Today we celebrate one of the greatest gifts that God ever gave us, mothers. While there are many, many things that have change between the beginning of creation and today one of the things that have remained and stayed much the same is the influence of mothers. My mom was and is many things to me. She fed me and cared for me. I remember that for every one of our birthdays she would make us two cakes. Only my mom’s cakes were not simply for eating but they came alive. She could take frosting and cake and make anything. She would make one for the family and she made one specifically for the birthday child. These were not your basic sheet cakes. My mom did not draw flowers on cakes. She let us choose what we wanted for our cake and then she assembled it. Our favorite characters and sports came to life. I had hockey rink, with the boards and glass, I had soccer ball cakes, there was batman. She even made a carousel out of cake for one of my sisters. She would spend hours on these cakes. But that was not even close to how far my mom would go for any of us.
She was always, without exception the first to serve and the last to be served. Even when the whole family was sick, we would all be confined to our beds, dad included, with our buckets in hand and mom would be going room to room taking care of us, getting us chips, cleaning vomit, and generally loving all while she carried her bucket with her. My never got a day off, even on vacation she was still mom, cleaning our muddy mess preparing us for our vacation fun. She was and still is the very first one awake in the morning and she is the last one to go to bed. She was so involved in our lives. She would go out with me to play hockey, even though she could not accomplish much more than holding the stick. Whatever games we played she would play along. If we went out bowling or putt putting she would always come in last, but she would always be the first to be ready to go again. We would go to the movies and watch movies well outside her interest, but she would take joy in it just the same. We would watch star wars and batman, and even though she could care less about them, they were important to her because we were there. And my mom was tough. A root canal was a walk in the park. She has aches and pains that you would never know about because her focus was so outwardly directed towards us that we couldn’t even tell. She would sew and alter our clothing, even making some all while having carpel tunnel in both her wrists. My mom also has this uncanny ability to seemingly know everything that actually happened. She would always know when I was lying, somehow she knew the truth, yet she would never tell me she knew. I came in from outside one day, hockey stick in hand telling her of how I found the basement window which was alongside the driveway where I was playing hockey and it was broken. It must have happened during the night. Mom simply asked me if I was sure about that, mhmm. She knew better. She would come into our room and say who made this mess, knowing full well who did. You couldn’t get anything past mom. And for some reason or another when she talks about me, she only seems to remember the good things. There are some things that changed about her as we grew older and I think I can claim them as the result of my doing. My mom got this ever expanding discoloration in her hair that we affectionately called her racing stripes. She also starting doing things a little different. It would often times take her three or four times to get my name right as she went through the list of children, dogs, and cats. I started finding things in odd places. Her cell phone or the remote in the refrigerator and other random things. My mom also developed an ability to break into her car with a hanger after locking her keys in the car countless times. I most definitely left my mark on my mom. But no matter how grey her hair gets or how many appliances end up in the fridge, the mark my mom left on me is greater and more important than anything I might have done. One of the most clear and distinct memories I have of my mom was her teaching. I remember her teaching my Bible class at church when I was a child, I remember her teaching me about God and praying at night with me at home. I firmly believe that mother’s are probably the most influential person in the home. I think we see the even in scripture. Even Solomon, considered the wisest of all seems to quote his mother in proverbs 23:25 and on.
Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice. 26 My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways. 27 For a prostitute is a deep pit; an adulteress is a narrow well. 28 She lies in wait like a robber and increases the traitors among mankind.
And it goes on to say stay away from drunkenness. It all sounds so much like something a mother would say. In fact I think that Solomon is quoting something he has heard his mother tell him here. Solomon’s mother had great influence over his development, even the development of his God given wisdom. In Proverbs 31, written by King Lemuel, it introduces it as an oracle that his mother taught him. A mother determines so much about who we will become and what we will value. I think it is no accident the values my mom taught me as a child are the same values that guide my life and decisions today. The prophet Samuel would have never been a prophet had his mother Hannah not devoted him to God and given him for service in the temple. The same Samuel that was judge over Israel, anointed king Saul, and anointed King David would have never existed without his mother’s dedication to God. In fact even Jesus from great worth in his mother and showed her great respect. Read with me John 2:1-5;
John 2:1-5 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
The son of God was obedient to his mother. Mary said he should do something about the wine and Jesus disagreed with her. But when Jesus’ mom said do it, despite Jesus’ protest, he did it anyway because he was obedient and respectful to his mother. Jesus respected his mother and you do not respect what does not have worth in your life. But there was so much more than simply that. Mary was essential to the development of Jesus as he grew from a child into a man. Turn to Luke 2:44-52
Luke 2:44-52 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress." 49 And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" 50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. 52 ¶ And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
Mary loses Jesus. How many mothers have done that? I am sure my parents lost me a few times. I do remember us losing one of my sisters at the airport one day. We searched frantically and when we finally found her my mom said something like, “Don’t do that again, I was so worried.” Sounds a lot like what Mary said to Jesus here. “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” I could imagine those exact words coming out of my mom’s mouth after I have done something dangerous. This statement is reflective of the depth of emotion that Mary had for Jesus, that a mother has for their child. In the end of it all it says for a second time in Luke 2, “And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.” I think every mother does this. If you are ever looking for an example of what it means to live for something or someone other than yourself you can’t find a better example than a mother. I know that both my mom and my grandma have taken visual pictures in their mind of all my achievements and growth and they have treasured them. I think the reason why my mom forgets and misplaces so many things is because she had to make room for all the treasures that she has found in her children.
Now I think it is absolutely no coincidence that immediately after Mary treasures Jesus in her heart that it says Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God. While Mary’s treasuring of Jesus probably did not affect his stature I am sure that it affected his growth in wisdom and favor with God. Jesus grew just like any child and I am convinced that Mary’s treasuring of him as a mother was essential to that. When a mother treasures their child they make them into something more than they are. My mom’s treasuring of me encourages me and spurs me forward into something much more than I currently am. It is a direct result of my mom’s love that I am where I am. Without my mom I would not know God, I would not have grown up in church. I would not have developed a heart for God and I most definitely would not have realized my call to preaching. If it was not for my mom then I would be less than I am, and I would never have come even close to becoming who I am supposed to be. Despite my distance my mom is still essential to my growth and becoming. I know that no matter what happens I can always come home to a warm love and plenty of food. I am not yet done giving her grey hair.
I believe that God designed and created mother’s with a special blessing. He made them to love in a way which the rest of us can’t understand. He made them tender in a way which makes a home home. He made them to be peacemakers and merciful. We all have something to be thankful for, and to praise God for. So thank you to all the mothers and thank you God for mothers.
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