Words of wisdom

Mothering is multifaceted, but you knew that. You either are one or had one.

Consider this: What is the worst advice and best advice your mother ever gave you? One woman shared that in elementary school, she received all A’s on her report card. Her mother’s advice? “Don’t be too smart. People won’t like you.”

Jesus’ mother, Mary, is certainly the inspiration of many. Scripture tells us that Mary not only pondered the miracle of her child, she also tried to get in the way of his growth, his call to the future. Instead, he refused to live his life within the framework of her comfort level.

This is huge. Even Mary had a few off days of motherly advice. Mary is, in a word, enigmatic. She is every mother. Good advice and bad. Shadow and light.

This message was adapted from “With Words of Wisdom” written by Martha Sterne that first appeared in the May 2010 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather) magazine.