God tells us to honor our mother, and He does not set any limits to His command. By virtue of her position as our mom, we are to treat her with respect and love.

Mothers don’t always live up to our expectations. Sometimes they experience hardships and challenges that affect their ability to offer what we need or want. Or they might have a personal weakness that negatively impacts us and, later on, our families. But we are to follow the example of our heavenly Father, who set His affection on us even though we did not have any qualities that deserved His favor. While we were still His enemies, He chose us to belong to Him through His Son Jesus (Romans 5:10 NIV).

God loved us when we were unlovable. One way we can express our gratitude to Him is by showing unconditional love to our mother. With the Holy Spirit’s help, we can choose to do so genuinely and consistently.

To love the significant women in our lives without any strings attached is an important part of showing them honor. No mother or wife should have to wonder if she’s living up to what loved ones hope and expect from her. After a while, she will feel trapped by the burden of unmet expectations rather than accepted by those closest to her.

Mothers have the same needs as all women: to be loved, listened to, and cared about. Take time to show the important women in your life how much you care for them. Be a willing, attentive listener, and demonstrate your love in ways meaningful to them.