Proverbs 4:3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

 Jochebed, and her husband Amram, raised their children in a slave's hut, yet God blessed their family. After Aaron and Miriam were born, she became pregnant with Moses. Pharaoh was concerned because the population of the Hebrews in Egypt was growing to such an extent that he thought that if they rebelled, they might be strong enough to escape their slavery and defeat the Egyptians. Pharaoh made a decree that immediately after birth all Hebrew boys were to be cast into the river.

Jochebed feared God more than she feared Pharaoh. By faith, after Moses was born, she hid him in her house for three months (Heb. 11:23). She then developed a plan that she hoped would keep Moses alive. She knew how Noah had saved his family on an ark. She made a smaller ark of bulrushes and daubed it with slime and pitch so that it would float well on the water. She placed her three-month-old baby in the ark in the reeds near the shore where the Pharaoh's daughter would wash herself. Pharaoh's daughter had compassion for the baby Moses. Miriam was standing near and asked the princess if she needed a Hebrew woman to nurse the child. Jochebed was able to nurse Moses for a few years until he was taken into Pharaoh's household. Eighty years later, God used her three children to lead the children of Israel out of slavery.

Jochebed's name means "Glory of God." God used her to instill faith and 'the faith' in her children. Her life did glorify God with the influence she had over her children. We must not take for granted the influence we have over our children and grandchildren even when they are incredibly young.

As God is our hiding place, so our homes should be a place of safety and security for our children. As we instill 'the faith' in our children, let's also model a Christlike spirit in our homes. Even when our children do wrong there is no place for physical, emotional, or verbal abuse. Our homes need to be ruled with love, joy, and peace. A safe and loving home provides an environment for children to grow and develop for the Lord.

My mother helped to make our home a safe place. I cannot remember a time where she used abusive or demeaning language. She was a peacemaker for the family. I always felt secure in her love. I thank God that He gave me a wonderful mother.