What should a Christian mother be like according to the Bible?

TL;DR:

A Christian mother shapes her children’s hearts. A mother’s greatest legacy is teaching them to love and honor the Lord above all else.

The first mother mentioned in the Bible is Eve. "Eve" means life or living; "mother" is the Hebrew 'em. In the Old Testament, 'em is translated "mother" 218 times. In the biblical worldview, the mission of parents is to raise children to follow God (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Proverbs 22:6). Mothers are reminded to love their children (Titus 2:4)—which includes raising them in godliness. Examples of this in Scripture include Samuel’s mother Hannah (1 Samuel 1) and Timothy’s mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5). Scripture presents exemplary mothers as self-sacrificing in practical matters like running the household (Proverbs 31). But self-sacrifice can also be emotional, as it was for the Canaanite woman who showed humility and faith in approaching Jesus to save her daughter (Matthew 15:27). According to the Bible, mothers should love their children enough to help them grow into godly adults.

from the old testament

The first mother mentioned in the Bible is Eve. Genesis 3:20 says, "The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.”
Proverbs 31 presents an exemplary mother. She is kind, hard-working, and takes care of her household, earning the respect of her children and husband (vv. 27-28).
Hannah is an example of a good mother because she placed her faith in God, which she exemplified by her confidence that God would answer her prayer for a child (1 Samuel 1:18) and by her giving Samuel into God’s service (1 Samuel 1:24-28).
Mothers are to train their children to live godly lives (Deuteronomy 6:6-7) and discover how they, personally, can contribute to God's kingdom (Proverbs 22:6).

from the new testament

Timothy, Paul’s son in the faith, had a mother who raised him in godliness. In one of Paul’s letters to Timothy, he writes, “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” (2 Timothy 1:5).
A good mother will humble herself, putting aside pride, to help her child. An example of this is the Canaanite woman who asked Jesus to expel a demon from her daughter. Jesus pointed out that His first priority is to save the lost of Israel, to which she replies, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table” (Matthew 15:27). Jesus was impressed by her faith and healed her daughter (Matthew 15:28). The Canaanite woman showed love, humility, and faith.

implications for today

For biblical mothers, the most important task is bringing up her child in godliness. No other gift to a child will have more impact on their lives than being raised to love and honor the Lord.

Women today who become mothers are under a lot of pressure to be everything to all people—establish a career, run the household, take care of their looks so that they look 35 when they’re 45, and somewhere in there, to care for their children. Christians mothers know that the latter should be a priority in their lives above everything else except for loving and serving God (and part of loving and serving God is raising children to know Him).

Too many parents are surprised when their children leave the faith as teens, not realizing that the seeds of that may have been sown in their childhood. This is not always the case; some children who are raised in the Lord abandon Him as adults, because they have free will and make their own decisions, but the parents’ responsibility is to raise the child in godliness. Christians mothers should pray to ignore the societal noise about what a mother should be and focus on what God says a mother should be, as shared in His Word.

understand

A Christian mother prioritizes raising children in godliness.
Biblical mothers like Hannah and Eunice model faith, humility, and care.
Mothers lead by example through love, sacrifice, and godly influence.

reflect

How are you modeling faith and godly character for the children in your life?
How do you teach your children to love and honor the Lord above all else?
How do practical care and emotional nurturing work with guiding your children toward godliness?

engage

How do biblical examples of godly mothers shape our understanding of a mother’s role?
How can mothers lead by godly example without feeling overwhelmed by expectations?
How can a mother’s spiritual influence impact a child’s lifelong faith and relationship with God?