Sharing the Love of Jesus as a Stay At Home Mom
By Contributing Writer, Jennifer Ross
“How do I share the love of Jesus with others, if all I do is stay home with my children?” Asked a young mother of three small children, with tears streaming down her face.
Her distress was evident and her concern was real. She truly believed that her children were a hindrance to her being salt and light in the world. Oh, what the world has done to delude, distort, and disarm us.
Letting Your Light Shine
Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden…. let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Is not in conflict with “young women… be keepers at home.”
Do you know, dear Mother, what a profound influence you have on the world around you when you smile sweetly at your children in the grocery store, after they’ve been overheard asking 14 unrelated questions in a row? Do you know what a far-reaching impact you have on your unsaved friends when you genuinely and lovingly embrace your husband who came home late, knowing guests would be present for dinner?
Sharing the love of Jesus and capturing the world around us for the glory of Jesus Christ isn’t an either/or when combined with motherhood. Remember, “a city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” The light of the LORD in your life can be radiant joy to the dying world. Neighbors, unsaved family and friends, strangers out and about… they are all affected by the godly joy they see in you.
Also, don’t underestimate your influence in your own children’s lives. They are learning through you how to share the love of Jesus!
I was blessed by Bambi’s post on Hospitality and Homelife: A Forgotten Conduit for Ministry when she shared a story about her husband and an ex-prisoner he’d hired to help him on a small construction job. As the ex-prisoner ”watched the man of the house leave each morning and return from his labors in the evenings, to a wife who had kept the home, as well as children who greeted him warmly,” and was invited to their table to eat, his heart was softened. He was intrigued by what he’d seen and the gospel was” preached” by living it out each and every day.
Just as we can win our husbands without the word, so too can we win the world without the word.
Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 1 Peter 3: 1-2
Wives, be subject to your own husbands, that they may been won without a word. Wives, let your husbands, your children and the world see your respectful and pure conduct. The Word is powerful, and when we live it out, even as stay at home moms, we are sharing the love of Jesus!
Tags: homemaking, ministry
Good Post! People see the differnce in us who are really living by God’s standards…living by His Spirit! I love watching people’s faces at the grocery store as we shop…the look on some faces are priceless…some are shocked (and I only have four – LOL)…and on occasion I get big grins and one time I even got a “thank-you” and a wink from an older lady – I knew what she meant and the look in her eye told me that watching my God fearing crew blessed her and gave her some hope…imagine that!
One of the stores I frequent is a little country store. The first time I went there I got the “looks” – you know what I mean….the “you had better keep those rascals in line” kinda look! Now we are known and the store keepers look forward to us coming in…
This spoke volumes to me as this country store is a “earthy-lovin” kinda store. Those who work there don’t ask questions…but I see the questions in their eyes and pray that they see Jesus in us!
Once while having dinner out, when it was time for us to pay the bill, the waiter said “paid for”! We were shocked…but then realized that the older couple (who had left a bit before we did), who had ben WATCHING us interact with our children, praying before we ate, and just enjoying one another that they had blessed us! The couple told the waiter to tell us “you are doing a good job”…I cried and I think my “commander” husband might have shed a few tears! Do you realize that this didn’t just bless the older couple and us but the young man who was our waiter and others who were sitting around us all witnessed this…all because we choose to follow Christ and rear our children to follow HIM!
Where oh where is my ministry? My ministry, at this time in my life, is my husband and children…but through little moments as shared above God has shown me that because I’m steadfast and diligent our family is a blessing to those we encounter…isn’t that worth it!
I loved Bambi’s post also – it really encouraged me.
WOW. That was a lovely testimony. Thank you for sharing it with us! : ) (And see…now that whole thing blessed bunches more…isn’t that amazing? The ripple effect of love?)
Thanks Dory! I’ve heard of others who’ve had their meals paid for by an older couple who had been watching them while eating out. We certainly are a testimony!!!
This is a great post, Jennifer. Truthful words in a day when children are viewed as a hindrance to “real ministry”.
Thanks for “the mention” as well
To God be the glory.
Thank you Bambi! Children, at this stage for most moms, *are* our ministry for the most part. Blessings!
Please remember this time in life is so short. The investment is worth it! You will touch the world. Our oldest is at basic training and has had the opportunity to share the Gospel with young men from all over the U.S. Was it me? No. The 18 years of homeschooling prepared him. I praise God for the time I invested. My arrow is reaching the world!