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| To Whom Honor is Due |
| Ministry of Gates of Praise Ministries, Inc. © Copyright Gates of Praise Ministries 2008 |
Whenever a young person is in the news these days, it seems there is
always a mother standing somewhere in the background. If the news is
good she rejoices with her child but lets him or her have the spotlight. If the
news is bad, she is there to sustain, to offer excuses, to point out that her
child has always been a good kid. There’s something about a mother that
refuses to accept the worst that makes the best of a bad situation.
As a lawyer, as a congressman, as a Gov. of Ohio, and as President of the
United States, William McKinley had a close relationship with his mother.
He either visited her or sent a message to her every day. When she
became seriously ill, he arranged to have a special train standing by, ready
to take him to her bedside. Mrs. McKinley died December 12 1897 in the
arms of her 54-year-old son. Her gentle Christian virtues helped mold the
President’s character, for when he was gunned down in Buffalo, N.Y. about
4 years later he showed no bitterness toward his assassin. With Christian
courage he said G-d’s will be done. Before he died, he asked to hear once
again the hymn nearer my G-d to thee, which his mother had taught him.
Messiah’s mother was at the scene of His crucifixion. What went through
Mary’s mind as her eldest Son died on the cross? Did she think she was
mistaken in what the angel had said to her before Yeshua was born? Was
this the end of His ministry? Was He to be only another martyr, a teacher
with good ideas who was not accepted by the leaders of His day? Yeshua
was aware of her sufferings too, He gave his mother to the care of John the
beloved apostle John, just moments before He died. (John 19:25-17) His
love for his mother, and her love for him went beyond time. And Mary was
among those who waited in the upper room for the resurrected Christ to fill
her with His Holy Spirit.
All of us have had mothers. Those of us who have had good mothers thank
G-d for what life has given to us. Read II Timothy 1:3-7. It states that Paul
thanked G-d when he remembered the faith that Timothy had which was first
instilled by his mother and also his grandmother. Christian mothers teach
their children the importance and sanctity of the home and Honesty,
forgiveness, dependability, generosity, manners obedience, responsibility
and so on. They exhibit Christian virtues and values to their children. They
are willing to counter contrary teachings. They are aware of what is being
taught at school or among peer groups and they are willing to stand for truth.
They express the importance of life. Whether Christian or not mother’s play
a vital role in the lives of children.
Mother’s Day, it reminds us of our responsibilities to our mothers. I’m glad
for the warm demonstrations of affection it encourages in children of all
ages. The Bible says in Exodus 20:12, “Honor your mother.” While Mother’
s Day is traditionally a day of honoring one’s own mother, there are other
women whose lives also merit special tribute on this day.
As we honor mothers let’s not forget the women with empty arms. There are
among us many noble women who have longed for children but instead have
had their hopes dashed through failure to conceive, miscarriage, still birth or
infant death. The distress Hannah felt in I Samuel because she was barren
is a painful reality in their lives. Let’s show them our love, without making
them feel like second-class women. Many of them use their mother instincts
to bring countless blessings to other people’s children.
Let’s help adoptive mother’s celebrate Mother’s Day with joy because G-d
helped them get a child they can call their own. What a joy to give oneself to
a child who thrives on love and belonging. We share in their joy and
gratitude to G-d.
Let’s not forget foster mother’s who comfort the confused, helpless and
hurting child. It’s not easy to raise a hurting child but they do it with open
arms. Also worthy of honor are stepmothers. It’s not easy to step into an
already-made family. It’s not easy to win the trust and affection of these
children. Good Christian stepmothers, through patient understanding
shower these bewildered children with love and security. Bless them.
We salute mothers of handicapped children. Do you ever wonder how
mothers of handicapped children cope? G-d gives them special grace to
rise above ignorance and prejudice around them and makes them strong
and brave in their assignment. His grace gives growth in difficult situations.
Let’s let these mothers know we love them and their children.
Mothers who become single parents deserve recognition. We live in a
world of broken marriages and broken dreams. Among us are many godly
women who do their best to be the kind of mother their children need, even
while carrying the responsibility and burden of employment or schooling
away from home. Do we appreciate how difficult it is to juggle family and
career?
Mothers whose husbands are unsaved, have a task that takes all the faith,
love, and wisdom a woman can muster, and it requires all the help she can
get from G-d. Can you imagine how difficult it can be for the children when
father and mother pull in different directions spiritually? Let’s encourage
them.
Mothers-In-Law should get flowers on Mother’s Day. They are often the
brunt of nasty and tasteless jokes. But for every meddling mother-in-law
there is a Naomi whose tender compassion and spiritual guidance toward
her daughter-in-law made her a mother-in-law.
Worthy of special mention are the mothers to be among us. They are
experiencing the miracle of love as a new little person is developing in their
bodies.
I encourage you this Mother's Day to do something special for these
mothers. Perhaps you've strayed from G-d or your relationship isn't right
with your mother. On this day set aside to honor mothers, confess your sin
and come back to the L-rd. Let the precious memories of that special
person in your life, who all these years has been pointing you to G-d,
awaken in your heart a new desire to live for Him. Don't turn your back on
the influence of a godly mother.
