Fingerprints are a unique design God gave to every individual human.  Webster’s dictionary describes fingertips a “an impression or mark made on a surface by a person's fingertip, especially as used for identifying individuals from the unique pattern of whorls and lines.”  I marvel at the fact that the God of the universe could easily make the billions of different patterns needed for the billions of people on earth.  The marks of a fingerprint are a reflection of the person who holds that mark.  

Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Mothers, we have been called to a great responsibility when it comes to raising our children.  We are leaving our personal marks on our children as we raise them.  These marks help shape our children into the future adults they will become.  These marks are unique like fingerprints.  What fingerprints or markings are we leaving on our children?

I am sure that many of you have many more years of experience than I do in raising children, but I can assure you, that I learned from the best.  My mother took her job of training us children very seriously.  She instilled in me character traits / fingerprints that I long to instill in my children.  It’s not easy to train children, and it definitely takes consistency, but I am forever grateful for the fingerprints my mother left on my life.   

Punctuality is the first fingerprint I remembering being impressed on me by my mother.  If you were not 10 minutes early, then you were late,  Punctuality was synonymous with honoring a commitment.  If you said you’d be there at an appointed time, then you show up at the time. Ephesians 5:16 teaches us, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”  Time isn’t something you want to waste.  

Diligence was another fingerprint I am forever grateful was instilled in my upbringing.  Ecclesiates 9:10, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, no knowledge, no wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” “Do your best in everything, that’s what the Lord expects from you,” were lessons that were drilled into my mind.  Whether it be ironing my dad’s shirts, to cleaning the bathroom, to every day school work, everything needed to be done to a specific standard.  Laziness was never tolerated. Proverbs 12:24, “The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.” Proverbs 18:9, “He that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.”  My mother imprinted in me the value of hard work. 

Thankfulness was a fingerprint impressed on me at a young age.  I Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” If you received a gift, you wrote a thank you note for that gift. The thank you notes needed to be longer than just the words, “Thank you.”  I was expected to say why I appreciated the gift I received in addition to saying thank you for it.  If a person took the time to buy me a gift, then I could take my time to write a thank you note for that gift.  This is not an easy one to instill in children these days.  It takes time to write thank you notes, and as a mother, you need to make sure they are done, but I am so thankful for this fingerprint. 

Orderliness was always expected growing up. This fingerprint did not come naturally to me, but my mother never quit trying to teach me this.  I Corinthians 14:40, Let all things be done decently and in order.” A clean bedroom, a clean kitchen, a clean living room, everything was expected to be cleaned and organized.  If you made a mess, you cleaned it up.  My mother didn’t clean up after me when I cooked in her kitchen, it was my responsibility to clean up the mess I made.  This concept carried over into church life.  We didn’t run around the church like crazy chickens, we were expected to act in an  orderly fashion in the Lord’s house.  

Respect for others was another fingerprint impress upon me as a child.  Hebrews 13:17, “Obey then that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves to them, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”  Any one in authority over me deserved my respect and obedience to what they asked of me.  I developed a great respect for police officers, pastors, teachers, my parents, and all elders in the church.  This fingerprint is lacking in America these days.  Respect for other people’s property was also impressed on me.  If I damaged someone’s property, it was my responsibility to make it right; my mother didn’t do that for me.  I had to go to the person and make it right with them myself.  

Perserverance was another fingerprint my mother imprinted on me.  Galatians 6:9, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.”  Just because something was difficult didn’t mean I got to quit.  I learned to ride a bike, roller skate, play piano, jump rope, and accomplish many other feats I would have thought were too difficult to learn because my mother never let me quit.  I’m pretty sure that made me one tough cookie as the years went on.  

There are so many ways my mother imprinted my life, and I want to do the same with my children  We as mothers definitely have our work cut out for us, but it will be worth it all when as Proverb 31:28 says,”Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.”  Keep leaving your fingerprints on your children as the are the future of our churches.