Today I want to talk about a subject that I have to say is a complete mystery to me. Women….
Perhaps some of the other men here would agree that women even if we have known them for 10, 20, 40, 60 years or more, we (men) still only fool ourselves if we think we have a clue.
As this subject is too big to handle on a single day or year, I want to scale it back a little and limit my discussion to the women we knew from the beginning of life.
The one person that none of us would be here without, I am of course talking about mothers. Perhaps, mothers are the biggest mystery of all women. My personal experience is that mothers have special powers and that makes them the biggest mystery of all.
How did my mother know I was standing at the refrigerator, holding the door open …just looking in. How did she know I was guilty of something…. Perhaps not knowing exactly what I did… just knowing I did something.
I want to try an experiment to see if I can prove that these powers exist.
So I am going to start a phrase and see if the women in our church family can finish the statement.
Whenever you were going somewhere, she would always remind you to . . .
"Make Sure You Have Clean . . . underwear."
Why? (In case you get in an accident.)
As a kid sitting on the living room floor, how many times did you hear these words,
"Don’t Sit Too Close to the . . . television."
Why? (It’s bad for you eyes.)
At the supper table you heard this. . .
"Clean Your . . . plate."
Why? "There are starving children in India, Africa (or any foreign country) who would love to eat that."
If I asked, "Mom, can I go to Johnny’s house?" She’d say . . .
"Ask . . . you father."
That is amazing isn’t it! This power is shared without families knowing each other. All across the country and perhaps with some slight variation world wide.
I learned this when I was fairly young and I stayed overnight at different friends homes. I heard the phrases and ideas expressed from the mother of the house, just like at my house. And as far as I knew the parents had never met.
That tells me that this power is something that most if not all women have. That hints to me that it is a part of the basic design of women.
This leads me to bigger idea. I believe that God designed men and women differently …not just n the obvious ways. Also in the design of how we act and the things we do. Men are normally tougher and go out to hunt and kill and provide. And women are more nurturing, care giving and fix the hurts of life.
I am not saying that these abilities are exclusive. What I am trying to say is that God‘s design normally requires a man and a woman to have a complete unit.
God is normally referred to as a He, but God contains all the best attributes that men and women seem to demonstrate. These attributes are joined into one unit here on earth in marriage.
The Bible uses many metaphors, names, and titles to reveal His many-sided nature. For example...
He is our King and we are his subjects
He is our Shepherd and we are His sheep
He is our Counselor and we are His clients
He is our Redeemer, and we are His possession.
He is our Priest and we are His people
He is our Father and we are His children
As a Father He provides for our needs. He trains, corrects, and educates us in love and service as members of a great family.
Our scripture is from a king that was sharing the wisdom his mother taught him. It is not just “don’t do it” but why. The wisdom is offered in a protective tone.
All through the Bible we can learn about the attributes of God. His is love, He offers Mercy, He is Just, He offers comfort, and peace. In prayers we ask for the loving comfort and peace that He offers and often we ask for his presence.
Think of this for a moment. What is a house without a mother? Her presence means comfort, love, and service. But it’s even worse to have a home without God!
Once the New York Times was asked to help a woman’s club decide on the twelve greatest women in the United States. After a lot of consideration, the editors replied, ’The twelve greatest women in the United States are women who have never been heard of outside of their own homes.’"
Mothers, women demonstrate the presence of God in our homes and in our lives because their presence brings warmth and comfort by just being there and doing the little tings that the family tends to take for granted.
A child’s first teacher is his mother. She gives him his earliest and most sacred lessons of God, life, and duty. When he or she is discouraged, her words comfort, inspire and encourage. When fear fills his heart, she holds him close and reassures him.
When there is a bike crash or something is broken or perhaps another person’s harsh remarks the child knows that if they get to mom, she can make the hurt go away and the tears to stop.
So we all ran as fast as we could because we knew she would be there.
We learn from our mothers that God is like that. We hear God’s direction by reading scripture. We learn what his plan is and how he loves a fallen world and how we can correct our ways if we only listen. God teaches the smallest child about the soothing words that show the eternal nature of God’s love because mom’s words still speak to us when we are far apart.
