Mothers

This is the day that most people brag on their mothers, and even more wish that they could brag! Being a "mother" is special because without them none of us would even be!  It's easy to fertilize the crop, but bearing and cultivating it is so much harder. To be honest, mothers got the hard job in life.

Genesis 3:16a "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children..."

Most women experience great pain when delivering those precious little babies. However, it's only sorrow which is multiplied. Hidden right there in all the pain is  joy! Although God sentenced mothers to birthing pains, he still let them hold onto the joy of growing what the husband planted and what God  ordained.

Genesis 1:28 "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it:"

If the chronology of "multiplication" and "sorrow" is examined, God promised "prosperity (Gen 1:28) in multiplication" before he pronounced "the sentence of sorrow" (Gen 3:16).  Before childbearing became sorrowful, God ordained it as a joyful occasion, for what better joy is there than to see your own children "replenish and subdue the earth"!

Wives were created for husbands, but mothers were created for their children! Mother's "job assignments" were to bear and nourish their children as they serve their husbands. It seems quite unfair, but women, in my opinion, got the hard job, but God, in his wisdom, created a special bond between children and mothers.! I loved my own father, but I loved and ADORED my mother. The adoration was a bonus because of the pain she felt for me; the sorrow she felt as she labored.

Then came the nourishment! Being a breastfed baby, as all seven of us were, created a special attachment to Mom which lacked with our Dad. We went right from suckling babies, to hugging toddlers, to lap-sitting children back to hugging teens and on to adoring adults. We all adored our mother!

A good mother allows children to become independent. They know when it's time to release the child and hand that little one she nursed over to another woman to manage.

Genesis 2:24 "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

 Some mothers "cling on", but good mothers allow sons (and daughters) to leave. It follows that those women who marry are to carry on the tradition. They too are to become mothers! Throughout the ages the mother tradition has been handed down from generation to generation, all suffering sorrow and joy at the same time.

Exodus 12:12 "Honour thy father and thy mother..."

We are to honor our parents! Our mothers are to be honored. Today we adore our mothers. In a few weeks we'll honor our fathers. There are no stipulations in "honoring"! Scripture doesn't say "if... anything"! Mothers are to be honored for one reason: the sorrow in which you were born after the labor in which you were carried.

Mary is venerated by many. Mary was no different than your own mother! She bore Jesus in sorrow, but how joyous it was to know that the child would be the Savior of mankind!  As Jesus was dying on the cross he looked down and honored his mother! Because of his mother's loss, Jesus, in some of his last dying words, honored his mother. He gave her a new son. The disciple whom he loved: John! Jesus never forgot his mother! He never failed to honor her!

John 19:26 "When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!"

Did Jesus ever deny his mother? Some say that he did:

Matthew 12:46 "While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?"

Don't look at this in a negative context! Jesus loved his mother! Mary was special to him. What Jesus was implying in these passages, is this: "I love my mother, but I love you as well.

Matthew 12:50 "For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."

Jesus honored his mother, but more importantly, he honored those who are his followers! The love that Jesus has for us is equal to or greater than the love and honor he had for his own mother. Yes, Mary is a "blessed" mother, but Jesus loves us just as he loved her! We too are blessed!

Mary was the standard to which all mothers are compared. God was with her. Each of us have our own standard. For me, my own mother was the standard to which I compare all others. Mom was the ideal mother! Hers was truly unconditional love for unruly children. She loved us with all our faults!

Megan Stokes Kidd and mother Terri Reynolds Herrin

I live with another mother. The standard to which I compare her is my own mother. She even reminds me of my Mom! She has the same personality, sayings and excitability. Hidden within that persona is a devotion of love for her only child as well as her grandchildren. I'm pleased that she shows so much love for those she "mothers"! It's not a love with which I must compete, but it's one I see in her eyes. It's a different love that only mothers can have for their offspring. It's the type of love that makes husbands more appreciative. There is something special about a mother who nourishes her children!

Part of "nourishing" is teaching the child in the way he or she should go. That's scriptural. Mothers who love children, don't condone all children do. Part of nourishing children is challenging faulty thinking and discipline. Mothers show love by doing things which they hate doing!

On the other hand. Mothers encourage children. They are not to provoke them to anger. It's a thin line mothers must walk. My wife, a mother, walks that line and does it well. Not perfect, but well. Mary had a little easier job with Jesus than most mothers have! If children were more like Jesus, how much more would be the joy of mothers everywhere! With joy comes sorrow. Growing children do cause pain and mothers endure that pain out of love!

Then we have the "empty nest syndrome"! Think what sorrow mothers have when those she nourished cleaves to another! It's devastating if one looks at it that way, but joyful if the inevitable is accepted. Children don't really leave their mothers! We disobey God quite often! We only leave our immaturity behind with them... for them to have when her children are gone!

Today, I wish a very special mother a fantastic Mother's Day. As a spouse, I appreciate and honor her on this day! Her children and grandchildren did that yesterday, but the thought shall linger on. I hope my wife is pleased knowing that those who she mothered (and grand-mothered) love her this day and every day! (My present to this mother is honoring her as I write).