THREE IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF A CARING MOTHER

“But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children” (1 Thess. 2:7 NKJV).

It is impossible to exaggerate a mother’s influence in the lives of her children. Further, it takes time and energy to care for children. The example of the apostle Paul in caring for and sacrificing for these new Christians should be modeled by mothers. Thus, we want to note three characteristics of a caring mother – gentleness, nursing, and tenderness.

Gentleness - Children do not grow up instantly. They all experience growing pains and encounter problems as they mature. In fact, the word for “gentle” was frequently used by Greek writers to characterize a nurse with trying children, a teacher with difficult students, and parents with unmanageable children. Thus, the need to be gentle and patient with them “because love suffers long and is kind” (1 Cor. 13:4).

Nursing – The idea here is one who nourishes, feeds and rears up a child. This word means any woman who breast-feeds (nurses) a baby. Here we have a lovely picture of a young mother nursing her newborn. See how carefully she wraps him in her arms. Watch as she lifts him to her breasts. She knows the little one cannot find food on his own and cannot survive without her. She must not only feed him, but the food must come from within her own body. And so, to “nurse” him she must give of herself.

Tenderness - primarily means to heat, to keep warm, as of birds covering their young with their feathers. In the present context, the picture is of loving mother who would take her infant in her arms to warm the child with her own body heat. It is a vivid picture of the kind of personal care that mothers are known for. You cannot be a nursing mother and turn your baby over to someone else. That baby must be in your arms, next to your heart. There is no tenderness quite like a mother’s. Some parents raise their children with harsh authority, but wise parents exercise their authority with lots of tender loving care!

(Adapted from Matthew Poole's Commentary)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“Never could it be possible for any man to estimate what he owes to a godly mother!”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834 - 1892)

English Particular Baptist Preacher

Word Study

Explained

In Luke 24:27 we read, “Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures" (NASB).

“Explained” is the Greek word diermēneúō (διερμηνεύω = dee-er-main-yoo'-o). It is made up of two words: “diá” which is an intensifier, and “hermeneuo” which means to interpret, translate. Thus, the word means to explain clearly, exactly, thoroughly. It is to translate, expound, interpret, and explain from one language into another. This word was used of interpreting a foreign language. We get our English word Hermeneutics, which is the study or science of interpretation of Scripture, from this word. The idea here is to explain on a more extensive and formal level the meaning of something which is particularly obscure or difficult to comprehend.

“Fear Nots” Found in the Bible

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28 KJV).

Did You Know…

It has been said that “A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother” (Prov. 10:1)

Bible Quiz

Who was the mother of the first twins mentioned in the Bible?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: According to the Book of Acts, what Roman ruler killed the apostle James with the sword? Herod Agrippa (Acts 12:1-2).

Names For the Lord Jesus in the Bible

“PROPHET”

"For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you” (Acts 3:22 NKJV).

1. Meaning – PROPHET speaks of the Lord Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. The Jews identified the “Prophet” as the coming Messiah (cf. John 1:21; 6:14; 7:40).

2. Insights – A prophet was one who, moved by the Spirit of God, solemnly declares to men what He had received by inspiration from God. The Lord Jesus is that “Prophet” who, although Himself God, nevertheless submitted to His Father and spoke for God with clarity, power and authority. The Lord Jesus repeatedly emphasized that what He spoke, He spoke from the Father (cf. John 12:49). In context, Moses had warned the people that they should listen to everything that the Messiah would tell them. Those who refused to listen would be completely cut off from the true people of God.

Did You Know – Christian History

Rose Hawthorne Lathrop was born May 20, 1851, in Lenox, Massachusetts. She was an American Dominican religious sister, writer, social worker, and foundress of the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne.

When Rose was two years old, the Hawthornes moved to England when Nathaniel became the American Consul in Liverpool. During their travels through Portugal, France, and Italy, Rose’s parents taught her the importance of having faith and leading a sincere, purposeful life caring for others. In 1871, Rose married writer George Lathrop. Living the life of romantic artists, the Lathrops moved from place to place, George doing his writing, and Rose never finding anything to keep her interest. However, in spite of his sincere conversion to Catholicism, George’s drinking (which started after his son’s death) grew worse, and the Lathrops received a Church-sanctioned separation in 1895.

Talented in many fields, but persevering in none, Rose found herself alone and with no purpose. With time and prayer, however, God’s will became clear. Inspired by the life of Saint Vincent de Paul, Rose Lathrop developed an interest in caring for the poor sick. At that time, cancer was thought to be contagious, and to be diagnosed with it meant not only certain death, but also loneliness and abandonment by everyone: hospitals, friends, and family. Her course became clear: Starting with a three-month training session in New York’s Cancer Hospital and then renting a three-room tenement apartment in New York’s Lower East Side, a work was begun that would spread to seven institutions in six states.

Rose’s first assistant was a young painter named Alice Huber. Calling themselves the Servants of Relief for Incurable Cancer, they were received into the Third Order of the Dominicans in 1899. When they took their vows in 1900, Rose became Mother Alphonsa, and Alice became Sister Rose. From being a woman with no real purpose in life, to being a hard-working, charitable, compassionate Sister, Mother Alphonsa actively labored as their ministry grew. In 1901 the site of the present motherhouse was purchased: Rosary Hill, in Sherman Park, New York (now Hawthorne, New York). The Servants of Relief for Incurable Cancer (now known as The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne) never accept payments from their patients. They rely solely on God’s providence and the generosity of benefactors. Mother Alphonsa died on July 9, 1926.

A Little Humor

When Billy had a new sister, he became envious of the attention she was getting. One day while his mother was nursing the baby, Billy was determined to be on mom’s lap. Mom was not able to deal with both children at that time and told Billy to go wait for her. He then asked his mom: “Mommy, can you please put Susan back in your tummy now?”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Calvary knows how far man will go into sin and how far God will go for man's salvation!”