The Mom in the Arena

Theodore Roosevelt’s famous words, “The Man in the Arena,” (See quote below) have inspired many.

Today, I want to speak directly to the young moms I’ve been watching in churches across America.

I see you trying hard. I see the battles you fight at home, the struggle to get to church, and the criticisms you endure from those around you.

I want to use my voice to say to you, young moms: Keep going. Keep pressing toward your goal of leading your kids to follow Christ.

I’ve heard the unkind words spoken by those who think they know better than the mom who is in the arena.

In the spirit of Theodore Roosevelt’s quote, I submit this for your reading:

The Mom in the Arena

It’s not the critics at church, home, school, or work who count. It’s not the uncaring and forgetful moms and grandmas who laugh when you stumble, mock when you fail, or gossip about your perceived inadequacies. It’s not the voices from the sidelines who claim they could do better with twice as many kids and half the resources.

The credit belongs to the young mom in the arena of diapers, dirty clothes, and the never-ending Mount Laundry. The credit goes to the mom whose face bears more tears than makeup, more wrinkles than her years should show, and more gray hairs than her age should reflect.

The credit belongs to the mom trying to raise her children with Godly values, often alone. The proper credit goes to the mom who fights against the world’s culture and the negativity of others—scorned by those who forget the struggle and focus only on your lowest moments, when your children don’t measure up to their expectations.

You, dear mother, deserve the credit when you manage children in the mall, grocery store, or at church. Strangely, it’s the strangers who esteem you for trying, while those closer to you murmur and scorn you for not trying hard enough.

Mom, it’s you who counts as a mom of toddlers, teens, and tweens. We see you. We are proud of you. You count.

Mother, you are in the arena, and you are in the battle. Don’t listen to the blather of the critic; you matter. God trusted you with your children, not the malcontent in your life.

You are doing the deeds. You are walking your toddlers, teens, and tweens into the next generation. You give every moment of your day to teach them a love for God, for your family, and even for your critics.

You carry shame, guilt, fear, and anger even before anyone speaks a word of criticism. You may find this short essay hard to believe with all the words that play in your mind. You know all the critical thoughts you tell yourself before anyone even looks your way, casts a negative glance, or speaks a word.

But hear this from someone who is cheering you on: there is no shame, fear, anger, or condemnation from which God cannot release you. Dear Mother, when you are in Christ, no condemnation can stick.

Mom, do not be your own worst critic. Do not allow others to diminish you with their wagging fingers, loose lips, and cold hearts that haven’t borne kindness in decades.

You are a mom, and there is no effort without error and shortcomings. You know your why, your drive, and your calling. You are spending yourself on a worthy cause. Your children will rise and call you blessed.

You dared greatly to have children. Do not allow yourself to hear, believe, or receive the words of the cold and timid critics in your family, neighborhood, church, or community.

You are the mom in the arena, and many of us out here believe in you.

If you are not the mom in the arena, let me suggest this: be kind to the moms you see in the arena. She knows she’s not perfect without any word spoken by you. So, find the comforting word, not the corrective word. Find the helpful word, not the hurtful word. Find the words that build her up, not bruise her. Share a smile with each mom you see. Offer her help and a hand. She needs you to remember when you had no one to speak words of life into you, and to speak words of peace, not pain. Keep your opinions to yourself. You don’t know what it took for her to show up today. You don’t know what challenge she faced alone today. Choose to bless moms, not belittle them.

Roosevelt’s Quote: