radical relationships part 7

part 7 the motherly relationship

This morning we continue our series entitled radical relationships.  Today we are going to take a moment to recognize and rejoice in one of the most radical relationships God has blessed us with: our relationship with our mother.

I ran across this job description for the position of mother:

JOB DESCRIPTION: Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment.

Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.

Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5.

Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.

Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers.

Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects.

Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.

Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.

Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.

Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.

Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.

Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION: Virtually none. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION: Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent.

When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS: While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you play your cards right.

Mothers, does that sound accurate?  Now, I’d like to share with you a poem entitled:

If You Give A Mom A Muffin.... Written by Kathy Fictorie
(Based on If You Give a Moose A Muffin by Laura Numeroff)

If you give a mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
So she'll pour herself some.
The coffee will get spilled by her three year old.
She'll wipe it up.

Wiping the floor, she will find some dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do some laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,
She'll trip over some snow boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan supper for tonight.

She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook. (101 Things To Make With a Pound of
Hamburger.)
The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill which is due tomorrow.
She will look for the checkbook.

The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two year old.
She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two year old.
While she is changing the two year old the phone will ring. (Of course!)
Her five year old will answer it and hang up.

She remembers that she wants to phone a friend to come over for coffee on
Friday.
Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.
She will pour herself some.
And chances are,
If she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

Mom’s are magnificent.  It makes sense that we would designate a day on the calendar to honor our mothers.  That’s what we are doing this morning.  We are celebrating and honoring our relationships with our mothers, a special, unique, radical relationship, characterized by care, comfort, commitment, closeness, and sacrifice.

The scriptures often use metaphors and similes to communicate truth.  For example, Jesus taught a lot about the kingdom.  When he did, he typically used the phrase, “The kingdom of heaven is like…”  For example, the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. ³² Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.”

Here, Jesus was not giving a science lesson.  This was Jesus giving a spiritual lesson by referencing something they already knew and took for granted.  They didn’t say, wow, I didn’t know the mustard seed was small.  They knew a mustard seed was small and that it produced a large plant big enough for birds to perch in its shade.  He pointed to what they already knew and took for granted.

I say all that because the Bible uses mothers as a reference point on occasion and in the same way these texts point to realities about mothers that are known and taken for granted.  For example:

1 thess 2:6b-7  As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, ⁷ but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.

Paul, Silas and Timothy could point to a mother to explain the way they acted among the Thessalonians, gentle, like a mother caring for her children.  Mothers are generally characterized by nurturing care.

Isaiah 66:13  As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

Again, this isn’t a text intended to teach what mothers should do.  This is a text teaching about God, pointing to something that the audience already knew and took for granted about mothers.  Mothers are generally comforting. 

Isaiah 49:13-15 13Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains!
For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.

¹⁴ But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.”

¹⁵ “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? (implied answer is no, she cannot; the conclusion is that as a mother does, God comforts his children, has compassion on them, and will not forget them; he is committed to them)
Though she may forget, I will not forget you!  ¹⁶ See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

Speaking to his children, Israel, God essentially says, as a mother is committed to her children, I am committed to my children.  Even if a mother does abandon her children – unlikely as it may be, he will not.  God doesn’t point to fathers and say can a father forget and abandon his children?  He points to a mother.  He says I comfort, I care, I have compassion, and I am committed as a mother is.

Earlier in this series when I introduced our topic of radical relationships I read to you an article that displays the problem of fatherlessness in our society.  That article didn’t state that our culture has a problem with mothers abandoning their children.  Typically mothers don’t do that.  Generally, if a parent abandons a family, it is usually a father who abandons.  Mothers are typically committed. 

In addition to a relationship with one’s mother being characterized by care, comfort and commitment, it is also characterized by closeness.

I’d like to ask you a question that I’d like you to think about for a moment.  How did you get here?  Not here at the Page House on a Sunday morning, but how did you come to exist on planet earth?

I’ll give you a hint.  The answer is not that the stork brought you.

The answer is found in Psalm 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

You’re here now because you were first in your mother’s womb for about 9 months.  This is closeness.  From the beginning our relationship with our mother was close: we were in her!

Then, upon exiting the birth canal, that close connection was not over.  We were still connected by the umbilical cord.  But as soon as that umbilical cord is cut, does a mother say get that thing away from me?  Hardly.  Usually her first words are “Where’s my baby?”  Child and mother can hardly be kept apart.  The connection is resumed immediately.

