of old pagan stuff exist way back, but that's not what we're doing today.
If any of that history bothers your conscience because of Roman Catholic influences or extra-biblical traditions, I understand. We stand on Scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone. No add-ons needed.
Christian Liberty and the Heart of the Matter
The Bible gives us liberty in things like this. Romans 14:5-6 says,
"One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord..."
If using the day helps you express real biblical honour and love to your mum or your wife, without compromising the gospel, then go for it unto the Lord.
We at Born Again Christians folks do just that: We might share a word from Proverbs 31, encourage the mothers in the fellowship, and point everything back to Jesus.
But if it doesn't sit right with you, skip it. The command to honour stands every single day.
I think of my own dear wife at home; it's the same truth. She gets up early, opens her Bible at the breakfast table, and meets with the Lord before the kids are stirring.
With five children, two left home, three facing autism challenges, she cooks, she loves, and she teaches them about Jesus with patience and grace. That's a Proverbs 31 woman right there, fearing the Lord. I don't need a special day to tell her she's a blessing, but if today helps the family say it out loud and thank God for her, why not? It glorifies Him.
Final Thought
Whether you mark Mothering Sunday or not, let's obey the Word: Honour your mother, honour the godly wife and mother in your home.
Praise those women who walk close to Jesus. Raise our kids in the fear of the Lord. And keep Christ right in the centre, no tradition ever takes His place.
May the Lord bless every mother here, and may our homes overflow with His grace day by day.
Grace and peace in Jesus,
Peter
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