Mothers and Grandmothers

By George Feldman

2 Tim. 1:5

"When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and in they mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also."

This is the only place either of these are mentioned, but we can read a lot between the lines. Mothers and grandmothers are very important, especially for little boys. And not all centers around the cookie jar. There are endless ways of teaching and shaping the lives of the young. Here Timothy is pictured with his grandmother. He must have really adored his grandmother. It is evident that mother and grandmother had a great influence on the life of Timothy, and this had come to the attention of Paul, who must have adopted Timothy as his son.

Here is a real challenge to grandmothers today. They may be inspired to have a real part in the lives of the grandchildren. Parents are so often busy and do not have all the time needed to instruct and guide the little ones, and here is where the grandparents come in so often. Little girls can be taught some of the needed crafts such as sewing, knitting, and crocheting. And also a little cooking of fancy things can keep a little girl busy and train her for some future chores.

And the grandfather can come into the picture, teaching little boys to whittle, fly kites, and a lot of things we could mention. They used to give little boys quarters for memorizing things in the Bible. Not only John 3:16, but characters in the Bible, especially ones like the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace. Wet sand can be used to make the tower of Babel. Cardboard can be used to make the ark.

The Scriptures that are learned when young, can be remembered throughout a long life.

In the case of Timothy, the early training panned out OK. He was able to take responsibility in overseeing churches and helping in the instruction of people concerning the mystery. One has to read the two epistles to Timothy over and over to appreciate his ability and responsibility. And this is based on the teaching of a faithful mother and grandmother.

[Reprinted from Truth For Today Vol. 37, No. 11]