My mama told me...
you better shop around.
Shop Around, Smokey Robinson, 1960
On this Monday after Mother's Day, it's a great time to reflect on things our mama's told us! Some things may have saved our lives, like "Look both ways before you cross the street." Some things were socially important, "Chew with your mouth shut." Others were important at the time, "Stop crying, or I'll give you something to cry about."
Yes, mothers have a way about them. A mother's job is raise her children. The Bible gives us examples of mothers. Jacob's mother was an example of a mother who want it all for their child at any cost. Samuel's mother was a wonderful example of a mother praying for their child. Ruth showed loyalty to her mother (in law).
There are versus that tell us to honor our mothers, and verses that teach us how to be mothers (train up a child in the way they should go).
Even if you feel like you missed out on the 'perfect' mother, you can be blessed in knowing God fills that void. "As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you," the Lord says in Isaiah 66:13. And even if the relationship was bad, we rest assured in knowing, "Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me." Psalm 27:10
I am blessed to be a mother of 2 daughters. My prayer is that they will grow up and say "My mama told me...about Jesus." It is my prayer that they will grow up to know and love the Lord, and that even though I will not always be on earth with them, that I will forever be in heaven with them.
I love my children, and I pray I am a good mother to them. I'm not a perfect mom. But I pray for my children, and thank God for them. I am blessed because of the gift of my children. And I pray that they are blessed because of me.
"Her children arise and call her blessed." Proverbs 31:28