Mother's Day Message

Mother’s Day 2006: A Testimony Of Faith

Scriptures: Proverbs 31:10-31

Introduction:

Almost 90 years ago, by an act of Congress, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. He established the day as a time for “public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country. All of us are products of a mother. Everything that you needed to know, somewhere along the line, a mom probably taught you most of it. Two years ago I preached a Mother’s day sermon in which I talked about some of the things we have learned from our mothers. I even asked some of you to submit some of the things you had learned. Here are a few of the lessons that I gathered for that sermon:

Logic: She asked, “If everyone else jumps off the cliff are you going to jump too?

To Cook: “If you’re hungry, go in the kitchen and fix you something, there is no maid in this house.”

Wisdom that comes with Age: “Keep on living, you’ll see, you’ll understand.”

Medicine: “If you don’t stop crossing your eyes, they will freeze that way.”

Humor: “When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don’t come running to me.

Justice: “One day you will have kids and I hope they turn out just like you. Then you will see what it’s like. I can’t wait!”

Recipes: “A hard head makes a soft behind.”

Our true roots: “I am not your friend’s mother, I am your mother.”

These are some of the lessons that have been taught through the years by some very loving and God-fearing mothers that ever walked the earth. And even though most of us have had the experience of being around some good mothers, we sometimes have forgotten just how blessed we are. Some of you may know that I love to read the Calvin & Hobbes comic strip. For those of you not familiar with this comic, Calvin is a seven year (Dennis the Menace) and Hobbes is his stuffed tiger that is actually alive to him. Anyway, in one of the stories on a Mother’s Day, Calvin is standing by his mother’s bed when he says “Hey, Mom! Wake up. I made you a Mother’s Day card.” His mother was very please and started to read the card out loud as Calvin stood there smiling being very proud of what he had written. Some of you may recall this from my previous sermon, but I want to share it with you again. This is what the card said:

“I was going to buy a card with hearts of pink and red.

But then I thought I’d rather, spend the money on me instead.

It’s awfully hard to buy things when one’s allowance is so small.

So I guess you’re plenty lucky I got you anything at all.

Happy Mother’s Day. There, I’ve said it, now I am done.

So how about getting out of bed and fixing breakfast for your son.”

Calvin had the right idea in his decision to give her a card, but being true to form, his natural instinct to be self absorbed took over and the results ended in what was written in the card. So may times we are like Calvin, so self absorbed that we cannot appreciate others, especially our mothers who made (continues to make) sacrifices for us daily. This morning I want to tell you about my two adopted grandmothers who bless me every time I am in their presence. Both of these ladies have taken me in as if I was their own blood. I cannot talk about one without the other because they both fit the description of a good woman as described in Proverbs 31. One of the grandmothers is ninety and the other is eighty-nine years old; both in fairly good health considering their age. But, before I tell you about them, I want to read a few verses from Proverbs 31 where he speaks of a good woman.

"An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her and he will have no lack of gain." Verses 10-11

"She rises also while it is still night, and gives food to her household and portions to her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength, and makes her arm strong. She senses that her gain is good; her lamp does not go out at night." Verses 15-18

"She extends her hand to the poor; and stretches out her hand to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet." Verses 20-21

"Strength and dignity are her clothing and she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth is wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also and he praises her…" Verses 25-28