May 14, 2017
Morning Service

There was a show on the Discovery Channel that was called “Dirty Jobs.”  Mike Rowe would travel around the United States and spend a day doing some of the worst jobs imaginable.  Cleaning sewers, growing mushrooms and working in a coal mine were examples of things he would do.  He was able to show his audience and experience first-hand what it took to do some of these thankless jobs. One job I don’t believe he ever filmed was that of being a mother.  It may have been just too much for him to handle.

Motherhood can indeed be a very thankless job and one that no class, video, or training will ever truly prepare one to enter into it.  I am sure there are moments that a mother herself in desperation at least thinks, “this is not what I signed up for.”  She is on call 24/7 and never really gets to the point in the day where there is nothing to do.  Raising children is one of the most challenging things to do on every level; physical, emotional and even spiritual.  It takes a self-sacrificing love that comes as natural as breathing.  It cannot really be fully explained or understood but it is clearly displayed by a mother caring for her child.  I believe the love of a mother for her child is as close as we can get to defining how God truly loves us.

Mothers today we honor you, but I also have two challenges for you and all the ladies present to embrace the role God has been given you in this world and flourish at doing it.  What does that look like?  Solomon described a virtuous woman in Proverbs 31.

Proverbs 31:10-31 Who can find a woman of virtue? For her value is far above rubies.  (11)  The heart of her husband trusts safely in her, so that he shall have no need of plunder.  (12)  She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.  (13)  She seeks wool and flax, and works willingly with her hands.  (14)  She is like the merchants' ships; she brings her food from afar.  (15)  She also rises while it is still night, and gives food to her household, and a share to her young women.  (16)  She considers a field, and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.  (17)  She binds her loins with strength, and makes her arms strong.  (18)  She sees that her merchandise is good; her lamp does not go out by night.  (19)  She lays her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.  (20)  She stretches out her hand to the poor; yea, she reaches forth her hands to the needy.  (21)  She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.  (22)  She makes herself coverings; her clothing is silk and purple.  (23)  Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.  (24)  She makes fine linen and sells it, and delivers girdles to the merchants.  (25)  Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.  (26)  She opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.  (27)  She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.  (28)  Her sons rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.  (29)  Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.  (30)  Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears Jehovah, she shall be praised.  (31)  Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

·         My first challenge to you is not to be just like this woman described in these verses.  I am not sure any one woman could do all these things.  I challenge you to use these verses as a personal inspiration to be all you can be.  Ask God to grant you wisdom and strength to fulfill whatever roll you find yourself in now and to do it well. He created, designed and gifted you to do this. As you do all those many thankless and “Dirty jobs” in reality you are doing acts of worship to your Heavenly Father. 

·         Paul wrote to Titus and gave him this to teaching for the women to follow and it is also my second challenge to you.

Titus 2:3-5  Let the older women likewise be in reverent behavior, not slanderers, not enslaved by much wine, teachers of good;  (4)  that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,  (5)  to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, subject to their own husbands, that the Word of God may not be blasphemed.

·         Motherhood does not only apply to your own children.  It does take a village to raise a child especially when that child will one day be a mother.  There is wisdom you have been taught or learned that needs to be shared with the next generation.  They need your help because the world is pointing them in a totally opposite direction.  God is instructing you to do this.

·         My second challenge then is this to find someone to mentor and invest in their lives.  Be a friend, an encourager and even a second mother to them to help them to understand and enjoy the life God has planned for them.  Also look for someone older than yourself to seek out and be a second mother to you.  If you feel alone or discouraged, seek out these relationship to fulfill your calling form God.  Life is better when we do it together.

Today is a day that we have set aside to honor our mother.  We all get her cards, gifts or even flowers and she loves it.  She didn’t ask for this day, but she does enjoy it.  But is one day enough?  How can all we owe to her and our true feelings be summed up in a card or a gift; it can’t even scratch the surface.  What does she really want from us?  What can we do to truly express to her how much we love and appreciate her?  Here is more advice from Solomon in the Book of Proverbs.

  Proverbs 23:22-25 Listen to your father who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old.  (23)  Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.  (24)  The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him.  (25)  Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice.

·         In my experience, this Proverb rings so very true.  Nothing brings more joy to a mother than to see her children following the path that the scriptures have laid out for them and be faithfully following Christ.   The only thing that would perhaps top that is to see her children teaching her grandchildren to follow the same path.

·         Do you want to make your mother rejoice not only today, but also every day? Make wise choices in your life; choose truth, wisdom, instruction and understanding.

Remember when I said that I believe a mother’s love for her child is as close as we can come to understanding God’s love for us?  Isn’t it also true that when we make good choices it not only makes our mother rejoice, but also our Heavenly Father?  In the last few weeks we have looked at what it meant to truly accept Jesus’ invitation to “Follow Me.”  He asked us to show our love for Him by keeping His commandments (Jn. 14:15) or living a life that is filled with choosing to follow Him first and sticking close to the path He has laid out for us.