A Mother's Pie
A math teacher asked a boy: “Suppose your mother baked a pie and there were seven of you, your parents and five children. What part of the pie would you get?” A sixth,” the boy replied. “I’m afraid you don’t know your fractions,” said the teacher. “Remember, there are seven of you.” “Yes, teacher,” said the boy, “but you don’t know my mother. Mother would say she didn’t want any pie.”[1]
The Bible regard mothers highly. When the people of Jerusalem complained that God has forsaken them, He replied, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” (Isaiah 49:15, NIV) The Lord asked a rhetorical question that expected a “no” answer. Yes, there will be some who might forget. But, usually a mother doesn’t forget. Then later on, He promised, “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 66:13) The Lord pointed to mothers as object lessons of His compassion and comfort.
When the Apostle Paul described his ministry to the Thessalonians, he also used the imagery of a mother. “As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.” (1 Thessalonians 2:7-9) Note the gentleness, the sacrificial love and the hard work—all descriptive of a mother.
Paul even gave the job description for a women’s ministry: “Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” (Titus 2:3-5) People will have no cause to look down on God’s Word if women will fulfill their God-given calling as mothers. And this is not limited to those who gave birth physically. Women who disciple other women are spiritual mothers.
The Proverbs 31 woman is, above all, a mother. That is why today, as we celebrate Mother’s day, tell your mother: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” (Proverbs 31:29)
Brethren, this time, make sure your mother gets her share of the pie also and to all mothers, physical and spiritual, “Happy Mother’s Day!”
[1] From the Illustration Database of the Biblical Studies Foundation (http://www.bible.org/)
The Bible regard mothers highly. When the people of Jerusalem complained that God has forsaken them, He replied, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” (Isaiah 49:15, NIV) The Lord asked a rhetorical question that expected a “no” answer. Yes, there will be some who might forget. But, usually a mother doesn’t forget. Then later on, He promised, “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 66:13) The Lord pointed to mothers as object lessons of His compassion and comfort.
When the Apostle Paul described his ministry to the Thessalonians, he also used the imagery of a mother. “As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.” (1 Thessalonians 2:7-9) Note the gentleness, the sacrificial love and the hard work—all descriptive of a mother.
Paul even gave the job description for a women’s ministry: “Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” (Titus 2:3-5) People will have no cause to look down on God’s Word if women will fulfill their God-given calling as mothers. And this is not limited to those who gave birth physically. Women who disciple other women are spiritual mothers.
The Proverbs 31 woman is, above all, a mother. That is why today, as we celebrate Mother’s day, tell your mother: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” (Proverbs 31:29)
Brethren, this time, make sure your mother gets her share of the pie also and to all mothers, physical and spiritual, “Happy Mother’s Day!”
[1] From the Illustration Database of the Biblical Studies Foundation (http://www.bible.org/)
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