How the Work of Christ Sustains the Work of MotherhoodExemplo

Just like behavior modification won’t change our kids’ hearts—the seat of their affections and source of their actions—it won’t change our hearts either.

Trying to be a good mom won’t make us a good mom.

If the problem is within us, then what we need is a fresh start—and a new heart.

This is what Jesus graciously offers. He has come to change your heart.

Through God’s astounding love for the world he made, he initiated a rescue mission for dead hearts. If we are to change—if we are to see our hearts fundamentally renewed—we must lay aside our exhausting attempts to be “mom enough” and receive his provision for us: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Jesus was born to die so we might be born again.

The Word became flesh to make this promise a reality for his people. Jesus’s heart is to serve his own by making us alive.

This is really good, freeing news for us, Mom. It means we can’t possibly be, in all our valiant efforts, the Rescuer and Renewer of our kids’ hearts. We can be consistent with discipline and instruction, and might even see some immediate behavior changes, but we can’t produce lasting heart-change.

Only Jesus can get to the root of the problem and make our kids alive.

Do you see how this changes things? Instead of being high-and-mighty moms who wag our fingers at our kids, confused and frustrated that they keep getting it wrong, we will be moms on our knees, humble and prayerful, as we plead for Jesus to do what only he can do.

We will be realistic moms as we discipline and instruct our children, knowing that no amount of behavior modification can change the heart.

We will be compassionate moms who understand our kids’ biggest problem since it’s our biggest problem too.

And we will be hopeful moms who tell them the good news about the Heart-Changer who’s in the business of rescuing sinners.