Honor thy mother

In 2007, Mother's Day showed up on the thirteenth day in May, with countless dollars spent on various forms of physical affection, spiritual support, and material evidence of adoration. The fact is that each person with a mother, regardless of the quality of that mother, owe a great deal of debt to that person. The fact that a person has a functional moral system often stems from one's mother.

Add to this the qualities of a good mother - the kind of mother who actually cares about her children. This is something many take for granted, which in-and-of-itself says something wonderful and terrible about the culture those children come from - that a culture would train women to be such amazing women that we can take for granted that a woman will be a wonderful mother.

Certainly this gives a great deal of credit to women without actually specifying it. And given the sheer amount of marketing that goes into guiltily reminding over-busy people to thank their mothers, it seems to be a cultural thing to disassociate with one's mother until mother's day, when all of a sudden you are to quickly communicate how much she meant to you, then spend the next few months ignoring her until thanksgiving.

But I am not here to speak about good mothers. I honor mothers, and I greatly honor good mothers, but there is another category that gets far too little face time but does a great deal more to enhance the quality of life of literally everyone on the planet. This category is the Godly mother, including the mothers who put God before their families, who go to bed crying some nights, praying for their beloved husbands and children, for their neighbors, and often forget themselves, and the mothers who so gently and firmly live out the Proverbs 31 lifestyle (at least its current incarnation) that the men who grow up under the spiritual authority that results have a very hard time valuing and appreciating women who don't follow in the same footsteps - thus improving the likelihood that they too will choose edifying companions, thus enhancing the chain and keeping Christianity a thriving reality.

Mothers who put God first, before themselves, before their children, and before their husbands, are doing the highest service they possibly can, honoring their station, and perhaps doing the world's hardest job in what seems the most difficult way possible - on the surface. In the long run, it’s the only way to do the job well with any kind of assurance that you've done the job well.

The result of such an effort and focus are astounding. You have seen children who are functional members of society, clearly loving God, being helpful to others, and having a certain peace about them. There is a very large chance that they had a spiritual mother. Sometimes it was even their birth mother, but Godly mothers don't always have to be the one we're born with.

On this topic, there will always be an insufficient time to write, speak, or communicate - the literal effect that mothers have had in our lives is incalculable, and that is how it should be. Our job isn't to keep the ledger of appreciation. It’s to return the favor by honoring the God of our mothers. And to earnestly let her know, in whatever fashion she most appreciates, that you truly value her counsel and her mothering.

Call to action

• Pray for your mother
  
  Not many people would voluntarily sign up for the job that mother's are called to do. Regardless how supportive or amazing she was or still is, she deserves your prayers. It is one way you can honor God - it's built into His ten commandments.
  
  How valuable must your mother be if God took the ten rules of edifying living and said, briefly "Okay, in addition to worshipping me, I want you to honor your parents". Your mom must matter a great deal to God if she was put on THAT list. Also, as a side note, notice that mother was put before father. Mothers are a big deal to God.


• Pray for the mothers of others
  
  One of the sad realities of the human condition is that not everyone has a mother. And even worse, fewer still have Godly mothers. Consider those women of antiquity who sacrificed their children to various gods, or the mothers in the bible who ate their children, or even the mothers in the news who leave their children in dumpsters - not something we often discuss, especially on Mother's Day.
  
  Whether we might focus our mindset on the mother who is trying her best to do what is right (but is a new mother, never had any real experience raising little ones or little siblings, and has no support network), to the mothers in countries of oppression where they are taught that only certain genders 'count' to countries where women are second-class citizens, many, many would-be mothers, actual apathetic mothers, and mothers who gave their children up for adoption need our prayers.
  
  Add to this the very real list of women who are struggling, even while you read these words, to be the very best mothers they can be but don't know how - they deserve your prayers too.


• Love your mother
  
  There are five standards ways to show someone genuine appreciation and love. They are: quality time, physical touch, words of affirmation, gifts, and acts of service. Determine which your mom most values and provide that to her today in as simple and effective a manner as you can. She will appreciate it more than she'll be able to convey and you'll know that she will likely know that her own efforts were a worthy investment.


• Honor your mother
  
  In prayer to God, ask Him to bring to mind something you've been told by your mom that you may have set aside or intended to do but forgotten. If there is nothing - congratulations! You're part of the .01% of the people I've met that truly are amazing - witness to us!
  
  Everyone else: give that event, idea, or opportunity to God and ask Him to show you how whether it is in His will. Ask him something along the lines that, if it IS his will, to incorporate it into your life. Regardless, actively honor your mom, being mindful this day of the reality of your existence in this world, how you think, your relationship with God, and your relationship with women, are all reflections of your own relationship with your mom.

Women of Faith

The Bible is loaded with strong women. From Eve who had to adapt to a much harsher world and more pain as a result of The Fall to Noah’s wife who supported her husband in his odd hundred-year-long project. There was Sarah, who willingly and without murmur followed Abraham into the desert of the unknown. Rebekah, Deborah, Jael, Ruth, and on and on and on.

