“Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband–how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” Ruth 2:11-12 (NIV)
When I was young my Dad used to ask, “Who’s boy are you?”
To which I always enthusiastically answered, “I’m a Daddy’s boy!”
To my knowledge at the time, I was answering truthfully. I identified with my Dad. I looked up to him. I wanted to be just like him.
My Dad passed away when I was eight years old. From then on it was up to my Mom to raise me and my three siblings. She never wavered. She was faithful to provide a loving home, discipline when we needed it, food on the table, and what I now know to be the most important thing… spiritual training and prayer.
My mother loved the Lord. Anyone who ever knew her would know this. You wouldn’t have to know her long either before her passion for God became obvious. She loved His church too. She took us to church “every time the doors opened.” She loved the preaching and the study of God’s Word. But there was no doubt that she loved singing and worship most of all!
My Mom didn’t have a man to be a father to her children or a husband to help share the load of life. But she was faithful to God. She depended on God to be a father to her children and a companion to her as a widow.
My Mom’s faith and passion made its mark on me. I always thought I was a Daddy’s boy, but it turns out that I was a Momma’s boy all along. My Mom is one of my greatest heroes.
The Bible tells the story of another widow named Ruth who trusted God for all of her needs too. And God supplied them all.
I’m glad God called women like my Mom and Ruth to heroic, following faith. Their example of faithfulness calls us to follow Christ with faith too.
Nice story about your mom Gary. when we think of Heroes we often think of soldiers fighting on the front lines, or fire fighters rushing into a fire to save someone. I think we need not forget that a single mother stuggeling to put food on the table, but never grumbling and complaining about her lot in life, can be just as heroic to her kids.