Each year, one day is set aside to celebrate motherhood. On that day, we express all kinds of variations of the same sentiment: “We see you, Moms.” We pause the flow of life for a moment to stop and recognize the incredible impact of the woman who gave us birth - and then so much of herself after that. We celebrate the uniqueness of her uncanny intuition, her unmatched capacity to comfort, and the superiority of her chocolate chip cookies.
But part of what makes Mother’s Day special is the unspoken acknowledgement of what we don’t - and couldn’t possibly - see. We could never measure or applaud the number of deep breaths she took in labor, the number of bottles she washed, diapers she changed, toys she picked up, or tears she brushed away. We could never quantify the outfits she picked out, snacks she distributed, spills she cleaned up, arguments she pacified, or questions she answered. She was and, for a number of us, still is, the safe harbor to confide in, the one who always understands when no one else can. She disciplined us. She taught us not to put tinfoil in the microwave and applied sunscreen despite our protests. Cleverly disguised in pastels, she battled relentlessly on her knees in prayer - for us. From the thankless, mundane tasks to the formational moments with her that shaped us, we can’t summarize all she’s done.
Author and professor Dorthy Patterson says it well:
“A mother builds something far more magnificent than any cathedral – the dwelling place for an immortal soul (both her child’s fleshly tabernacle and his earthly abode). No professional pursuit so uniquely combines the most menial tasks with the most meaningful opportunities.”
And so, Moms, there are so many things we want to say to you this Sunday. Here are just two:
We can only hope to appreciate a fraction of the selfless love you display. In a moment of piercing desperation in the middle of a desert, one mother spoke one of God’s names as a banner over every mother to follow. Genesis 16:13 tells us that Hagar knew the Lord to be “El-Roi, The God who sees me.” The honor we extend to you on Mother’s Day pales in comparison to that of our Heavenly Father, who alone sees the ultimate depth of your devotion.
We want to honor you, not only for what you do, but for who you are. It’s a treasure that Hagar, in that miserable and life-defining moment in the desert, didn’t call God “the God who sees the condition I’m in”, (even though He did). Or “the God who sees the future of this unborn child”, (even though He could). She called him “the God who sees….me.” This Mother’s Day, we want to take our cues from the Lord, and truly see YOU. Not just all the things you do for us. We love the person God gave to us in you. Happy Mother’s Day, Moms.