"...and a prudent wife is from the LORD." Prov. 19.14b

Encouragement for Ladies by Vicki Dowell

How should we treat our mother? We're told to "honour thy mother " in Exodus 20:12. To honor means to revere; to respect; to treat with deference and submission, and to perform relative duties to. God issued a judgment of death for anyone that "smiteth or curseth his mother" Exo. 21:15, 1 7. Don't ever hit your mom! Be kind to her!

King Solomon had to decide a matter between two mothers and a dead baby. Both women had given birth three days before. One woman had overlaid her child in the night and it died. She arose at midnight, while the other mother slept, and switched babies with her. They both argued that the living baby was theirs. So the wise king called for a sword to cut the baby in half so each mother could have her fair share of the child. This was fine with one woman, but the other begged the king not to kill it, and was willing to let the other woman have it to save its life. Thus, Solomon discovered the true mother of the baby by her compassion and love, and awarded her back her child. A mother's nature is to protect her baby. God gave her this instinct. This story is in I Kings 3:16-28.

May each of us be wise, that we may not cause our mothers sorrow. "...a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother" Prov. 10:1. God tells us "despise not thy mother when she is old" Prov, 23:22. Nursing homes are full of mothers whose children won't take time to care for them. When their mothers get too old and feeble for a fast-paced lifestyle, many children dump them for someone else to tend to their needs. Where is the sacrifice for their mother that gave them birth, or are they too busy?

God gave a sweet promise to Israel in Isa. 66:13, "As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you. " Mothers console and soothe us in our distress.

It is interesting to note that in every record of Jesus addressing Mary, He always called her "Woman" and never "Mother." "While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him .... and he said unto them, "Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched for his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother" Matt. 12:46-50.

As we think of mothers, let us treasure them. "For I was ... tender and only beloved in the sight of' my mother " Prov. 4:3. So strong is the love of a mother, who sees the inside beyond the outside of us, the statement was generated, "That is a face only a mother could love!"