Proverbs 31:28-29 (NLT)
Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!”
Many parents await the day when their child or children realize just how much was done for them…how much was sacrificed for them…how wise their parent’s counsel was to them…and express not only their awareness of it, but their appreciation for it. And while dads have much to contribute, the mother’s role in most cases is hard to quantify and harder still to adequately acknowledge and reward.
Encouragement is a currency we don’t trade in much…but it should be. We should always be looking for opportunities to encourage one another and build each other up (1 Thes. 5:11), but especially when it comes to the mother’s in our lives. Mothering is a thankless job for many, if not most of them. And while their children may just be too young to say, “Thank You,” that doesn’t last for long. Children tend to be quite ego-centric as they grow to adulthood, to say the least, and dads can be guilty of the same limited view. Moms, however, simply can’t afford that luxury. They are hard-wired by their Creator to be deeply committed caregivers, managers, and stewards of their families despite the relative silence when it comes to blessings and praises.
That being said, every committed mom can rest assured that God sees every good deed, no matter how small…every sacrifice…every drop of blood, sweat, and tears shed on behalf of their children. And on the day she returns to her Heavenly Home she will hear those sweet and well-deserved words of her Heavenly Father, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Mth. 25:21). In the meantime, though, that appreciation and respect is due her from her own husband and children.
As a husband and a father, I must be diligent to see that not only my children “stand and bless” their mom, but that I do it, as well. And while our children’s words may seem forced and shallow, after years of maturity they should become deep, reflective, and sincere…and that hope should be a part of every husband’s prayers. As a son or daughter, perhaps we have been derelict in “standing and blessing” our own mother. Perhaps today is the day when we rectify that wrong and express our thanks and appreciation for all she did and sacrificed for us…but if it’s too late and your mother has passed on, be sure to lay those praises at the feet of her Maker, for that matters, as well.
