Motherhood is about having and raising children. It carries with it indescribable joys and heart-rending sorrows. Only a mother knows and understands the truth of these words. A mother has sensitivities and emotions that no one else possesses. The apostle Peter described the wife as "the weaker vessel." (1 Peter 3:7.) We often wonder why. One writer said, "By this it is not necessarily meant that she is of feeble capacity, or inferior mental endowments, but that she is more tender and delicate; more subject to infirmities and weaknesses; less capable of enduring fatigue and toil; less adapted to the rough and stormy scenes of life. As such, she should be regarded and treated with special kindness and attention." (Barnes On The New Testament, 1 Peter, 163.) Thus, the word, weaker, probably refers to the tender emotional disposition of the mother and wife.

"Many years ago in south Florida a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. He ran out the back door and flew into the water. As he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.

"In the house, his mother was looking out the window and saw them as they got closer and closer together. Terrified, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son. Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother.

"Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him. As the alligator snatched the boy’s legs, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms. An incredible tug-of-war ensued between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was more passionate. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator. After weeks in the hospital, the little boy was scared, but healed.

"The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy asked if he could see the scars. The boy lifted his pant legs, then with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, ‘But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mom wouldn’t let go.’

"Every mother knows that feeling, the feeling of seeing her child in danger and feeling hopeless. Usually the danger is not from some creature from the woods or the swamps, but from life itself. When these alligators grab our children, we hold on. Sometimes it is all we can do. We hold on and pray. In the end, if we are spiritual parents, if we model what we want our children to be, it will be enough." ("Alligators and Children," by Lonnie Davis, The Southwest Evangelist, Feb. 11, 2001.)

Skunks and children. Lonnie Davis told the following story last month during a special service at Kennedy High School, Richmond, VA. He told about a mother looking for her children and some other kids that she was keeping. When she found them, they were all gathered in a circle looking down at something on the ground. As she approached, she was able to see what had their attention. On the ground in the circle of kids was a mother skunk with all her little ones. Without saying a word, the woman started walking backward until she got a good distance away from the skunks. Then she instructed the children. Listen to me, she said. When I count to three, I want all of you children to run. The children nodded in agreement. When the mother reached the count of three, all of the children reached down and grabbed one of the baby skunks and ran in every direction with them!

The tar baby. Don McWhorter told the following story on his TV broadcast from Columbus, MS, some years ago. One mother had many children, like the one who lived in the shoe. She had so many she did not know what to do. It was difficult for her to keep up with all of them. One day she started walking around outside the house to count the children to see if they were all present and safe. She found that everyone was accounted for, except one child. Everyone started calling the child’s name and looking around to try to find him. The mother saw a 55-gallon drum standing by the barn with the top lying on the ground beside it. The drum contained tar that the father used to patch the roofs of the barn and sheds. When she looked over in the drum, she saw her little tar baby covered with black sticky tar. The other children gathered around to behold the sight. As the mother pulled the child out of the tar, the children heard the mother mumble something. As she dropped the child back into the tar, she said to herself, It is easier to have another one than to clean this one up!!

Some one said that Adam and Eve may have been made out of dust, but when children were born electricity was added to the mix!

Don’t carry the baby. One mother had a problem with the older child wanting to try to carry the younger one. She told the older son not to do it again. Then the phone rang and the mother’s attention was diverted from them. While she was talking on the phone, she noticed that things were too quiet. The two children were gone out of the living room. She quickly got off the phone and ran down the hall. She scolded the older son because he had disobeyed her. But the older brother protested, saying, I did not carry her. I rolled her down the hall!

Immortality. Poets say that one of the main reasons we want to raise children is to give ourselves immortality. One woman said that she remembered how she had children, but she could not remember why! She described it as a 4-H project that got out of control.

Children coming back home. Bill Cosby said that the greatest single proof that man did not evolve is that of all creatures on earth, man is the only one that allows its offspring to return home. And that explains why there is death! Imagine being 700 years old and you look out your window one day. You see your 600 year-old son coming home to live with you again, and he has his two 400 year-old kids with him!

Here are some reasons why you should obey your mother.

"Honor your father and mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." (Exodus 20:12.) "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise), that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long on the earth." (Eph. 6:1-3.)

There is nothing more wrong and out of place than for a child to be disrespectful and disobedient to his parents. A child will never know the hurt he inflicts upon his mother by his uncooperative attitude and sullen behavior. Modern American children often sin against their parents by their disobedience. To make matters worse, they think that it is cool and acceptable to behave like a baby! There is nothing more disgraceful and shameful.