Proverbs 31 gives tribute to mothers. It says, "she is precious far above
rubies. The heart of her husband safely trust in her. She will do him good
and not evil all the days of her life. She looks well to the ways of her
household and eats not of the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and
call her blessed, her husband also, and he praises her."
always a mother standing somewhere in the background. If the news is
good she rejoices with her child but lets him or her have the spotlight. If the
news is bad, she is there to sustain, to offer excuses, to point out that her
child has always been a good kid. There’s something about a mother that
refuses to accept the worst that makes the best of a bad situation.
As a lawyer, as a congressman, as a Gov. of Ohio, and as President of the
United States, William McKinley had a close relationship with his mother.
He either visited her or sent a message to her every day. When she
became seriously ill, he arranged to have a special train standing by, ready
to take him to her bedside. Mrs. McKinley died December 12 1897 in the
arms of her 54-year-old son. Her gentle Christian virtues helped mold the
President’s character, for when he was gunned down in Buffalo, N.Y. about
4 years later he showed no bitterness toward his assassin. With Christian
courage he said G-d’s will be done. Before he died, he asked to hear once
again the hymn nearer my G-d to thee, which his mother had taught him.
Messiah’s mother was at the scene of His crucifixion. What went through
Mary’s mind as her eldest Son died on the cross? Did she think she was
mistaken in what the angel had said to her before Yeshua was born? Was
this the end of His ministry? Was He to be only another martyr, a teacher
with good ideas who was not accepted by the leaders of His day? Yeshua
was aware of her sufferings too, He gave his mother to the care of John the
beloved apostle John, just moments before He died. (John 19:25-17) His
love for his mother, and her love for him went beyond time. And Mary was
among those who waited in the upper room for the resurrected Christ to fill
her with His Holy Spirit.
All of us have had mothers. Those of us who have had good mothers thank
G-d for what life has given to us. Read II Timothy 1:3-7. It states that Paul
thanked G-d when he remembered the faith that Timothy had which was first
instilled by his mother and also his grandmother. Christian mothers teach
their children the importance and sanctity of the home and Honesty,
forgiveness, dependability, generosity, manners obedience, responsibility
and so on. They exhibit Christian virtues and values to their children. They
are willing to counter contrary teachings. They are aware of what is being
taught at school or among peer groups and they are willing to stand for truth.
They express the importance of life. Whether Christian or not mother’s play
a vital role in the lives of children.
Mother’s Day, it reminds us of our responsibilities to our mothers. I’m glad
for the warm demonstrations of affection it encourages in children of all
ages. The Bible says in Exodus 20:12, “Honor your mother.” While Mother’
s Day is traditionally a day of honoring one’s own mother, there are other
women whose lives also merit special tribute on this day.
As we honor mothers let’s not forget the women with empty arms. There are
among us many noble women who have longed for children but instead have
had their hopes dashed through failure to conceive, miscarriage, still birth or
infant death. The distress Hannah felt in I Samuel because she was barren
is a painful reality in their lives. Let’s show them our love, without making
them feel like second-class women. Many of them use their mother instincts
to bring countless blessings to other people’s children.
Let’s help adoptive mother’s celebrate Mother’s Day with joy because G-d
helped them get a child they can call their own. What a joy to give oneself to
a child who thrives on love and belonging. We share in their joy and
gratitude to G-d.
Let’s not forget foster mother’s who comfort the confused, helpless and
hurting child. It’s not easy to raise a hurting child but they do it with open
arms. Also worthy of honor are stepmothers. It’s not easy to step into an
already-made family. It’s not easy to win the trust and affection of these
children. Good Christian stepmothers, through patient understanding
shower these bewildered children with love and security. Bless them.
We salute mothers of handicapped children. Do you ever wonder how
mothers of handicapped children cope? G-d gives them special grace to
rise above ignorance and prejudice around them and makes them strong
and brave in their assignment. His grace gives growth in difficult situations.
Let’s let these mothers know we love them and their children.
Mothers who become single parents deserve recognition. We live in a
world of broken marriages and broken dreams. Among us are many godly
women who do their best to be the kind of mother their children need, even
while carrying the responsibility and burden of employment or schooling
away from home. Do we appreciate how difficult it is to juggle family and
career?
Mothers whose husbands are unsaved, have a task that takes all the faith,
love, and wisdom a woman can muster, and it requires all the help she can
get from G-d. Can you imagine how difficult it can be for the children when
father and mother pull in different directions spiritually? Let’s encourage
them.
Mothers-In-Law should get flowers on Mother’s Day. They are often the
brunt of nasty and tasteless jokes. But for every meddling mother-in-law
there is a Naomi whose tender compassion and spiritual guidance toward
her daughter-in-law made her a mother-in-law.
Worthy of special mention are the mothers to be among us. They are
experiencing the miracle of love as a new little person is developing in their
bodies.
I encourage you this Mother's Day to do something special for these
mothers. Perhaps you've strayed from G-d or your relationship isn't right
with your mother. On this day set aside to honor mothers, confess your sin
and come back to the L-rd. Let the precious memories of that special
person in your life, who all these years has been pointing you to G-d,
awaken in your heart a new desire to live for Him. Don't turn your back on
the influence of a godly mother.
Proverbs 31 gives tribute to mothers. It says, "she is precious far above
rubies. The heart of her husband safely trust in her. She will do him good
and not evil all the days of her life. She looks well to the ways of her
household and eats not of the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and
call her blessed, her husband also, and he praises her."
