Your Mother's Instruction

My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.
-Proverbs 6:20-23 KJV

My son, obey your father's commands, and don't neglect your mother's instruction. Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. When you walk, their counsel will lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up, they will advise you. For their command is a lamp and their instruction a light; their corrective discipline is the way to life.
-Proverbs 6:20-23 NLT

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I couldn’t have been more than 11 years old when my mother told us to memorize this passage one day during summer vacation. She gave us the assignment before leaving for work that morning and expected us to know it by the time she returned in the evening. I liked the challenge so I took on the task willingly.

Funny how we forget.

As I lay in bed this morning, the words of this passage rehearsed in my heart. Odd; I hadn’t read it in years. But as I allowed myself to awaken to the truth of this Word, I realize that even though I’m grown and a parent myself, this Scripture is still meant for me.

Looking around I can sense why God chose to remind me. Being out of work now for over 6 months has messed with my morale. And rather than engaging in the glorious act of homemaking that I once coveted, I laze around all day in self pity and nothing gets done. I feel stuck and I am certainly not the person I know God intends for me to be.

My parents worked very hard to raise responsible children. They went out of their way to instill discipline and value into us and they are extremely industrious and determined people. Did all of their hard work go to waste? Or perhaps I ‘forsook the law of my mother’ (v.20.)

I’m going to have to make some changes.

So if you ever find yourself in a rut, consider what your father instructed and what your mother taught you. It will lead you, it will keep you and it guide you in the right direction.

-Lyrics by tia 7-6-11 8:30am-9:30am