Words Of Encouragement To Start The Day (Thursday 01/20/2011)

Would Anyone Know That You Love Your Job?

Proverbs 29:15 (Amplified Bible)

¹⁵The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left undisciplined brings his mother to shame

Proverbs 1:8 (Amplified Bible)

⁸My son, hear the instruction of your father; reject not nor forsake the teaching of your mother.

            One of my dear high school friends posted this statement on her wall this morning: “Being a mother is a blessing from GOD and also a lifelong commitment, so if you decide to be a mother do YOUR JOB....I love doing my job.” Whew, when I read that I immediately thought of my years spent as a youth ministry leader and the misconnects between children and their parents and some of the experiences I had counseling young people that were left to their own, because mom was too busy doing her or getting hers to spend the necessary time to rear and spend time with her children.  I thought of the lack of self-esteem and the lack of boundaries that these young people had all because mom had decided to be an absentee parent.  I was blessed while my children were younger to have a beautiful relationship with both of them.  I home schooled them, and I spent countless hours with them, talking to them, and schooling them, not just academically but in the lessons of life, relationships and what a relationship with God is and should be in their lives.  I was blessed to have an awesome relationship with my mother, growing up as well, no it was not all peaches and creams and perfection; but she loved me through the rough stuff, prayed me through my downs and cheered and encouraged me. She was PRESENT! She fought for me on her knees and she guided me through her actions, she modeled what unconditional love is and taught me forgiveness without one word being spoken.  To this day, she is my best friend and still my teacher.

            All too often in this day and age we are seeing absentee parenting not just Mothers but Fathers too, (but that is for another devotional).  We are watching grandmothers and aunties, older siblings and even outsiders be saddled with the responsibility of training and rearing our children and instilling in them, the values that mom should have.  My mom being a teacher and me being acquainted with so many that are in the field of education, I hear stories that would make your hair stand on ends.  The lack of respect, and regard these children have.  They have no idea what hard work, effort and persistence is.  They do not have a sense of loyalty, discipline or what love and commitment are because they have rarely seen them modeled before them.  They are struggling with their identity and their self-worth, because mom is just not present and when she is, she is still absent or vacant.  Being a mother is not something that ends when the diapers and the bottles are no longer needed.  The real work begins, when they begin to walk and talk and interact with others, that is when it is our job as mothers to guide, pray for, lead by example and still provide for. Our children should never come second to our school, our jobs, our attending social events, or our need to get our needs met.  I get so exasperated every time I see a little one that looks tore up from the floor up and the mom is rocking a coach purse and the latest Jeans.  We are supposed to be the providers for them, not them being an ends to a means for us to live a better life (living off their child support). We are supposed to be the teachers, not the opposite.

            If you are a mom, or in hopes of being a mom, consider this, that child did not ask to come here.  You had everything to do with them being here.  God has entrusted you with this life, to raise, to teach, to lead, to nurture, to encourage and to be an example of love and care.  If you are a mom ask yourself are you doing all of this, and if necessary sacrificing to ensure that your children have what is necessary for them to succeed? If not you are not on your J O B…If you are not a mom yet but aspire to be one, ask yourself are you ready, for all of that?  Don’t do your children a disservice, be all in and give all to them, and your best to them, just as God gave His best to us in the form of His Son, Jesus. It is after all our responsibility and our Job and we should desire to do it in excellence and as unto the LORD!