Teacher of Life
Proverbs 1:1-9
Well here we are on Mother’s day, probably one of the most sentimental days of the year for most people. Some find elation and joy over the excitement of the day.
For others there is a feeling of sadness because of loss or broken relationships.
Today is the day that the most people will call or go to where mother is and check in for a few minutes. Even if it is only within an individuals heart and memory. For many It is a day with a strange combination of joy and guilt.
Hallmark estimates that well over 150 million Mother’s Day cards will be sent this year (but only 95 million Father’s Day cards), making Mother’s Day the third largest greeting card holiday of the year.
U.S. Americans spend an average of $105 on Mother’s Day gifts, $90 on Father’s Day gifts.
The phone rings more often on Mother’s day than Father’s day.
Can you guess the busiest day of the year at car washes?
The Saturday before Mother’s Day
What mom thinks, still matters.
Most of us learned directly from our mothers how to interpret many different situations in life. Mothers tend to teach with two primary methods. The first is the rhetorical question and the second is direct lecture or statements of truth.
Let me share some of the wisdom that my mother taught with me:
Basic LOGIC...
"If everyone else jumped off a cliff would you do it too?"
General MEDICINE...
"If you don’t stop crossing your eyes or making that face, they’re going to freeze that way."
TO THINK AHEAD...
"If you don’t pass your spelling test, you’ll never get a good job!"
(boy was she right)
She taught me about scientific possibilities like TIME TRAVEL…
If you don’t stop that, I am going to knock you into the middle of next week.
taught me how to respond under pressure
"What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you... Don’t you talk back to me!"
Mom thought me about life on the farm
“You room looks like a pig sty.”
taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT...
"If you don’t eat your vegetables, you’ll never grow up to be big and strong.
taught me about GENETICS...
"You are just like your father!"
taught me about my ROOTS...
"Close the door, Do you think you were born in a barn?"
My mother taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I’ll give you something to cry about."
My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION...
"Just wait until your father gets home."
My mother taught me about KEEPING PROMISES
“You are going to get it when I get you home!”
She taught about fervent prayer
“You better pray that this comes out of the carpet!”
And the all time favorite thing my mother taught me – JUSTICE
"One day you will have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you. Then you’ll see what it’s like! I can’t wait!" ( I can’t imitate the little laugh that goes with that one that was so scary)
The first thing we have to recognize is that every one of us has a different situation.
There is one thing that we all share this morning. We all have mothers; everyone in here is the child of someone.
Some in here may have been adopted or were separated from a parent for a variety of reasons. But this morning our celebration of mother is not restricted to just our biological mothers.
We are celebrating the love and nurture we have received from the women in our lives. I hope each and every one of us recognizes and is able to celebrate that there are women to take a personal and selfless interest in our lives.
All too often we narrow the focus of mother say to just the biological and forget the school teachers, the aunts , the neighbors and the good friends that touched us as with patients, generosity and unconditional love.
Somehow we can take for granted all that they have done and we have left them un-thanked…I am afraid that it would be not different for our biological mothers if there were not an official day set aside to remind us to notice.
Today we celebrate the wisdom and love that God supplies to each of us through the women of our lives.
Our scripture this morning is from the very first chapter in the book of proverbs.
It is credited to Solomon – Son of David.
It starts with a definition for the complete book… A definition of how it is to be used.
“for attaining wisdom and discipline;”
Wisdom is different from knowledge. Knowledge knows how to light a match, wisdom knows that you don’t play with matches because you could burn the house down. (That is another tidbit of wisdom form my mother.)
Discipline is the proper combination knowledge and wisdom in order to live a better life.
The scripture continues, for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair;
The wisdom in the book of Proverbs is a documentation of good basic wisdom. If you were to study its simple sayings the book could help you to live a reserved life with a strong sense of justice and right and wrong.
If we yield our wills to the information we will understand human nature and hopefully have a better position in life because of our personality and nature.
The next line seems to speak directly to me - for giving prudence to the simple.
