The Top 12 Duties of a Mother

Posted on May 8, 2016 by John Salmon

Mothers have one of the most influential and important jobs in the world…and one of the most difficult. Just
consider some of the duties a mother carries out on a daily basis.

 Chef: A mother cooks 2-3 meals a day. Sometimes, their children will love the meals you prepare.
Sometimes, they will hate them. Most of the time, they simply wolf down the food you prepare and run
to their next activity. Occasionally you will receive the cherished “thank you.” Hearing those two words
will make every meal you prepared worthwhile.
 Housekeeper: As a mother you will have the opportunity to clean all kinds of messes—clothes left on
the floor, cups left in the living room, spilled food, dirty diapers, vomit, the list goes on. But, one day
your child may help clean the kitchen and…well, here’s for wishful thinking.
 Resolve Conflicts: Children have conflict with friends, siblings, and even their parents. You will have
the joy of helping your children learn the skills of listening, negotiation, compromise, and problem-
solving, skills that will benefit them for a lifetime.
 Event Planner: Mothers schedule. What else can I say? From play dates to doctor’s appointments to
school events to after school activities to vacations to any number of other events, mothers schedule…a
lot!
 Teacher: Mothers teach their children everything…and I mean everything. When cooking they not only
teach their children how to cook, but some basic math. They teach their children about relationships,
problem resolution, and dating skills. Even more, they teach their children how to think! Mothers teach
these things without even knowing they do it. Then there are all the things they teach on
purpose…things like math, reading, how to clean, how to do laundry, how to keep house, etc.
 Chauffeur: Mothers take their children to school, the doctor, and the dentist. They take their children to
sporting activities, dance, gymnastics, and music lessons. They drive their children to play dates and to
the store. And, they turn each drive into an opportunity to talk, grow closer, and learn. (See duty labeled
“Teacher.”)
 Laundry: Mothers do laundry. They get out the stains and keep the bright colors. Life needs a clean
start!
 Counselor: Children come to their mothers when they fail a test and when their heart is broken. Mothers
comfort and advise. They kiss skinned knees and mend broken hearts. They heal broken spirits and teach
children how to shape a joyous future.
 Finance Manager: Mothers often help to manage the finances, teaching their children to do so as well.
Balance the costs of groceries, school activities, and clothes as well as the utilities and other household
expenses.
 Health Care Provider: As previously noted, mother’s kiss skinned knees. They also check their
children’s fevers, cook them chicken noodle soup, make them comfortable, and many other “doctoring”
duties. In the long run, mothers probably do much more than your average physician and for a lot less
pay!
 Activities Director: When children are bored, mothers come up with ideas. They encourage their
children to play. They teach their children nursery rhymes, games, and fun activities like cooking. In so
doing, they teach their children how to manage their time in productive, effective ways
 World Changer: Perhaps the most underrated task a mother fulfills is that of world-changer. Society is
a mere 20 years from anarchy or continued civilization. It takes 20 years to raise a child, 20 years to
“civilize them” or let them fall into anarchy, 20 years to raise children of character, integrity, and
compassion or children of deceit, selfishness, and indifference. A mother plays a great role in this
training. Mothers change the world with every child they raise.

Let’s all send out a big “thank you” to all our Moms, the real life impactors…the world changers of our society!
Proverbs 31: A breakdown
The following passage is Proverbs 31:10-31 in the New Living Translation. I used NLT because I think it
simplifies the text and puts it in a language that we use in everyday life. If you want to see this verse in a
different translation you can visit this page. This website is amazing, you should check it out regardless.

A Wife of Noble Character

10 Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?

She is more precious than rubies.

11 Her husband can trust her,

and she will greatly enrich his life.

12 She brings him good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

13S he finds wool and flax

and busily spins it.

14 She is like a merchant’s ship,

bringing her food from afar.

15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household

and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.

16 She goes to inspect a field and buys it;

with her earnings she plants a vineyard.

17 She is energetic and strong,

a hard worker.

18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable;

her lamp burns late into the night.

19 Her hands are busy spinning thread,

her fingers twisting fiber.

20 She extends a helping hand to the poor

and opens her arms to the needy.

21 She has no fear of winter for her household,

for everyone has warm clothes.

22 She makes her own bedspreads.

She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.

23 Her husband is well known at the city gates,

where he sits with the other civic leaders.

24 She makes belted linen garments

and sashes to sell to the merchants.

25 She is clothed with strength and dignity,

and she laughs without fear of the future.

26 When she speaks, her words are wise,

and she gives instructions with kindness.

27 She carefully watches everything in her household

and suffers nothing from laziness.

28 Her children stand and bless her.

Her husband praises her:

29“There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,

but you surpass them all!”

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;

but a woman who fears the lord will be greatly praised.

31 Reward her for all she has done.

Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

These 21 verses are examples of how we should behave as women of God. I'll break it down into something a
little easier to understand.

What does all this mean?

