Well, this weekend we will give plenty of lip service to our mothers. We will call them, take or send them flowers, present beautifully worded cards and will either cook for them or take them out to eat.
We will spend quality time with those who are older, go to church with them, stay a little longer at the convalescent home or the old-home place. We will visit the graves of those that are gone.
But this honor, recognition and remembrance of this select group of humans should extend beyond the second Sunday in May. Because, on reflection, at every turn of the clock of history, significant, positive changes have occurred because of the marvelous work of mothers. When God chose to expand His Word and Work through the Jewish community, He used Abraham and Sarah his wife was included in the plan. When God was ready to reveal himself in human form, He used a woman, a mother named Mary.
At every turn in history, women, mothers, have been present. Even James Brown said while this is largely known as a “man’s world,” it wouldn’t be anything without a woman or a girl.
Dr. Maya Angelou says, “Mothers have the ability to liberate by love or, by neglect, to imprison. They’re our first teachers; they are our first loves.”
Most of life’s lessons were learned from our mothers. Our mothers taught us logic: “Because I said so, that’s why.” They taught us irony: “Keep crying and I’ll give you something to cry about.” Our mothers taught us about the science of osmosis: “Shut your mouth and eat your supper.” And, yes, our mothers taught us wisdom: “When you get to be my age, you’ll understand.”
The Bible commends mothers who are women of character; women who are faithful to their husbands, families, and consistently industrious. (Proverbs 31:10-19). Women of charity are also commended in Scripture, for they assist the less fortunate and make helping others a priority.
Mothers are commended who engage in Godly conversation, who share wisdom and compassion. Women of consecration, who pray, fear God and respect other humans are also honored in Scripture. For these women’s children rise up and call her blessed. We honor and pray for all mothers.
Gracious Lord, I lovingly present all mothers to you and ask your blessings upon them. I pray for those who became mothers through planning their pregnancies and I pray also for those who became mothers accidentally.
I pray for those who are mothers to children who are adopted and those who are abused. I pray for foster-care mothers and mothers whose children are beaten and battered. I pray for mothers who cry incessantly because of insufficient food or comfort for their children.
I pray for mothers who have no idea of who the fathers of their children are. I pray for mothers whose emotions are not stable, whose finances are lacking and whose faith is shattered.
I pray for grandmothers who are mothers again because the grandchildren’s mother is in jail, on drugs or dead. I pray for mothers who neglect their own children, because they were themselves neglected.
I lift up to you those mothers who try with every fiber of their body to obey the Word of God and raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. I pray for mothers who remain too quiet to let others know when they are hurting physically and emotionally.
I pray for mothers of special-needs children, mothers with no support and mothers too sick to be present in the lives of their children. I pray for mothers too young to understand motherhood, too immature to correctly teach children and too stubborn to learn. I pray for mothers whose children are under the care of the state.
Finally, I pray that your will is done in the lives of mothers all over, so that future generations of God-fearing, law-abiding, respectable, worshipping, productive children will abound.
Amen!
Walter T. Richardson is pastor-emeritus of Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Church in South Miami-Dade County and chairman of the Miami-Dade Community Relations Board. He may be contacted at wtrichardson@Bellsouth.net. Website: WTRMinistries.com
No Comment