Simple, that describes me. I need the explanations to be plain and simple so I can understand.
Prudence is the ability to discern the difference between courageous and reckless. The book of proverbs is meant to help the average person with practical wisdom. Different that common sense because it is to help in judgment.
Often we wonder if our children will ever be wise and make good decisions this scripture explains that the young people that study Proverbs will receive not just knowledge but discretion. Perhaps in what they say and even in what they do.
This opening to the book does not leave anyone out.
Even the people considered wise will find value in the teaching of the book. A wise person can add to their learning and gain new insight into their ability to teach others. And more importantly they will gain deeper understanding into the proverbs and parables and the riddles of the wise.
Basically, no matter how smart we are we are always learning. We always can gain new wisdom to go with our vast knowledge.
The scripture is telling us that every body can learn something from scripture; even the wisest person can learn something useful.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Real knowledge starts with a basic fear of God.
Fearing God does not mean that I run around in circles frightened to death of God. It means I understand the difference between myself and God, My power and knowledge being only a small portion compared to His.
Fear of Atlanta traffic is a good thing. However, if you let it make you crazy your worst fears will come true.
Fear of God is the same way. It is healthy to understand our place. It leads us to be watchful of the conditions we are in and our direction, so that we can react as safely as we can.
Not being afraid of Atlanta traffic makes you a fool and it may even make you a part of the bigger problem.
There are way too many people driving around I285 at any given moment that have no fear about their position and conditions. They are oblivious to the potential dangers of reckless driving and criminals. And that makes them a fool who is headed for trouble.
There are too many people that are foolish about the ways of God. They are on their own trip and reject the guidance of God and are headed for a crash down the road.
-- Now we come to the focus of our scripture this morning.
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
I think most of you will recall that in Ex 20:12 one of the 10 commandments says to Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
The interesting point is that it does not say when you are young.
It does not define any age limit for the child nor does it set an age limit of the parents.
Never too old which I think means even if they have already passed on to be with God. Your father and mother are always your parents as long as we are on the earth. That means no dishonor is acceptable to God.
Dishonor doesn’t means always obeying just because they say so….It is about ongoing respect for the live and wisdom offered by God through them.
One of the things that lives on I this world is the wisdom that has come down through the ages.
When ever a mother biological or spiritual shares a piece of wisdom they are honoring the values and knowledge and generation that came before.
Proverbs reminds us of the value of that knowledge and how it will benefit us.
You would think that the knowledge that comes from our fathers and mothers would be impossible to see. But, you know what, that’s not at all true.
Most of the instruction and teaching that our parents gave us comes out in visible ways. The first time a young mother resist instant angry punishment saying wait until your father gets home, it is a sign of wanting justice instead of over reaction.
When a child chooses to avoid dumb situations and not jump off the cliff of vandalism, alcohol, cigarettes or drugs they are demonstrating a combination of knowledge and wisdom that they gained from a source outside themselves.
Verse 9 of our reading describes the use of a mothers teaching like this.
They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.
The knowledge that we take to heart and find value in will make us look good, it will help keep us out of trouble.
God blesses people through the wisdom offered through the super human creation walled women of which many are called mothers.
They demonstrate a caring for us that is so like God, the selfless continuous nature, the attention to details.
When mom reminded us about clean underwear it is has a deeper reminder that this is an uncertain world and you always need to be ready.
When mom told us to clean our plate we are being reminded to be grateful for what we have. That some people really do suffer because they have less or nothing. It discourages waste and greed and promotes thinking outside ourselves.
My mother’s "proverbs," her teachings and brief quotes of bits of wisdom are like a wreath on my head; they are like an ornamental necklace.
They make me look smart and sometimes wise. They are a gift that no one can take away and as long as I use them I am honoring the one who wave me physical life but more importantly quality of life.
If you have a chance today, why not thank "mom" or other female influences for all that has taught you. Especially if they taught you to love Jesus.
Happy Mother’s Day - moms!
