Josie, Tammy, Alex, Melinda, Kelle, Kathy…some of the names of mothers who have indelibly influenced the man I am today. Women I praise God for and who I am thinking of as I write this.
Charles Spurgeon once wrote: “Fathers and mothers are the most natural agents for God to use in the salvation of their children… Never could it be possible for any man to estimate what he owes to a godly mother… How can I ever forget her tearful eye when she warned me to escape from the wrath to come?... when she bowed her knee… and prayed, ‘Oh, that my son might live before Thee!’”
There’s something about those words that stops me. Not because they are poetic—though they are—but because they are so deeply true. When Spurgeon reflects on his life, he doesn’t begin with his preaching, his platform, or his influence. He goes back to something foundational.
He remembers his mother. Her prayers, warnings, tears, and her faithfulness.
And as he looks back, his statement is this: “it is impossible to fully measure the influence of a godly mother.” That kind of influence is not easily quantified. It doesn’t fit neatly into metrics or milestones. It is built over years of consistent presence and care.
I’ve experienced this in my own life in a way I’ll never forget.
When I was 18, I came out of an intense 8-hour surgery, drifting in and out of sleep. Everything was hazy and disorienting, and I had very little awareness of what was happening around me. But there’s one thing that remains incredibly clear in my memory.
Every time I opened my eyes, I saw my mama. She was right there beside me, holding my hand.
As the day went on and I continued to fade in and out, it didn’t matter when I woke up—she was still there. Watching, caring, and listening carefully to every update. Taking notes in a binder that far surpassed any recordkeeping the medical equipment or well-trained nurse could take, making sure nothing was missed.
There was a steadiness to her presence. A quiet, unwavering attentiveness that didn’t demand recognition but provided deep comfort. In a moment where I had no control, no clarity, and no strength of my own, her presence anchored me and gave me peace. And even now, looking back on that moment, I’m reminded—there is something deeply powerful about the presence of a mother. Something that shapes you, anchors you, and stays with you longer than you realize.
Scripture affirms this kind of influence.
In 2 Timothy 1:5, Paul writes to Timothy, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.”
Timothy’s faith didn’t appear in isolation. It had roots. It had been shaped and nurtured over time through his mother and grandmother, who loved the Lord and lived that out in front of him. That’s what we celebrate on Mother’s Day.
It looks like repeated conversations that don’t seem to stick, like discipline that requires patience and consistency, like prayers whispered late at night.
And yet, those are the very moments God uses. The kind of faithfulness that rarely makes headlines but leaves a lasting imprint. Spurgeon calls parents “the most natural agents for God to use,” and that language is important. It reminds us that while God alone saves, He often chooses to work through the faithful presence of a mom.
This truth brings both humility and hope.
Humility, because it reminds us that we are not ultimately in control of the outcome. We cannot save. But hope, because it assures us that our faithfulness is not wasted.
Every prayer offered in faith. Every word of truth spoken in love. Every moment of perseverance. Every act of quiet obedience. God sees it all. And more than that—He uses it. Often in ways we cannot yet see. The seeds planted in childhood often bear fruit later.
This kind of influence is not limited to biological motherhood. The church has always been a place where spiritual influence extends beyond the home. I’ve seen this kind of influence extend far beyond biology in a way I’ll never forget.
Years ago, our church honored a woman named Chris on Mother’s Day. She never had children of her own, but she had spent years pouring into students—showing up consistently, loving them faithfully, and pointing them to Christ. During the service, we asked anyone who had been impacted by her life and ministry to stand. And one by one, students stood up, until students were standing all across the sanctuary.
It was one of those moments that stays with you. It was a reminder that motherhood, in its deepest sense, is not just about biology—it’s about faithfulness. It’s about investing in the lives of others. Chris may not have had children of her own, but she had a spiritual family that filled the room.
That is the kind of influence Scripture celebrates. Ultimately, what makes all of this significant is not the person at the center of it—it is the God who works through it. The same Savior Spurgeon’s mother prayed for is the same Savior we point to today.
So, this Mother’s Day, we pause to recognize something that cannot be fully measured:
The influence of faithful women. The power of persistent prayer. The beauty of ordinary obedience over time.
To the mothers who are faithfully loving, correcting, praying, and persevering—your labor is not in vain.
To the women who invest in others—your faithfulness matters more than you may realize.
And to all of us, may we remember this: God delights to use ordinary people, in ordinary moments, to accomplish His extraordinary purposes.
Just as He did through a faithful mother in the life of Spurgeon, and still does today in so many of our lives. Praise God for my mama and the faithful women like her (though none can compare).