We have lost the meaning of the word, honor, in our society. We have replaced it with a mushy kind of behavior that is nothing akin to love. Love without honor is not love. Honor without love is not true honor. Love that has the elements of respect, obedience, and integrity is true love. It is love with a spine or backbone. Honor void of love is nothing more than selfish pride.

"Honor" refers to something that is weighty. Listen to Paul. He wrote, "For our light affliction which is but for a moment works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Cor. 4:17.) "Weight of glory" is how Paul expressed something honorable. It refers to people in society who have influence or carry weight for good. They should be honored.

Remember old Eli in Scripture? He was a heavy man. Morally, he was weak because he did not restrain his sons from doing evil. (1 Sam. 3:13.) When Ichabod, his grandson, was born, he died. When Eli heard the news of the Philistines’ victory, that the ark of the testament had been taken, that his two sons had died in battle, he fell over his seat backward and broke his neck. (1 Sam. 4:18.) His was a weighty man (literally) and symbolically because he judged Israel for 40 years. But he was dishonored by his sons and by his own behavior.

Listen to your mother because you honor her in so doing.

There are some exceptions, but generally it is true that mothers want only what is best for their children. You should listen to their words of advice and counsel. You will be wise if you do so. Many children would not be in the present trouble that they are experiencing if they had only listened to their parents.

Here are some common examples of the behavior of mothers toward their children: a) The mother of the real child before Solomon after the harlot lost her child. She was willing to give up her child to another woman than to see her child hurt. b) Moses’ mother hiding him in a basket rather than turning him over to the Egyptians to be killed. c) Lois and Eunice, a grandmother and mother, teaching Timothy the Scriptures from childhood. d) The Syro-Phoenecian mother pleading with Jesus to heal her daughter after the apostles had rebuked her. The daughter was vexed with demons. e) Others fled after Jesus was beaten and nailed to the cross, except Mary his mother and some women who stayed to comfort her.

f) Though misguided in her efforts, the mother of James and John asked Jesus to give her sons special places in his kingdom. This was simply a mother watching out for the best interests of her sons.

You should obey your parents in the Lord because they desire only what is best for you. (Eph. 6:1.)

Mothers exemplify more than any one else I know servant leadership. Everyone in a position (?) of leadership should practice what mothers do with their children. Have you ever noticed that mothers can say whatever needs to be said to their children? Why do children respond so well to their mothers; why do they listen when they speak? I believe the answer is because mothers sacrifice so much personally for the children. They literally go very near to death for them in child-birth and they spend long days caring for the new-born. Children know that their mothers love them because it has been shown so often.

Mothers lead a family so well because they lead from a position of service. (Prov. 31.) That is exactly what Jesus said that he wanted in his kingdom. (Matt. 20:25-28.) Those who seek positions of power in God’s Kingdom seek something they do not understand. Influence and power comes from love and service, not by dominance and authority. Everyone who seeks to influence others for good must remember this principle or their leadership will be rejected.

By following their instructions, you wear jewels about your neck and an ornament on your head. "My son, hear the instruction of thy father and forsake not the law of thy mother. For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head and chains about thy neck." (Prov. 1:8-9.)

Life changes drastically when you lose your mother. Because she has played such a prominent role in your life, there is a great void that is left when she is no longer there.

David responded with sensitivity over the opposition of his enemies. He had a tender heart and could not understand their hatred. He wrote,

"I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother; I bowed myself down heavily as one that mourneth for his mother." (Psa. 35:14.)

Isaac had elderly parents when he was born. Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was ninety. They greatly loved their promised son. Isaac was 37 when his mother, Sarah, died. Three years later, Isaac married Rebekah. The Bible says this concerning that event: "Isaac brought her into his mother’s tent and took Rebekah and she became his wife. He loved her. Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death." (Gen. 24:67.) He had mourned for his mother for three years.

If the child dies first, there is one upon whom you can count to be nearby. Some deny the resurrection of Jesus by giving some possible stories that might have happened instead. One of them is the idea of the mistaken identity of the tomb. Perhaps, they say, they forgot which tomb held the body of Jesus. That quibble is unbelievable because the mother of Jesus was there. There is not a mother who could or would forget the place where her child was laid.

Jesus mourned over the coming fall of Jerusalem. (Matt. 23:37-38.)