The older I get the more I appreciate all the times my mom told me no, disciplined me or made me do something I didn’t quite understand. Once I became a teenager, I thought I had it all figured out. I mistakenly thought that I knew who I was and I didn’t need anyone to tell me what was best for me. Thank God my mom didn’t pay much mind to my “know it all attitude” lol.
What I realize now is that no matter how old we get we will always need the wisdom and guidance from those that have lived a little longer than we have. My mom has been the greatest influence on my life. God has also put other people in my life who have served in a mother’s role in terms of guiding and instructing me.
“Celebrate the surrogate mother’s God has placed in your life for their wisdom, counsel and love.”
When I graduated from law-school, I took a job in Indianapolis. Even though I went to college away from home, it was only an hour away. Moving to Indiana was the first time I would be several hundred miles away from my mom. My mom did everything for me. She would go grocery shopping, drop of take out when I was too busy studying to stop and end, and would sometimes do my laundry (even though that didn't happen as often as I would have liked). When I moved to Indiana it was difficult being so far away from her. God knew how close I was with my mother and he sent someone in my path who I could talk to and trust while being away from home.
Mrs. Jean who took me under who wing and she was just what I needed. She took me out to eat and on Sunday’s we went to church together. Although she was closer to my grandmother’s age, I felt very comfortable opening up to her about things such as dating and different struggles I had at work. She would also remind me to stay true to who God called me to be no matter where life would eventually take me. She also give me little nuggets of wisdom about marriage and trusting God to send me a husband in His timing. She was my “mom” away from home!
A year after moving to Indiana, I was packing up to move even further away to Los Angeles. I could no longer drive home when I wanted to because it was so far. This was, and still is, challenging at times. But my relationship with my mother has become even stronger with distance. God, in his faithfulness, has sent several mother figures to me even while here in LA. I often chuckle when they give me advice that sounds just like something my mother would say. What’s even worse is that I now find myself sounding just like my mom!
The relationship between Naomi and Ruth is a beautiful example of a mother-daughter relationship. Ruth was Naomi’s daughter-in-law. Ruth was in a land most likely far away from her own mother. After Ruth’s husband died she could have returned to her own family. But instead, Ruth decided to stay with Naomi and made a vow that wherever Naomi went, she would go also. We see in Ruth Chapter 2 how Naomi gives Ruth many life lessons. While Naomi was not Ruth’s natural mother, she nurtured and cared for Ruth.
Mother’s day can be hard for many who have lost their mother or their relationship with their mother is strained. If this is you, I would encourage you to take a moment and consider all the “mom” figures God has bought into your life to teach you important life lessons and give you advice about life’s choices. Celebrate these surrogate mother's God has placed in your life for their wisdom, counsel and love. Happy Mother's Day!