"I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you,
which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice,
and I am persuaded is in you also."
2 Timothy 1:5
The pastor had finished his Sunday morning sermon. After the worship service, he was speaking to people in the foyer. A man came to him and said, "Pastor, I want to become a Christian." The pastor was delighted to hear those words. He asked, "What did I say that made you want to become a Christian?" He said, "Well, it really wasn't so much what you said, but it's the way my mother lived." The influence of a Christian mother is everlasting.
Timothy became a believer in Christ, not just because of the apostle Paul, but because of the influence of a Christian mother and grandmother. Not everyone has that blessing. Christian mothers are a blessing in many ways. They offer a model of Christ living in them. They teach their children the truth of Christ. Their faith has a profound influence on their children.
Timothy's mother taught him the Holy Scriptures from early childhood. Paul wrote to Timothy, "And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15).
One reason Timothy's faith was genuine is because it was based on what the Bible teaches about Christ. The New Testament was not complete at that time, but the Old Testament prophesied the coming of Messiah or Christ (e.g., Isaiah 53; 61:1-3). The apostles preached faith in Christ Jesus as the promised One. The Scripture was taught to Timothy through the life of a mother.
Father, we thank You for the life of a mother.
