Clicky

Examples of Good Mothers in the Bible – Viral Believer
Skip to content

Examples of Good Mothers in the Bible

There are many examples of good mothers found throughout the Bible who set a godly example for us to follow. As Christian women, it is important that we look to these biblical examples of godly motherhood and seek to emulate their faith and character in our own lives.

In this blog post, we will explore some of the best examples of good mothers in the Bible and the key lessons we can learn from them about godly motherhood.

Introduction

Being a mother is one of the most important and influential roles a woman can have. Mothers have a unique opportunity to shape and nurture the next generation through their love, teaching, and example. The Bible provides us with numerous examples of mothers who raised their children in the faith and left a lasting godly legacy.

Here are some key takeaways we will cover about biblical examples of godly mothers:

  • Jochebed – She protected and cared for her child in the face of danger. Her influential parenting preserved Moses’ life.
  • Hannah – She was a woman of fervent prayer and kept her promise to dedicate her son Samuel to the Lord.
  • Mary – The mother of Jesus set an example of humility, faith, and obedience to God’s calling.
  • Eunice – She taught her son Timothy the Scriptures from childhood and imprinted a sincere faith in him.
  • Lois – The grandmother of Timothy who passed down her strong Christian faith.

As we examine each of these biblical mothers, we will see common themes emerge: faith, prayer, teaching, sacrifice, courage, and dedication to the Lord. These are important virtues for mothers of all times to uphold. The lessons we can learn from these women still very much apply today.

Jochebed – Mother of Moses

One of the first examples of a remarkable mother in the Bible is Jochebed, the mother of Moses. In the book of Exodus, we read about how Pharaoh had ordered all Hebrew baby boys to be killed at birth, as he felt threatened by the growing Hebrew population (Exodus 1:15-22).

When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months. But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him. (Exodus 2:2-4, NIV)

Jochebed displayed tremendous faith and courage in the face of grave danger as she sought to protect and preserve the life of her child.

She hid Moses and kept him safe when she could no longer do so, she made the difficult choice to place him in a basket along the Nile River, trusting God for his protection. Even in intense adversity, Jochebed prioritized the well-being of her child.

Her actions preserved the life of Moses who would eventually lead the Hebrew people out of slavery in Egypt.

The writer of Hebrews recognizes Jochebed’s influential parenting saying, “By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.” (Hebrews 11:23) Jochebed’s brave actions and her faith changed the destiny of her nation.

As mothers, we too can emulate Jochebed’s example by protecting and caring for our children, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. Though we may face intense adversity as parents, we must keep trusting God and prioritizing the well-being of our kids. Our influential parenting can positively shape the destiny of the next generation.

Hannah – Mother of Samuel

Another biblical example of a godly mother is Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel. Hannah deeply desired to have a child but was barren. She poured out her heart before the Lord in prayer, weeping and grieving over her inability to conceive (1 Samuel 1:10-11).

In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly….she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life.” (1 Samuel 1:10-11, NIV)

Hannah continued to pray fervently for a child, even promising to dedicate the child to the Lord’s service if her prayer was answered. God heard Hannah’s earnest prayers and she gave birth to Samuel whom she kept until he was weaned.

Hannah remained true to her word and brought Samuel to the temple and dedicated him to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:24-28).

As a mother, Hannah was a woman of prayer and kept her promises to the Lord. She dedicated her beloved son Samuel to be raised in the temple and to serve the Lord all his life. God honored Hannah’s commitment and Samuel grew up to be a mighty prophet and judge over Israel.

Hannah’s example reminds mothers today about the power and blessing of prayer. Though parenting can be difficult, we must continually pray and seek the Lord for wisdom and guidance in raising our children.

It also reminds us to remain faithful to any vows we have made to the Lord concerning our children. When we commit to raising God-honoring kids and nurture their spiritual growth, the Lord will honor that commitment.

Mary – Mother of Jesus

One of the most well-known biblical examples of a godly mother is Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary announcing she would supernaturally conceive the Messiah, Mary responded with humility and faith.