When I did my Bible study on Proverbs 31 I made a list of each verse and what it meant, below is what I
decided each verse means:

10- Virtue

The first line begins by telling women they are precious and worthwhile. God calls us to be virtuous and
capable.

11- Faithfulness

We are called to speak the truth and earn the trust of others. We are to be faithful and enrich not only our lives,
but the people around us as well.

12- Goodness

We are called to be good to our husbands and family. To cherish them and love them.

13- Hard Working

God calls us to be hard workers, never lazy and always improving ourselves.

14- Provider

This verse talks about providing the family with food, cooking and serving. This can be taken literally or as I
see it, to care for and help your family.

15- Early Riser

God calls us to wake up before dawn (Maybe one of the hardest tasks for me) and prepare for the day. I see this
as God calling us to be hard working and purposeful with our time. I start my day in prayer and then preparing
for the day.

16- Business Savvy

This verse was one I had a hard time with. Many people read the Bible and think women should stay home and
be housewives. While there is nothing wrong with that, the Lord also calls on us to work hard, earn an income
and help our family. It is our job to pay attention to our world and take advantage of opportunities.
17- Strength

Energetic and Strong. This can be your physical strength (working out, health), mental strength (being there for
others when they need help) and spiritual strength (asking God for guidance and praying). We are called to do
these things with optimism and energy.

18- Endurance

Again, we are called to be hard workers. Not only that, but God asks us to ensure our dealings are well handled,
even if it means staying up late. We are called to endure during hard times and to continue to work hard.

19- Well Rounded

This verse was another hard one for me. I decided that because verse 13 talks about wool and flax, that this
comparison calls for us to be well rounded and understanding of many skills. God calls us to learn and grow and
by learning different skills we can help our family.

20- Charitable

We are called to help the poor and less fortunate. We are told to love our neighbors and this verse calls us to
love those in need by welcoming them with open arms. I also think that has to do with not judging others.

21- Provide and Trust

This verse has two key ideas. One being it is our job to provide for our kids and family, to keep them safe and
loved. The second being trust in God and his plan. Even during hard times, trust in our work and his is key.

22- Well Dress

This verse in interesting. God asks us to not be consumed by our looks, but here he tells us to be well dressed.
The idea is to treat ourselves like we are worth, which we are! We are told to dress well to present our success
that we have made for ourselves and to love ourselves.

23- Wife to a Good Husband

This verse is God telling us to marry a man who is a good husband and a good leader. There are many places
that talk about marriage in the Bible. I think this verse reiterates that God calls us to marry a man with the same
faith as ourselves. Someone who loves God will be a good husband and leader.

24- Working

Another verse calling us to work for an income. God wants us to provide for ourselves and family. He asks us to
sell our work and earn a living wage.

25- Honorable

This is one of my favorite verses. We are called to fear nothing but God. We are told to be honorable and strong
and to carry ourselves as graceful women. We are also told to laugh - be happy and optimistic.

26- Wise

We are asked to think before we speak and to always do so with kindness. It is asked that we be wise with what
we say.

27- Active

Laziness is not an option. God calls us to take care of our homes (and families) and to work hard for them.
28- Praise Worthy

We are promised thanks and praise for our hard work. We are asked to take these praises and give back to our
families.

29- Excels

With God in our hearts, we can do achieve anything we set our sights on. We are told we will succeed and
excel.

30- God Fearing

We are called to fear the Lord. He is the only one we should fear, and through that fear we will come to know
him and accept him into our hearts. We are told to live in a way that honors God.

31- Rewarded

The last verse tells us that we will be praised for our hard work and dedication. God promises to recognize our
faith.

How to apply Proverbs 31 to your life

Obviously that is a lot to take in. We are not perfect, nor does God expect us to be. Becoming a Proverbs 31
woman means working hard to become a woman who honors God. To simplify this even more I have a list of
things I try to do daily/weekly/monthly that helps me become closer to God.

 Remember that you are worthy of God's grace.

 Be truthful and faithful.
 Love others, be good to others and pray for others.
 Work hard in everything you do.
 Wake up early and start the day with God. Pray every day and praise our Lord.
 Study and learn. Enrich your life with knowledge and understanding and become well rounded in your skills.
 Take advantage of opportunities in business, helping others, and caring for others.
 Be strong and endure hard times. Put your faith in God to help you when you feel lost.
 Love and honor yourself; dress well, exercise, behave well.
 Find a husband who shares your values and love of God.
 Fear God and honor him in all things.
 Remember that you are praise worthy and will be rewarded for your work.

Proverbs 31 has been one of my favorite studies so far. I took it to heart and I work everyday at meeting God's
expectations of all women. I hope this helped you understand what we are called to do and how to achieve it.
Even when we fail, God's grace is there to help us get back on track. Pray over everything and work hard.

If you have any other ideas about Proverbs 31 please share them below! I'd love to hear some more ideas
about what it means to your personal life.