Mothers Day

Sunday, May 12, 2002

 

Dear Family:

 

Today as I studied I Corinthians 13, I thought about the lessons in love that I have tried to pass on to my children. In this age as in none other we feel forced to be more and more competitive in everything we do. Sometimes this competition is good for it forces us to be the best at what we do. But feeling we must compete because we are in the game may not be a good thing. Someone once said to me, "Chuck, if you would reduce your prices to be more competitive with the other contractors I would give you more business." My response was, "I'm considering raising my prices because I have more business than I can handle now." There was a time when we said it was more important how we played the game than whether we won or lost. Today with events such as the super bowl and the NBA championship, the winner is the focus. In politics it is, "win at all cost" and too often in the court system it is, "the end justifies the means." I am convinced that winning is a matter of attitude. My view of success may be different than someone else's and therefore what I see as victory may appear as defeat to another.

 

Today as I think back over the years, I don't remember my mother saying how proud she was of me for winning at the sports games I played. I do remember, however, her compliments when I got good grades or combed my hair, dressed appropriately, or disciplined myself. I also remember her great displeasure when I stayed out late at night. Mother never asked if I won or lost when she knew I had fought. She simply said, "I hope you learned your lesson."  I never seemed to know what the lesson was, maybe it was simply "being manly is more than being physically strong". While we normally think of the woman as the weaker physically, she is certainly not the weaker emotionally. Most men I know think of their Moms as being really tough. It had nothing to do with physical strength. It is always that inner strength that moms have to see through tough, trying times.  Sometimes I think men try too hard to see the future. Maybe that is why Christ said don't worry about yesterday or tomorrow but live for today. I think men sometimes spend too much emotional energy worrying about yesterday and tomorrow and simply miss the opportunities of today.  Maybe that is why someone legislated Mother's Day. A special day when we all stop for a moment and consider the effects our moms have had on our lives. A day for those of us who have been blessed by God to have a helpmate to be the mother of our children to take the time to thank her. A day when we all stop and ponder what we can do to show her how special she is and has been over the years.

 

Moms have to have special courage to carry our children and us for nine months and then go through the pain of childbirth.  Men can never know the feeling of such pain mixed with such joy. Men can never say, "been there done that".  It is definitely a woman thing.  I get really mad when I see and hear the proponents of gay and lesbian rights trying to redefine the family. No man can ever be my mom and no mom can ever be my man. Don't insult my mom, wife, daughter or daughters-in-law that way. 

 

"Who are the industrious men in all our occupations and professions? Who are they managing the merchandise of the world, building the walls, tinning the roofs, weaving the carpets, making the laws, governing the nations, making the earth to quake, heave, roar and rattle with the tread of gigantic enterprises? Who are they? For the most part they descended from industrious mothers, who, in the old homestead, used to spin their own yarn, weave their own carpets, plait their own door-mats, flag their own chairs and do their own work. The stalwart men and the influential women of this day, ninety-nine out of every hundred of them, came from such an illustrious ancestry of hard knuckles and homespun". — TALMAGE.

 

Somehow, mothers are able to see the potential locked up in their children and seek to bring it out. You seldom hear a mother say she wants her son to be like Mike. It is usually the son who says, "I want to be like Mike or the daughter who wants to be like Barbie."  It is so hard sometimes for children regardless of their age to see their own personal worth and potential. Every day, I ask God to let my children see themselves as He sees them. True character and strength is in how we handle adversity. God sometimes lets us develop that inner strength and character through adversity.  When you think about it, Moms have a lot invested in their children.

Look now at I Corinthians 13.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. (KJV)

 

This word charity is one we like to identify our moms with, and it is fitting. The word in the Greek is agape (ag-ah'-pay); from; love, i.e. affection or benevolence; specially (plural) a love-feast: KJV-- (feast of) charity ([-ably]), dear, love.

 

One could insert the word mom just as we can insert the word love in these verses. MOM suffereth long, and is kind; MOM envieth not; MOM vaunteth not herself, is not puffed up, doth not behave herself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. MOM never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

 

Somehow it seems as though God planted in the hearts of Moms the desire to see their children be filled with the fruit of the spirit. 

 

Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (NKJ)

 

1 Pet 4:8-10 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.(NKJ)

 

Thanks Mom for all that you are, have been and will forever be.  Mom!

 

Love Ya,

 

Dad, Dad2, Mr. T & Chuck

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