Be Good
Several months ago, one of the precious older ladies at our church went home to be with God. Yesterday, on her children’s first Mother’s Day without her, her son came from out of town to preach the sermon. (I’ll call him Tom.) What an emotional service. First our song leader led “Precious Memories.” While singing the second verse, my tears were almost uncontrollable. How thankful I am for my precious father, loving mother, and the old home scenes of my childhood.
Precious mem’ries, unseen angels,
Sent from somewhere to my soul;
How they linger, ever near me,
And the sacred past unfold.
Refrain:
Precious mem’ries, how they linger,
How they ever flood my soul;
In the stillness of the midnight,
Precious, sacred scenes unfold.
Precious father, loving mother,
Fly across the lonely years;
And old home scenes of my childhood,
In fond memory appear.
As I travel on life’s pathway,
Know not what the years may hold;
As I ponder, hope grows fonder,
Precious mem’ries flood my soul.
Tom filled his lesson with scripture and included stories about his mom. These were like presents for me because I loved and admired her so much. He also told us about his mother continuing to instruct him after he was an adult. Sometimes she would say, “Tom, why don’t you . . . .?” I was deeply impressed with this 57-year-old man expressing appreciation for his mother’s teaching him as an adult.
Tom and his siblings were blessed with wonderful last days with their mother. She went into hospice after a very bad injury. However, her mind was good. During that time, she stayed at the home of one of her daughters. She told her daughter how much she appreciated being there. The family enjoyed good days, knowing that they would be few. One of the sweetest gifts that Tom gave us was a recounting of his mother’s last words to him. She said, “Tom, be good.”
Tom is a kind Christian man who works in a very responsible job, making an impact on public policy and on young people. Still, his mom reminded him one more time, “Tom, be good.”
But as for you, brothers and sisters,
do not grow weary of doing good.
2 Thessalonians 3:13