These women never took or usurped a man’s position, yet their strength and support of the men in their lives is breathtaking. Not only this, but their hope was strong and their faith was unwavering. Many times I find myself reading about the quiet strength and faith of these women and I have to wonder if I would have been able to do what they did.

Hannah wanted a child so badly that she promised to give him to the Lord if she had a baby boy. What a vow! She would willingly give up the very child she had prayed so hard and so long to receive. God did hear Hannah’s prayer and he did send her that baby boy.

God fulfilled his side of the bargain, now Hannah had to fulfill hers. I can’t even begin to imagine what that would have been like. Here, Hannah had prayed year after year for God to give her a son. Finally, she is given a son and only keeps him until he is weaned, which is about three or four years, and then takes him to the temple where she leaves him so he can serve God. The only time Hannah will get to see her son is when the whole family goes up once a year to sacrifice.

How hard that must have been, to leave her little boy there, so far away. I’m sure in those three or four years she had him, Hannah must have grown very attached to Samuel. I can’t imagine leaving my toddler anywhere for even a day, let alone a year! Hannah’s commitment to God was so strong that she was willing and happy to give him back what he had given her. Not one word of regret or complaint did she utter as she left her son at the temple and returned to her home, knowing she would not see him for another year.

I pray that each of us would, like Hannah, be able to act on the reality that everything comes from God and that we would have the grace and the joy to be able to give what he gives us back to him so he can use it for his glory.

Feminism and the Bible

One issue in today’s society is the rampant feminism staring at young women everywhere they go. In godly homes, the girls are raised with the expectation that one day they will become godly wives and mothers; keepers of the home and educators of the children. This mindset comes as direct contradiction to how girls are being raised outside of a godly home. Their training involves choosing a career and obtaining the education necessary to make that career a reality; they are prepared to enter the workforce – a world for men, not women.

Do I believe that women should not be educated? Absolutely not! Women are the ones who will be raising the next generation of humans… it would behoove their progeny to be well-educated.

Am I saying women should never work? Absolutely not! I believe very firmly in industrious women, but I also believe that they should focus on working from the home, in families, or near the home as opposed to being a career woman working away from home with other women’s husbands all day, five days a week.

A frequently raised topic is that of women in authority over men; a situation which occurs often in the workforce. Some contend it is not a biblical way to do things while others argue there is nothing wrong with it. One of the most quoted sections of the Bible in support of woman leadership is that of Deborah… and it is here I have to smile.

In reading the story of Deborah carefully, some interesting things come to light which do not at all argue for the position of women in authority, but work against it. Deborah was a judge, that is true, a position held (as far as we know) by men up to that point. Some like to pull out that Deborah was not only a judge, but led Barak and his army to victory against Sisera. Or did she?

By reading, we discover that Deborah told Barak that he was to go up against Sisera and God would deliver not only Sisera, but his entire army into his hand; Barak’s victory would be complete. Notice there is no mention of her going with him.

I’m not sure what Barak’s issue was, but he said the only way he would go is if Deborah went with him. Why, I’m not sure. Maybe he thought God’s presence would be assured if His judge was with him in battle… don’t know. Deborah agreed to go, but notice what she said to Barak.

The battle against Sisera would still be won, but Barak would now receive none of the glory for this. God would go before him and all the armies would be routed and destroyed, but Barak’s mission would have been for naught as he would get no credit for his military prowess. Not only that, but the life of Sisera would not be taken by him, but by a woman.

The story of Deborah is not one of females taking authority and surging to the forefront of battles and major events. Her story is one of Barak’s shame and to his discredit. Because Barak could not be a man and do what God had told him to do, God sent the consequences of no credit to him and Sisera’s life taken by a woman… not at all a triumph for the feminist camp.

So next time someone pulls out the example of Deborah leading the men, remind them of the full story and how God used some strong women to fill in gaps where men failed to be manly… an act that was considered shameful and lacking in valor.

Something else I noticed from today’s reading has nothing to do with feminism and the Bible, but rather with something Jesus told his disciples as they headed to the Mount of Olives, just hours before he was to be crucified. He asked his disciples to buy swords… and apparently they had at least two in the Garden of Gethsemane.

I have always been puzzled by the fact that Peter “just happened” to have a sword on him, especially since Jesus’ ministry wasn’t directed at taking over things by violence. But here in Luke, I found the answer – Jesus told them to buy swords just before going to Gathsemane… don’t know why, but now I know how Peter got the sword he cut off the High Priest’s servant’s ear. J

Sibling to the prodigal son

The parable of the wayward son (also known as the parable of the prodigal son) is one most reviewers of scripture are familiar with, wherein a young man has a single sibling, tells his father he wishes all that is his due, leaves the farm for the greener side of the fence, has his eyes opened to the true nature of the world, and returns home, aware of how good he had it and how loved he was.

Let me, instead, point your eyes to the other offspring, our not-front-stage-other-main character. Here is a child who was faithful to father, who stayed at home, who worked the land and did the chores bidden of them, and was sitting in the home to which the prodigal son returned. And this is the same child that felt unappreciated when the father broke into song and dance at the arrival of his younger child. I believe this relationship between siblings is comparable to the relationship men have with women, in particular the difference in responsibilities and authorities between first-born sons and first-born daughters.

