Good Direction: Julie Miller’s Mother’s Day vignette

Continuing with our Mother’s Day vignettes

in honor of all mothers everywhere,

here is Julie Miller’s Good Direction.

Be sure to look over Julie’s blog, “Burst of Salt.”

[burstofsalt.blogspot.com]

(If you missed the first in our Mother’s Day series,

click here to read Ellie O’Malley’s

Mom’s First, (and Last), Sled Ride.)

GOOD DIRECTION

I learned something long ago from my mother, something it took me quite some time to appreciate. I've known for years that if you're looking for a compliment from my mother, you're probably wasting your time.

She is a lady of more understanding and insight than anyone I've ever known, and she loves God, she walks with Christ, she cares about others, but she's just not someone to spout off words of glowing praise for others, not even her children.

I think it's good. Honestly, I do. It took some time for me to realize she's done me a great favor by not allowing me to see myself as more than what I am. I know she loves me and is proud to be my mother. I have no doubt of that. And she's taught me so much by example: The praise and glory goes to God, rather than to us.

Scripture does teach us to resist pride and teaches us it's better to receive instruction and wisdom than praise. I think the culture we live in doesn't always subscribe to that viewpoint as the world day by day becomes more secular, but it seems a shame in the way that we're missing out on one of the great truths God would like us to see.

To raise a child, feeding and building endlessly on their sense of self-pride really can handicap them, in my opinion, unless they are naturally of a disposition that will keep that idea at bay. It can be a harmful thing in a couple of ways, one being that it can make it very hard for them in life to follow God's path.

Are you loved? Are you valued greatly? Yes, always, because your life and your very spirit and soul are treasured by God.

God is concerned about the condition our spirit is in because that affects our whole life. I don't doubt He's happy if we've excelled in life at various things—academics, running, dancing—but He wants us to develop spiritually and that's the purpose of our lives that He has for us. That carries over, from this life to the next. Possibly everything else is left behind in the dust of memories.

And so, it's with gratitude and great love and respect in my heart that I offer thanks to God for the things I've learned from Him. And I thank Him for my mother—that He gave me her, and no other in the world—because she has offered me a viewpoint of life that has helped bring clarity of mind I might have otherwise spent a lifetime searching for.

copyright © 2012 Julie Miller