God in his infinite wisdom has divinely designed the human body in such a way that mothers are naturally equipped to feed their children without doing any work, without going anywhere or spending any money.  A child can feed at his mother’s breast.  This is closeness.  There was a time when breastfeeding was a given and there was no such things as formula.  I’m not opposed to formula and this isn’t a campaign in favor of breastfeeding; sometimes there are complications and mothers are forced to use alternatives such as formula.  What I am trying to communicate here is that by nature, one’s relationship with his mother is especially and uniquely close.  He doesn’t dwell in dad for nine months and then have the ability to nurse at his father’s breast thereafter.  Those privileges were designed by God specifically for the mother.

Then the closeness with mom perpetuates throughout the child’s infancy.

“The emotional bond between child and parent is the most important factor in the development of a child.  Children who are denied a strong emotional bond with their mother and father must go through life compensating for this lack.  In reality, the most extensive problem for both boys and girls is the lack of a strong emotional bonding with their father.  In keeping with their distinct societal roles, mothers and fathers differ in relating to their children.  Evidence suggests that these differences begin very early and increase through the child-rearing period.  Studies show, for example, that mothers tend to engage their babies directly, to stimulate responses, and to display affection, while fathers tend to read to or watch television with their children.  Mothers are also more likely than fathers to hold, smile at, and speak to their infant” (Balswick, p 246).

It is the tendency that mothers are more engaging with their infants than fathers.  Again, the closeness between a child and his mother that began in the womb tends to be perpetuated through infancy. 

Consider how this closeness impacts a mother’s power to influence her children.

Ezekiel 16:44 “‘Everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb about you: “Like mother, like daughter.”  That proverb isn’t in the book of proverbs.  We have proverbs in our culture that aren’t in the bible like an apple a day keeps the doctor away and you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.  This is one that was known to Ezekiel’s original audience.  Like mother, like daughter.  Chances are, due to the influence of a mother, her daughter will grow up to be like her.  In light of that reality, mothers, think of what you want your daughter to be and be it before her.

But mothers don’t have influence only on their daughters. 

In fact, it has been said that behind every great man is a great mother

A French general said of Mary Washington who was the mother of George that “It is not surprising that America should produce great men since she can produce great mothers.”

Andrew Jackson, military hero and 7^th president of the US wrote, “The memory of my mother and her teachings were the only capital I had to start life with and on that capital I have made my way.”

John Quincy Adams said “All that I am my mother made me.”  (Not all that I have my mother gave me)

A London editor made a list of people who taught Sir Winston Churchill but when he saw the list he protested.  “You omitted mention of the greatest of my teachers: my mother.”

Mothers have such a unique connection with their children and this connection provides the platform for a power to influence her children in mighty ways.

Mothers, I want to encourage you not to take that lightly, not to take that for granted.  Mothers, I want to encourage you to be intentional about your influence upon your children and use that influence for good.

We all want our children to be successful.  We hope they excel in the arts, athletics, and academics.  We rejoice at the idea of our children growing up to be doctors and lawyers.  But I believe we would do well to echo the words of the apostle John

3 John:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

John is not speaking about his biological children.  He is speaking of his joy about hearing that Gaius was continuing to walk in the truth.  This is a “spiritual” child to John. 

But I believe that we would say the same of the children in our households – that we, as their parents will have no greater joy than to know that they are walking in the truth.

Mothers, you have a radical relationship with your children, a close connection that provides the unique ability to influence them.  I would encourage you to use that power to influence them with the message of the gospel.

I’d like to share with you some cases in which a mother has influenced her son mightily for the kingdom:

Suzanna Wesley devoted several hours each week to the reading of the word, praying and raising her children in the Lord.  Her son, John was the founder of the Methodist church.  Someone said that the Methodist church began on Suzanna Wesley’s knees. 

John Randolph a brilliant US political leader said, “When I try to make myself an infidel I feel the hand of my mother on my head and I hear her prayers for my soul and I start back from all infidelity.”

One of the highest examples of moral conviction in American heritage lies in honest Abe, Abraham Lincoln, our 16^th president.  His mother Nancy was a godly woman who would spend countless hours sitting her son on her knee and reading to him the word of God.  She once said, “I would rather that Abe be able to read the Bible than to own a farm if he can have but one.” 

When asked later in life why he was so honest, he said he could still clearly hear the tones of his mother’s voice as she spoke to him from Exodus chapter 20.  He declared, “All that I am or hope to be I owe to my angel mother.”

