They Loved Us First

Every year on Mother’s Day my mom tells me that she loves me and that I am such a good mom.  I always think, if I am, it’s only because you were a good mom first.  You taught me everything I know.  Not only that, but you are teaching my kids too.  I see my teenagers doing things with younger children that my mom did with them and that they have seen her do with other kids.  We are all so blessed to have her!  What if my mom had not loved us in these ways?  How would I know what to do?  How would my children know what to do when they become parents?  We would have no idea what love looks like.  Even though I do not always show love like I should, I know what it looks like because of my mom.  (Yes, my dad had a part to play in that too, but this is Mother’s Day, so I’m sure that you’ll understand why I’m leaving that for another day.)

My mom sacrificed for us.  She made us feel special and important.  She worked long hours to meet our needs.  She cooked, and cleaned, and loved on our friends.  She lost sleep, cared for us when we were sick, talked to our teachers, and went to a million ball games.  She called doctors and could’ve gotten her own doctorate in the time that she spent reading and learning about various medical issues.  She took us to fun places, thought up fun things for us to do at home, and made sure that we helped around the house.  She put up with bad attitudes, coming home late, scaring her half to death, silent stares, and talking until morning.  She comforted us when we were sad or hurt and was always encouraging.  She worried about us, kept us safe, set limits, and corrected us.  She read to us, played with us, and taught us to play with others.  She took us to church, served God in countless different ways, and talked to us about Him.  She prayed with us and she prayed for us.  She was proud of us and always was on our side.  She knew how to shop and was never too proud for a good sale.  She bought us nice things but also made us many things that we wouldn’t have had otherwise.  She was very skilled and creative.  She was selfless, compassionate, understanding, loving, caring, strong, giving, kind, responsible, thankful, attentive, fun, patient, and hard-working.  She’s not only a great mom but a loving wife and loyal friend.  She loved us even when we were not so lovable.

This Mother’s Day as I thought about this, I was reminded of 1 John 4:19.  It says that we love Him because He first loved us.  Just as I would have struggled to know how to love my children without my mom, none of us would know how to love others without God.  He takes every single loving attribute that we have and multiplies it by infinity.  He is the definition of sacrificial, unconditional love.  He gave His Son so that we all could have life with Him, abundant on earth and eternal in heaven.  Just as I feel I will never live up to the standards set by my mom, we will never live up to the kind of love that God has for us.  I can never repay my mom for the love that she has given to me and we can never repay Him for the love that He has for us.  We will never be worthy or deserving.  But we can love others in the way that He has shown us and we can love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We can obey Him and give our lives to Him.  We can trust and hope in Him.  We will never be as forgiving, as merciful, or as attentive.  We will never have the loving-kindness or the true compassion of God.  Our love will never compare to His, but thankfully, His grace says it doesn’t have to.