I was having coffee with a few fellow Army chaplains, and we started telling “mother-in-law jokes.” One of the chaplains was just sitting quietly, listening to our dumb jokes. He finally spoke up: “Well you know, my wife’s mother-in-law is pretty nice.”
Since we’re honoring our moms today, I thought I’d give you some quotes from people in the Bible…
“David, I told you not to play with that slingshot! You’ll put someone’s eye out! Go practice your harp; we pay good money for your music lessons.”
“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, where in the world have you three boys been? Why you all smell like a dirty old furnace!”
“Noah, I’ve told you a hundred times to stop bringing stray animals home; you can’t keep them.”
“Esther, enough with all this make-up; you must think you’re the Queen!”
“That’s a nice story, Jonah, but where have you really been for the past three days?”
“Samson, would you please interrupt your body-building for a minute and take out the garbage?”
Mothers specialize in compassionate nurturing. The Hebrew word for this divine quality is unusual, in that it refers to the “wounded womb of God.” In modern usage, we might describe that as a “gut-feeling”. Yet it’s much more. This is an overpowering, deep-rooted ache. Just think of the military moms whose children are serving in Afghanistan. This is the kind of love God has for us; He cares for us like a mother. He has a maternal-like compassion for us, His children. He cares about our hurts even more than we do.
When children are upset, who do they go to? If someone has bullied them at school, or if they need money, they may go to their dads; but to get comfort, most will go to their moms, who seem especially equipped to soothe hurts and dry tears. Dads are capable of compassion, but moms excel at it. It’s been said, “A dad becomes concerned when his child breaks a bone…a mother when her child skins a knee!”
God pays tribute to motherhood in the closing chapter of Isaiah as He describes His love for His children as a “mother’s love”: “As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you” (66:13). Also in Isaiah, God assures us of His steadfast love for His children: “Does a mother forget her baby, or a woman the child within her womb? Yet even if these forget, I will never forget My own” (49:15). God is committed to us. Jesus paid a similar tribute to motherhood when He compared His loving concern for Jerusalem to a hen gathering her chicks under her wing (Mt 23:37).
The love of a godly mother typifies the love of God for all His children. The Smothers Brothers built their comedy career over a sibling argument: “Mom always liked you best!” A mother who had nine children was asked which one she loved the best. She answered: “The one who’s sick until he gets well; and the one who is away until he returns home.” The older brother of the Prodigal Son likely (and mistakenly) thought his father preferred his younger, wayward brother. Some kids require less maintenance and anxiety, but that doesn’t mean they receive less love.
The patience of a godly mother also typifies God’s “long-suffering” nature. The Apostle Peter writes how God is “not slow in keeping His promises…He is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (II Pet 3:9).
Parents try to be involved with their children, especially during the trying teen years, but total supervision is impossible, and the ability of parents to control their kids’ choices is limited. Mothers can teach values, but can’t make moral choices for their kids. They offer advice and make it known that they’re willing to listen.
Expectant parents usually take birthing classes offered by hospitals…then realize what they really need is child-rearing classes. When they go home with that bundle of joy, they’re often overwhelmed. “Now what? What are we supposed to do for the next 18 years?” Kids don’t come with instructions, and most parents I know feel a profound sense of inadequacy. I often tell moms who’ve had an especially difficult labor and delivery: “The easy part’s over.”
One of the more realistic books on parenting teens is titled, “Get out of my life, but first would you drive me and Cheryl to the mall?” by Anthony Wolf. He states how teens both resent yet need their parents. He tells of a mother and her daughter who were at the mall shopping for school clothes. All of a sudden the daughter disappeared; she was hiding under a rack of clothing. The reason? She spotted a group of her friends approaching and didn’t want to be seen with her mother! That would be mortifying! Sometimes a parent’s mere presence in the same room causes real discomfort in teens. A mother hoping for some appreciation said, “Do you realize how much time I spend driving you around?” Her teen replied, “What’s that go to do with anything?” Being a parent isn’t easy. Sometimes children make us proud; at other times we can’t find enough handkerchiefs to dry our tears.
It is not a lack of compassion when moms say “no” to unwise or unreasonable requests, or when they allow natural consequences for misbehavior. God certainly allowed Israel to have its share of consequences. The Babylonian Captivity was in part to get Israel to stop its idolatry and inter-marriage. This national crisis actually helped preserve the nation’s integrity. The Jews were in danger of being assimilated, of losing their identity. What seemed catastrophic actually preserved them. I’m sure during that difficult period many questioned God’s compassion; yet in hindsight it’s obvious that God was actually looking out for His wayward, chosen people. In the same way, moms often have to make tough decisions.
Erma Bombeck wrote about how God created mothers. He was into His 6th day and was working overtime. An angel noticed and said to Him, “Lord, you sure are spending a lot of time on this one.”
God turned and said, “Have you read the specifications on this model? She is to have a kiss that will heal everything from a broken leg to a broken heart. She is to have a lap that will hold at least three children. She is to be able to manage on coffee and leftovers and function as if she has six pairs of hands.”
“Not only that, she has to act as if she has three pairs of eyes. She’s supposed to have one pair that sees through closed doors so that whenever she asks, ‘What are you kids doing in there?’ she already knows. She has another pair in the back of her head to see all the things she’s not supposed to see. And then she has one pair right in front of her, that can look at a child who has just messed up, and communicate love and understanding without saying a word.”
“That’s way too much,” said the angel. “You can’t put all that in one model. Why don’t You rest awhile and resume Your creating tomorrow?” “No I can’t, said the Lord. “I’m close to creating someone very much like Myself. I’ve already come up with a model who can heal herself when she’s sick, who can feed a family of six with one pound of hamburger, and who can persuade a nine-year old to take a bath.”
Then the angel examined this model of motherhood a little more closely and said, “She’s too soft.” “Oh, but she is tough,” said the Lord. “You’d be surprised at how much this mother can do.” Then the angel reached over and touched her cheek. “This one has a leak,” he said. “I told You Lord, You couldn’t put too much into one model.” “That’s not a leak,” God explained. That’s a tear.”
“What’s a tear for?” asked the angel. “Well, it’s for joy, for sadness, for sorrow, for disappointment, for pride.” “You’re amazing, said the angel. “You thought of everything!” Then God said, “Oh, but I didn’t put the tear there. I created the mother, but she created the tear.”
Blessings on all mothers.
