Mamas with More Power Than Anyone Else in the World

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Ray got a request this week from his graduate school. One of his long-retired professors there is having a special birthday. The director of advancement is asking the professor’s one-time students each to make a 15-second video greeting for him. On March 13, Dr. Lewis turns 99.

Ray and I have deep respect for this godly man who taught Ray three courses: Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, and Luke-Acts. On Ray’s recommendation, I have been reading a book of Dr. Lewis’ sermons. It is insightful, encouraging, and convicting. Even the preface is a blessing. There Dr. Lewis writes: “For this publication, as for numerous others, I am indebted to my niece . . . who selected the sermons out of the files, put them into manuscript form, identified various source materials, and arranged them for publication.” What a precious labor of love for a niece to do for her uncle.

Ray purchased the book with money given to him as an honorarium for doing the eulogy of a precious friend. It humbles Ray to receive money for speaking at a funeral. While he would rather his speaking on those occasions be a gift to the family, he knows that the best way to honor a family in those circumstances is graciously to accept their gift with gratitude. Sometimes the best way to give is to be willing to take — with humility and gratitude. That being said, Ray uses these honorariums to buy something special to remember both the person he eulogized and the person’s family.

In the sermon I read yesterday, Dr. Lewis told something I knew homeschooling mamas needed to know. He began with a list of three disturbing traits that teachers in Christian colleges see in students entering college:

  • A lack of Bible knowledge.
  • A conviction that there are no absolutes.
  • A conviction that people must not be judgmental about the behavior or lifestyles of others.

Dr. Lewis gave that sermon in 1999. I feel confident that teachers in Christian colleges have not seen a marked change for the better in the past 19 years.

Concerning the need for instruction in God’s Word and the existence of absolutes, Proverbs tells us:

For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord,
And He watches all his paths.
His own iniquities will capture the wicked,
And he will be held with the cords of his sin.
He will die for lack of instruction,
And in the greatness of his folly he will go astray.
Proverbs 5:21-23

Sometimes it seems that almost every American knows the following three words from the Bible: “Do not judge.” The problem is that only a minority seem to know the context in which Jesus spoke them. In truth, Christians do see others’ flaws (Jesus calls them specks). It’s just that they first take out their own logs so they can help others take out their specks.

Do not judge so that you will not be judged.
For in the way you judge, you will be judged;
and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye,
but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother,
‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’
and behold, the log is in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly
to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Matthew 7:1-5

In January, 2009, Ray and I visited Elephant Rocks State Park in Missouri. I'm sure these trees growing among the rocks are more impressive in the spring and summer, but they were impressive enough in the winter. They remind us that God can make things grow in some of the seemingly most unlikely places.
In January, 2009, Ray and I visited Elephant Rocks State Park in Missouri. I’m sure these trees growing among the rocks are more impressive in the spring and summer, but they were impressive enough in the winter. They remind us that God can make things grow in some of the seemingly most unlikely places.

An individual mama may not be able to change those three disturbing traits in the general population of students at Christian colleges, but she and her husband have more power than any other people in the world to change those traits in the hearts of their children.

For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you,
which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois
and your mother Eunice,
and I am sure that it is in you as well.
2 Timothy 1:5

 

 

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4 Comments

  1. Thank you for the encouragement! When a preface of a book blesses your heart, you know it is going to be a good one!

    I am half way through nursing school and seriously thinking of not going back to fully devote myself to homeschooling my kids. This year I went to nursing school while having them do an independently led homeschool curriculmn (including Notgrass for history) and had to leave them for long hours a few times a week and it was so hard on our family. The children are growing just as fast as ever and when I think of how much time I am not redeeming with them, it brakes my heart. You are so right that a mother has this great influence and I want to yield that power! Please pray, if you could, that I would choose obedience in this area and see nursing school to the end or devote myself to teaching my children fully for this next school year. Big decisions ahead!

    By the way, if you like encouraging books BECOMING ELISABETH ELLIOT by Ellen Vaughn has brought me so much encouragement the past few weeks and I HIGHLY reccomend it!

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