Scanning through my newsfeed this morning, I happened across a blog. Not by the person who posted it, but someone else. It's called "A life in need of change." Anyway, the post was about "Real Success." The woman started out by saying how after 19 years of education, a BS and MS, most days find her "wiping noses, kissing booboos and holding little hearts in the palm of my hand." I was hooked. I had a feeling it was going to be good. And I was right.
She went on to talk about the apostle Paul and how he was called by God to the Corinthians. A stubborn, disrespectful, disobedient and unkind people. Here are a few direct quotes from her post.
"I look around my home that hard day and watch another people all too often stubborn, disobedient, indifferent, disrespectful and unkind…my own little Corinthians. Paul was imprisoned, beaten, ignored, stripped. He suffered, he prayed, he pleaded. He disciplined, encouraged, exhorted and suffered open rebellion. I read Paul’s words and I know they were meant for me this day…every day:
" I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls." 2 Cor. 12:15
Is there ever anything so valuable to the mother’s heart as the soul of her child? Is there ever anything that tempts her to feel more like a failure than to be with the ones she bore and be ignored, stripped? To suffer, pray and plead? To discipline, encourage, exhort and suffer open rebellion? The spending and being spent and hoping to be found lovable and true and longing to be wanted and respected and loved. The dreams laid to rest – wait – so there’s time for the spending and being spent – all this for the soul of her child?
What is real success?
“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” ~Matthew 16:26
I wish I could take credit for this whole post. It really sums up the job of a christian mother perfectly. We don't just discipline, encourage, exhort "for their own good." We do it for their souls.