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” (Luke 1:38, NIV)

Though the news seemed impossible, Mary trusted in God and obeyed his calling on her life to bear and raise Jesus. She understood this miraculous assignment was from the Lord Himself. Mary accepted God’s will with grace and surrender.

Throughout Jesus’ life, Mary continued to trust and treasure God’s words in her heart (Luke 2:19,51). At the wedding in Cana when the wine ran out, she instructed the servants to obey Jesus (John 2:5). Even when Jesus began His ministry and was rejected by many, Mary never wavered in her faith and support of her son.

Near the cross as Jesus was crucified, Mary continued displaying courage and deep spiritual strength (John 19:25). She supported Him and kept pursuing God’s will, even through immense grief and suffering.

Mary’s example reminds us that godly motherhood requires incredible sacrifice, courage, and resilience. Like Mary, we can choose to trust God and surrender to His plans for our life and children.

We must support our kids in pursuing God’s calling, even when it leads through difficulty. Mary exhibited a quiet, resilient faith that remained steady through storms of life.

Eunice – Mother of Timothy

In 2 Timothy 1:5 the apostle Paul commends Timothy’s sincere faith which first dwelt in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. Eunice was a Jewish woman who married a Greek man and they had a son named Timothy (Acts 16:1).

From childhood, Eunice taught Timothy the Holy Scriptures which made him wise for salvation through Christ (2 Timothy 3:15).

Eunice passed down her strong spiritual heritage to her son and undoubtedly taught him by her own example of steadfast faith. She nurtured Timothy in the faith from a young age so that he grew to be a godly man and a prominent leader in the early church. She imprinted the sincere faith upon her son.

Eunice sets an example for all mothers to follow. We should make passing down sincere faith to our children a top priority. This requires imprinting God’s word on kids’ hearts and living out an authentic faith.

Like Eunice, we can instill spiritual roots and values in our kids starting from a young age. When mothers faithfully teach and model godliness, it shapes children to walk closely with God all their life.

Lois – Grandmother of Timothy

The apostle Paul not only commends Timothy’s mother Eunice but also his grandmother Lois for their sincere faith (2 Timothy 1:5). Lois was the mother of Eunice and grandmother to Timothy who was praised for her strong Christian faith.

Though the Bible does not provide many details about Lois, we see how her spiritual influence extended beyond her own child. The sincere faith of this godly grandmother left a legacy for generations to follow.

She passed down her love for the Lord not only to her daughter but also to her grandson. Lois sets an example of the far-reaching impact grandmothers can make by instilling faith in their families.

As grandmothers, we have a similar opportunity to inspire spiritual growth in our grandchildren. By modeling what a vibrant relationship with Christ looks like and teaching kids biblical truth, we can encourage them to embrace the faith as their own.

Older mothers and grandmothers play a vital role in building a rich spiritual heritage in their families.

Conclusion

Throughout Scripture, we find many examples of godly mothers who made an indelible impact on their families and nation through their faith. While each faced their own challenges, they set a vibrant example of courage, wisdom, prayer, sacrifice and dedication to the Lord.

The lessons we learn from mothers like Jochebed, Hannah, Mary, Eunice and Lois still very much apply today. As Christian mothers, we have the privilege and responsibility to shape the next generation.

God calls us to instill spiritual values in our kids through intentional instruction and modeling an authentic faith as we rely on His daily strength and guidance. When we follow the example set by godly mothers in the Bible, we leave a lasting godly legacy in our families for generations to come.

Pastor Duke Taber
Pastor Duke Taber

Pastor Duke Taber

All articles have been written or reviewed by Pastor Duke Taber.
Pastor Duke Taber is an alumnus of Life Pacific University and Multnomah Biblical Seminary.
He has been in pastoral ministry since 1988.
Today he is the owner and managing editor of 3 successful Christian websites that support missionaries around the world.
He is currently starting a brand new church in Mesquite NV called Mesquite Worship Center, a Non-Denominational Spirit Filled Christian church in Mesquite Nevada.