Hello, friend. Welcome back to Authorized Sword Ministries.

We're so glad you're here again.

This is the last lesson in our series, Raising Children in the Lord. In Lesson Five, we talked about mothers and sons. Today we finish with mothers and daughters.

A daughter watches her mother closely. How she talks. How she handles hard days. How she treats her husband. How she prays. Long before a girl becomes a woman, she is learning from her mom what a woman of God looks like.

Our Key Verses

"The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." — Titus 2:3-5 (KJV)

God's plan is for older women to teach younger women. And the very first place that happens is between a mother and her daughter.

Notice what the older women teach. "Good things." How to love a husband. How to love children. How to be wise, pure, and kind. These aren't things a girl learns from a textbook. She learns them by watching and by being taught, day after day.

Mom, you are one of those "teachers of good things."

Build Your House

"Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands." — Proverbs 14:1 (KJV)

Every day, a mother is either building her home up or tearing it down. Kind words build. Patience builds. Prayer builds. Harsh words and bitterness tear down.

Your daughter is watching how you build. One day, she'll build a home of her own. Let her learn from you how a wise woman does it.

Naomi and Ruth

One of the most beautiful pictures of a mother and daughter in the Bible is actually a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Naomi and Ruth.

After both their husbands died, Naomi told Ruth to go back home. But the Bible says, "Ruth clave unto her." In our lesson A Strong Woman of Faith, we heard Ruth's famous words: "thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God."

Why did Ruth love Naomi so much? Because Naomi loved her, and Naomi's God became Ruth's God. A daughter's faith often begins by seeing her mother's faith up close.

Later, Naomi showed her care for Ruth's future:

"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?" — Ruth 3:1 (KJV)

"My daughter." Naomi called her that. She looked out for her. She wanted it to be "well" with her. And at the end of the story, the women of the town said Ruth loved Naomi so much that she was "better to thee than seven sons."

That's the kind of bond God can build between a mother and a daughter. Love that goes both ways.

Teach Her Where Beauty Comes From

Our daughters hear a lot about beauty. Much of it is about the outside. In A Strong Woman of Faith, we looked at 1 Peter 3:3-4, where God says true beauty is "the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."

Mom, the best way to teach that is to live it. Let your daughter see you care more about your heart than your mirror. Praise her for kindness, honesty, and faith.

Show Her a Proverbs 31 Woman

"She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness." — Proverbs 31:26-27 (KJV)

Wisdom and kindness in her words. Care and hard work in her home. A daughter who sees that in her mother has a picture she can follow.

And don't forget to encourage her. Proverbs 31:29 says, "Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all." Tell your daughter when you see her doing what is right. A mother's encouragement can carry a girl a long way.

When You Fall Short

No mother does this perfectly. You will have hard days. You will say things you wish you hadn't. When that happens, go to your daughter and ask her to forgive you. That teaches her something powerful. A woman of God is not a woman who never fails. She's a woman who runs to God when she does.

Simple Steps for This Week

First, spend time with your daughter doing something she enjoys.

Second, read a few verses of Proverbs 31 together, and talk about them.

Third, pray with her, and pray for her by name.

Forgiveness in Jesus

Friend, every mother and every daughter needs the same Saviour.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." — 1 John 1:9 (KJV)

Jesus died for your sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day. He is ready to forgive you and make you new. Trust Him today.

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." — Romans 10:9 (KJV)

Where to Go from Here

This is the end of our series, Raising Children in the Lord. Thank you for walking through it with us. If you'd like to keep going, take a look at our other Family and Home courses, like Building a Godly Home, Fathers Who Lead, and Training Up a Child.

A Prayer

Before we go, let's pray together.

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for this friend who is listening right now, and for every daughter You have given.

Help every mother to be a teacher of good things. Help her build her house with wisdom and kindness.

Give mothers and daughters a bond like Naomi and Ruth. Let every daughter see her mother's faith up close, and make it her own.

And where there has been hurt, bring healing and forgiveness.

Bless every family that has walked through this series. Help us raise our children in You.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Thank you for spending this time with us.

From all of us at Authorized Sword Ministries, God bless you.