Like A Mothers Love

Like A Mothers Love

1 Thessalonians 2:7

But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

   Writing to the Thessalonians about his commitment to teach them about Christ and about life Paul tells them he was like a mother to them.  He gave them an example that wove words with love and truth with a loving touch.  There is more to teaching and more to discipline than just telling and teaching.  There is the loving touch.  There is a listening ear.  There is a concerned heart. 

   My grandmother had the touch that said, without words, that I was special to her and comforted me no matter what.  We would walk together and she would answer the questions of a curious child that never shut up. 

   She knew about every Sunday school song I ever heard and we would sing them and she taught me to learn the lesson the song had for me.  

   Her soft touch would make boo-boos go away and tears dry right on my cheeks.  Her touch could take the pain out of a skinned knee. 

   Sunday afternoons with her were special times that only happen between a grandmother and grandchild.

   My mother had a different touch that taught me that I was able to do things for myself if I would just try.  A steady hand on mine the first time I took a hot pan out of the oven, or threaded a needle or any of the zillions of little things she taught me over the years.  In my years growing up I never heard her say to me, “You’ll never be able to do that.”  Her words were full of encouragement and she wanted me to give everything my best effort.

   She had the same touch and the same encouragement with everyone else I saw her working with, as well.

   Both of these magnificent women were teachers about life who taught from love and gave the impression that they knew what to do and, in time, I would learn, too.  I hope that when I am teaching, that I am as loving and as patient and as confident as they were. 

   We need to have this touch when teaching our children and when we are with others who are learning about life.  We need this with a co-worker when we’re helping them.  And we need this touch in our churches.  There will be people who are various levels of growth and many in the church will need to be taught and nurtured and will need someone there to help them when they stumble and fall. 

   Take a moment this week and reach out a loving hand to them to help them learn.

Stephen Cram                         Mothers Day                     May 11th, 2014

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, following the tradition of men according to the rudiments of the world, and not in accordance with Christ. 

Visit my pastor’s blog at http://pastorjonrhinehart.blogspot.com/.

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture is from the New King James Version of the Bible.