A Mother’s Love

A mother’s love! Oh how lightly do we often value and how little do we appreciate a kind, loving mother! What a fountain of pure, unselfish love rises up from her generous, loving heart. Who will love us as mother does? And who will suffer work and toil for us, depriving themselves of every comfort in order that we may be well-cared for and spared all anxieties and cares of life? No one, but Mother.

We may have a very kind father, gentle and loving brothers and sisters, and when we grow older and leave the parental roof, we may be fortunate in seeking a kind husband or wife and may be blessed with dutiful and happy children, but no one will ever exercise towards us the same kind, patient love and gentle forbearance as a mother.

How kind should we be to her? We should share her anxieties, lighten the burden of her cares and strive to make her declining years happy. It is a debt as well as a duty. We owe much to her and it is, happily, in the power of all to pay it. Think of the many days of weary toil and the years of unselfish love and patient devotion she has given to us. And then let us ask ourselves if we can do too much for Mother.

A great many young children, especially boys, look on their mother as a household machine, to grind out everything necessary for comfort and welfare. Exempting them from all the duties of the household while they occupy the “best room” deeply interested in “how to improve the complexion” or meditating on the regular Sabbath and Sunday visits of John or Laura. Such a girl or boy we do not think worthy of the mother we have described.

Ah, children, help your mother! A time may come when you will have no mother. If you have never known how to appreciate her before you will know then, when you miss her pleasant, smiling face from the table and her gentle presence from the fireside. When you miss the soft touch of her lips upon your beautiful cheek or her cool hand which smoothes the pillow which is so hard, and that none could render so comfortable and easy as motherÑwhen you have thought of all these and numberless other acts of her kindness, you will ask yourself, “What have I done to repay her for this life-long devotion to me? Have I been kind and obedient, doing all in my power to lessen the cares and anxieties of my devoted mother?” If you have, how much will your great sorrow be softened; but if not, many tears of bitter regret will be shed upon your poor mother’s grave?

“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee?” Exodus 20:12.

Many people do not obey and respect their own parents when they are alive; but after their death, the children will bring beautiful flowers and clothes to the valuable coffin and they will put many death announcements in the newspapers and radio for outward show.

“He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.” Prov. 19:26.

Being a mother is hard work. Indeed it is. The labour to bring a child into the world is only the beginning. How essential it is that she take care of herself spiritually so that she can take care of her children! Of all concerns, the care for her soul is the greatest to grow in wisdom and in the knowledge of God.

My mother, Kelly Ann Chelliah, was a busy mother with ten children, yet she set aside time each day to meet with God. Some days she spent that time in a chair with her sari over her head, praying.

The woman described in Proverbs 31 placed a high value on wisdom, kindness, and a respect for the Lord. Not only on Mother’s Day, but let us honour always the mothers in our lives, who share their wisdom, show us kindness, and who seek above all to honour the Lord.

“God bless my mother! All I am I owe to her.” Abraham Lincoln

“She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” Prov. 31:26.

In the third world countries, people are very conscientious about their old-age parents. They will look after them up to their death. They would not need to worry even one day of the year. They respect and honour their parents in a special way.

Someone has said that most of the beautiful things in the world come in clusters roses by the dozen, stars by the galaxies, flowers and rainbows and snow-white mountain peaks in profusion but there is only one mother in the whole world.

During the early years, the mother is in many ways to the child what God is to man. This may be the reason why George Herbert said, “One good mother is worth a hundred school masters,” and why in Scotland they say, “An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy.”

It is altogether proper and fitting that we should honour our mothers; sweet sentiments about motherhood have their place, but this means very little indeed unless we honour our mother in our own life every day of the year, by following her good Christian advice. As the wise man of old said, “Forsake not the law of thy mother.” Prov. 1:8.

The reward our mothers covet is our achievement along the road of life. Yes, we honour them best by endeavouring to build the kind of life that will outmeasure their dream for us.

My dear children, think of this very deeply and remember that in all the wide, wide world no love can be found like a mother’s.

“You may sound the depth of yonder sea,
and count the sand that under it be;
you may measure the height of heaven above,
but thou mayest not meet a “mother’s love.”

Xavier Chelliah