By Pastor Ron Buxton
There are few words in the human language—and it doesn’t matter what language is used—that has as much emotional weight as the term “mother”. All joking aside, just make any unflattering comment about somebody’s mother, and you’re probably going to get assaulted! Thus, it is no coincidence that the harshest insult, in the most vulgar terms, utilizes that reference and word.
It is interesting to note that in the horrors of combat, when soldiers are wounded and near death, the two most pronounced cries are directed to either God or to their mothers. You see, there is something almost transcendent within a person’s soul that involuntarily calls out her name and yearns for her comfort. Again, this is regardless of nationality, culture, or any particular time period in which a person lives. When we hurt the most, and when the world seems to be crumbling around us, we instinctively call for our mothers.
We must never underestimate the value of a mother, be it in each family or within the society as a whole. If you will permit me to use the analogy, she is the “glue” that holds all of civilization together! I wrote an article for this newspaper a few months ago, where I referred to women as God’s masterpiece of creation. I really meant it. It was “not good” (God’s own words–not mine) that Adam was alone. The creation of Eve brought not only the element of procreation, but other invaluable components to what humanity needed to fulfill God’s ultimate ends. It is the love, nurture, patience, and faith of a mother, that time and time again, has kept hope alive to millions of people throughout history.
One such historical figure was Abraham Lincoln. I’ve sifted through hours and hours of research as to this man’s greatness and character. Perhaps no other leader in the history of our nation suffered so much personal loss, nor inherited so much political chaos. It took a toll on him, and if you have read any of his personal letters with friends and family members, you know what I’m referring to. Yet, Abraham Lincoln’s greatness as a person was not hidden from anyone. He was very open about where he found inspiration. He declared: “All that I am, or ever hope to be, I owe to my mother.”
Abraham Lincoln believed that his mother (who died when he was 9 years old), and his subsequent step-mother, both played strong roles in developing the kind of man he would later become. He had vibrant memories of both that had read the Bible to him, and lived their lives according to its precepts and principles. And he never forgot his biological mother’s dying words to him. She said: “I am going away from you, Abraham, and I shall not return. I know you will be a good boy…I want you to live as I have taught you, to love your Heavenly Father, and keep His commandments.” Until his death, Lincoln remembered those words. It would provide the “moral compass” that he needed throughout the rest of his life. That is why one of my favorite quotes from Abraham Lincoln is in relation to his beloved mother. He declared: “No one is poor who had a godly mother.”
This Mother’s Day, let’s remember what really holds our society, and especially our families, together. When life comes “unglued”, remember what I said before in this same article. Thank God for moms! There is hope yet that we can make it in this chaotic world around us. God engineered mothers to provide the necessary love, nurture, patience, and faith that we all need. I thank God for my mother, and also other significant women that have been “spiritual mothers” to me over the years. In reference to the quote by Abraham Lincoln, I am a rich man!
