Mothers live in and through their children. Mothers do not live for themselves; they live for their children. Mothers do not seek stars for themselves; they seek stars for their children. Women are proud and happy to have good and honorable husbands, but they are proudest and happiest to have good and honorable children.
In my 62 years of life, I have known four mothers closely. I know my mother, who at the age of 86 still gets up to prepare me breakfast whenever I am in town. She never neglects to pray for me and all her children and their families every day. I know my wife who bore and raised our three children, and still loves them the same as they were first born. I know my mother in-law who always chooses to be behind so her children can be in front. And now I have the honor to see our daughter’s caring for her children both sternly and playfully.
I am sure we have seen Methodist churches somewhere. These churches were started by two brothers, John and Charles Wesley, 18th century’s British pastors. They were sons of Samuel Wesley, who was also a pastor, who had surely made a lasting impact in the lives of his children. But it was Susannah, their mother who was mentioned the most to be one who made the greatest impact in the lives of her 19 children (yes, nineteen, more than Tante Lydia’s 14 children). From John the world has inherited Methodist churches and from Charles, we have inherited a score of Christian hymns.
Susannah did not live for herself; she lived for her children. In her lifetime she did not become a star, but she was surrounded by stars. She became the hands that God used to create starts out of her children. Mothers are not well-known, mothers are well-loved. It is little wonder, “Her children arise and call her blessed.”
Pastor Paul