COMFORTS US BY HIS SILENCE
If a child is in any kind of trouble and they run to their mother, she receives that child without asking a lot of questions. Her intuition tells her that something is wrong, but she does not speak. Comfort is her first reaction.
“Here, here now,” says mother, drying our tears. “Let me fix your favorite dessert. Come into the kitchen. We can talk for a while.”
Comfort first, without many demands, knowing that confession can come later.
Motherhood is a demonstration of God’s methods and abilities. When we do wrong, and we know it, He doesn’t condemn us. God always allows us the opportunity to approach. He simply says, “Come unto me and find your rest.”
When we cry out with grief and pain we have condemned ourselves. We speak to Him but receive no audible answer. And yet we leave His presence calmed and consoled as a child. Our confession being all that is needed to receive peace and forgiveness.
COMFORTS US BY HIS GENEROSITY
Mothers are generous and all too often the child never really notices. The generosity of her time is probably the most valuable gift that a mother lavishes on her children. Taking away from herself and giving to the selfish whims of her child. Then there are the ongoing things, the meals, cleaning, Chauffeuring and it goes on and on.
The most expensive gift to her children is unconditional love, the cost is measured in tears, and worrying. Love is always expensive to the giver. In the case of a mother there is rarely a complaint. Mothers feel it was all worth it.
--A mother who had twelve children was asked which one she loved the best. Her answer: "The one who’s sick until he gets well; and the one who is away until he gets back home!"
This generous nature is also something that should remind us of God. He heals, gladdens, sympathizes, loves and cares. He freely gives the most expensive things for our benefit.
The most generous act of God on our behalf was when Jesus offered Himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sin.
COMFORTS US THROUGH HIS CHILDREN
Remember the time she took you to the doctor? She could tell you were sick.
Remember the time she sent your brother or sister to help you with that chore or homework? Perhaps she sent you.
God is a lot like that. He often sends someone to us just when we reach our deepest need ...a card comes, a phone call, a personal visit, a prayer.
God sends me into situations where people are sick and even dieing. Many times I don’t know there is a problem and I walk into the middle of a situation. Do you think it is an accident? I don’t think so. I can’t say I know what to do but, I have learned that my presence is all that is required. God does the rest.
God ask his children to be there for one another to help in phusical and emotional ways
God does have mother-like qualities.
Perhaps, it would be better states mothers have God-like qualities.
He comforts us by His PRESENCE, BY His WORDS, by His SILENCE by His GENEROSITY, and by SENDING OTHERS to us.
I read of a California mother of 10 with the 11th child on the way. One day her 3 year old son was making even the simplest chores difficult to accomplish as she said, "Len . . . was on my heals no matter where I went. Whenever I stopped to do something and turned back around, I would trip over him." Several times she patiently suggested he find fun things to do until he said, "Oh, that’s alright Mommy, I’d rather be in here with you." After several other frustrating incidents she asked him why he was acting this way. She said, ". . . he looked up at me with green eyes and said, ‘Well, Mommy, in Sunday school my teacher told me to walk in Jesus’ footsteps. But I can’t see Him, so I’m walking in yours."
It’s amazing what we can learn from mother’s isn’t it?
All Glory be to God!
Today, I want to close with another thought. Over the years I believe that I probably recognized my mom on mother day wit a lot of cheesy, inappropriate gifts. I don’t know of a way to make up for my failures in the past. I started thinking how mothers deserver the best we can give.
I went by Wal-Mart and looked at the flowers. I notices that there was not a single carnation to be purchased. On the other hand, there were roses of every color and a large variety of arrangements. It seemed appropriate. Carnations are pretty, but they don’t smell that great and when they just dry up to nothng and loose all smell.
Roses on the other hand die as well however their beauty is almost overshadowed by the fragrance. Roses for mothers day are a suttle statement that we recognize your for all you do and just like a mothers love the fragrance does not end with death. Roses tend to live on because of the fragrance that remains. T se what I mean, save a rose sometime. And when it dried and seemingly life less, take a petal and crush it between your fingers. You will still find the fragrance . Love that comes from the heart is never wasted and the fragrance seems to remain forever.
