Mothers must be the standard bearers for daughters

When a mother first lays her eyes on her baby girl, her thoughts are only towards taking care of that new little being as best as she can. 

Wow!  That is a key thought and prayer.  What if mothers had this very significant thought every day of their child’s life?

What if mothers even dared to begin to mold the destiny of their baby girl even before she was birthed into the world?

What if pregnant females took to the depth of their heart the fact that their own life is both blessed and burdened with the responsibility of nurturing a life to success?

That is what we see as we take a look at Naomi and her heart and attitude towards Ruth.

Ruth was her daughter, her daughter-in-law.

Ruth married Naomi’s son, Mahlon, who had died leaving Ruth a widow with no children.

The beauty is that when given the choice to leave Naomi, Ruth refused to leave.

Isn’t that wonderful? In spite of the harshness of life’s situation, the love between this mother and daughter was so profound that they would not be separated. No wonder Ruth was blessed.

Naomi set about seeking the best for her daughter because Ruth deserved the best.

In spite of the fact that Naomi was empty and bitter, Naomi lived another day. 

Guidance

That is important because when you are a mother, you will have to press through those times when you feel totally void of home and a good future.

Mother you must press through because your daughter is watching you and waiting for you to give her wise instructions.

3:1 Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, “My daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?”

Naomi was a focused mother. She was out to find rest for her daughter.

This tells us that Naomi put her daughter’s needs and her daughter’s future above her own.

It was not about what Naomi wanted; it was about what Ruth deserved. 

Indeed, a true and mature mother will never really rest until her child is at rest.

A mother cannot sleep easy knowing that her daughter is experiencing the struggles of life and there appears to be no solution to those problems.

No, a mother will move mountains in order to see her daughter in a settled place.

2 And now is not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley to night in the threshing floor.

Naomi directed Ruth to a male who was a real man. Boaz was a man of direction and destiny.

Boaz was not trying to find himself. He was already well-positioned in the community and Boaz was already working in his place of purpose.

How dangerous it is when mothers accept for their daughters, those males who have no focus and who are not found to be working.

Mothers must understand that the standard they set will be the standard they have to accept.

Boaz was a working man who took his work seriously and understood that in order to separate the chaff from the seed, he would have to work at night, when the winds that came from off the shore would assist in separating the lightweights (chaff) from the heavyweights (seed).

If a male cannot take care of himself then how can he take care of a wife?

A man must be found faithful as a worker before he can be faithful as a husband.

3 Wash thy self therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.

Naomi basically instructed Ruth to make herself respectable and acceptable to the one who would be her husband.

Ruth was told to wash herself, anoint herself, and put on some clothes.

What if mothers today prepared their daughters to meet a husband and not a ‘sleepover’ partner or a ‘trial’ boyfriend? 

What if mothers advised their daughters to honour themselves and cover themselves, if they ever expect a man to do the same for them?

That is something to think about. Mothers, let’s be the standard bearers and refuse to settle for anyone less than acceptable for our daughters.

Your rest depends upon it. Selah.  Respice finem.

Dr Maria A. Seaman is the pastor of Shekinah Worship Centre, Hamilton Parish.