I believe that men are called, and should be trained, to be an edifying version of the prodigal son - to be as ready to be in the world (but not of the world) as possible, then strike out. They should be trained to lead in a productive manner, one of the most difficult lessons known to anyone, and to do so with grace. Through that training they gain a practical awareness of just how unbalanced and wicked the world is, and through those trials discover the character traits their father trained them up in, and when they return 'home', it is the home they built for the purpose of marriage. Thus, a newly married man can come home in a way far more profoundly than a single man can. So we have men as iterations of the prodigal son.

I believe that women are called, and should be trained, to be an edifying version of the older sibling - to be as ready to serve in the home as possible, then married out. They should be trained to wait in a productive manner, one of the most difficult lessons known to anyone, and to do so with grace. Through that training they gain a practical awareness of how unbalanced and wicked the world is from the protective confines of the home, and through the efforts at home discover the character traits their mother trained them up in, and when their prodigal son returns home, it is the home built for the purpose of marriage. Thus, a newly married woman can be home in a way far more profoundly than a single woman. So we have women as iterations of the faithful sibling.

There are dangers for each gender, though - the predominant danger of each is to identify too well with the other gender's roles.

I believe men can be led astray by being trained (through false modeling or poor personal habits) into believing that the path they should travel is that of the woman's - where staying at home is the most effective use of their talents. You see many examples of this in popular culture, whether it’s the stay-at-home thirty year olds (who have become a kind of American parable) or the professional gamer who "works" out of parent's basement. The result is a land that cries out for a leader and gets instead someone who visits the skirt and soups of his mother, has been trained to follow when he should be leading, and often will be responsive to events instead instigators. In this way spiritual death can enter the body of Jesus.

I believe women can be led astray by being trained (through false modeling or poor personal habits) into believing that the path they should travel is that of the man's - where leaving home is the most effective use of their talents. You see examples of this too in popular culture, whether its women who leave home to get away from abusive parents or women who leave home because they don't feel loved (sometimes motivated by latching onto some random boy the girl fell in love with). The result is a land that cries out for a healer and steadfast proponent of faithful support and instead gets a rebel who yearns to run free. In this way spiritual death can enter the body of Jesus.

Today's call to action:

Recognize what role you should be playing

One of the most effective ways to inhibit the body of Jesus Christ is if members of that body don't seek God's guidance as to what they should be doing in their various stations. The result is often members that don't work together as effectively as they might, who are easily irritable, who don't have the peace that passes understanding, and into whose relationship strife can easily work itself.

Your challenge is simple:

Pray to God to reveal your daily bread

If we remember from Revelation that John was given a scroll to eat, the result of which was him absorbing some biblical principles and events literally, and we come to that table knowing that bread is assumed to be a food-stuff, we can extend that to understand that today's 'daily bread' can be something other than food - it can be those aspects of scripture we are called to understand and absorb, it can be that aspect of our walk we are finally called to understand, and it can be that aspect of our day that we are finally called to act upon.

So pray to have revealed what God has for you today and remember don't hesitate - go boldly before that throne of grace!

Unusual Tally and Porcine Jewelry

I never cease to be amused at what appears to be one of the most random pieces of information set forth in the Bible.

In Numbers 34:9, the Bible tells us that in the exodus of the Children of Israel from Egypt, they eventually came to Elim (listed as the fifth camping place) where there "were twelve fountains of water, and threescore and ten palm trees; and they pitched there." Though I have not investigated the original language, which I suspect may shed further light on why this particular phrasing was used, I find it humorous that they should count the number of water fountains and palm trees before setting up camp.

I always imagine Moses saying something like this to his sidekick, "Oh... this looks like an interesting place. Let me see... mmhmm... We've got, oh, twelve fountains of water and... yeah... seventy palm trees. Pass the word; we'll be staying here." It may not, in fact, be that they chose to camp there based on the water and palm tree count, but the wording of the verse seems to imply that... which I find amusing.

The other metaphor that struck me today was from Proverbs 11:22, "As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion." And again, I have a ludicrous mental image of a melange of the two; morphing between a gorgeous woman wallowing in the mud and an ugly, ugly pig wearing the same breathtaking earring which can be seen in the woman's ear... funny, then again, not so funny.

I have seen this phenomena before. Not the pig wearing the "jewel of gold," but the beautiful woman who lacks discretion. I knew a drop-dead gorgeous girl once... she was so beautiful, it was hard to believe she was human. But all her beauty and appeal to the eye could not cover up her complete lack of propriety or discretion. Each time the beauty would take over and seem to dictate she be treated one way, that indescretion would surface, causing me (and others) to shut down to her and arrange for her not to be a representative of the company we were working for.

It was sad. This verse serves as a reminder for me too... Though not as bad as I used to be, I still find myself at times lacking in discretion - which has led to many embarassing and humiliating situations in my life. The visual used by Solomon as he attempted to put a simile on the awkwardness and incongruity of women of indiscretion was masterfully put.

A jewel of gold is a work of art and worthy to be desired, but when placed in a pig's snout, its beauty is diminished by reason of the loathsome surroundings.