He also said:  “I remember my mother's prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life.”

 Ulysses S Grant commander of the federal army in the civil war and 18thpresident said to the pastor who preached his mother’s funeral, “Make no reference to me.  She gained nothing by any position I have filled or honors that may have been paid me.  I owe all this and all that I am to her earnest modest sincere piety.”

Those names may mean little or nothing to you.  Perhaps this one will mean more.

Maybe you have heard of Timothy. He was a fellow worker with Paul, who Paul called his true son in the faith.  He was one that Paul sent to various churches entrusting him with certain tasks.  He left Timothy in charge of the churches in Ephesus as an elder.  Timothy co-authored letters with Paul, so he had a hand in the NT.  Paul also wrote two NT letters to Timothy.  I’d like to read you an excerpt from one of them.

2 Tim 1:3-5 ³ I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. ⁴ Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵ I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Notice that Paul implies here that it was Timothy’s mother whose faith had been passed on to Timothy. 

A mother has a close connection that allows for influence.  Mothers you may be raising the next John Wesley or Abraham Lincoln or Timothy.  Use your influence to make mighty men and women for the kingdom.

A mother’s relationship to her children is characterized by care, comfort, commitment, closeness, which allows for influence.  Last of all, sacrifice.

Beginning with the pregnancy, possibility of morning sickness, the sacrifice of a fit body, the act of labor (giving birth) and then throughout a child’s life, mothers sacrifice day in day out.  Until we had kids of our own that we were taking to t-ball practice and dance recitals, school and functions I didn’t realize all of the sacrifices a mother makes for her children. 

In our contemporary culture, in today’s world of medicinal advancement and technological prowess, mothers can choose whether they want to abort mission or to proceed.  We live in a world in which mothers have the ability to choose life or death for a fetus.  You are here today because your mother didn’t abort mission.  Let’s thank our mothers today for choosing life for us, for bringing us into the world and for all of the sacrifices that she made in the process.

I have exhorted mothers today to use their influence on their children for the sake of the kingdom.  What about you older mothers who have already raised your children?  If you have grandchildren, you can continue to impact the next generation.  However, the Bible actually gives a very specific way for you to serve.

In the book of Titus, Paul, writes to Titus giving him instructions on how to handle church matters as an overseer, telling him what competencies and character must be exemplified in the elders he establishes, part of which is teaching sound doctrine.  Then he goes on to expound on some of that sound doctrine.  Titus 2:2-5 2 You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. ² Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.
³ 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. ⁴ Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ 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.

So the precept here is that the older women should be pouring into the younger women.  Certain things come with age; there are certain things that we learn by experience.  What a beautiful thing it would be to see the older women here at NCF who have already put in their time in raising children who have wisdom and insight – how wonderful it would be to see you older ladies pouring into these younger ladies and sharing successes and failures.  Older women, would you consider serving God in this way?

So what if you’re sitting here today as a husband or a 20 something year old guy and you’re wondering what about me?  What am I supposed to take away from this today?  What am I supposed to do?

Hopefully, I have painted a picture of the magnificence of motherhood that has motivated in you an appreciation for your own mother.  The first thing you can do is to thank God for her and to express your thanks to her. 

The second thing you can do is PRAY.  Pray for these mothers.  You heard the job description.  Moms, would you appreciate prayer for you as a mother and for your children?  You can pray.  Would you pray for these moms?

In closing, a relationship with one’s mother is truly a radical relationship generally characterized by care, comfort, commitment, closeness, and sacrifice.  Mothers, recognize your unique ability to influence your children through your close connection, use that ability to raise up children of the faith, confident children to be responsible self-disciplined blessings to society.  You may be raising the next John Wesley, or Abraham Lincoln, or Timothy.  But before we close, let’s take one last moment to say thank you, mothers.  Mothers, if you would stand.  Thank you for choosing life, thank you for the sacrifices you made.  Let’s give our mothers a big round of applause.  We love you, we value you, we honor you.  Now, let us pray for you.

www.ncfgeorgetown.com  Church in Georgetown, Texas. Reformed church Georgetown, Texas Preterist church Georgetown Texas. Pastor David Boone. Sermon audio mp3 sermon download Full Preterism. Covenant Eschatology. New Covenant Fellowship Georgetown. Page House 10:00 am Loving God. Loving Others. Realized eschatology fulfilled eschatology  Preterist church Austin Texas.  Bible church Austin Texas Second coming of Jesus Christ churches in Austin area. Churches in Georgetown TX

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