Good mothers, fathers are blessings from God

Last week, professional basketball player Kevin Durant was named Most Valuable Player for the past season in the National Basketball Association. Durant’s acceptance speech has drawn rave reviews.

He brought tears to the eyes of many as he thanked his teammates and others who had helped him. Then, at the end of his speech, Durant thanked someone who seemingly has little to do with basketball, but the person he said had made the biggest difference in his life, his mom.

“And last, my mom. You made us believe. You kept us off the street, put clothes on our backs, food on the table. When you didn’t eat you made sure we ate. You went to sleep hungry. You sacrificed for us. You’re the real MVP.”

Tears were flowing as the stage full of professional basketball players and other dignitaries rose to give Durant’s mom a standing ovation.

When we think of sacrificial caring we think of our mothers, or the moms in our lives. My mom passed away about three years ago. I continue to fondly remember her tender care and the way she defended me, even when I deserved the results of my behavior.

But, the mom I see in action most these days is my wife, Kathy. I gave Kathy her Mothers’ Day present last weekend. She told me, “But, I’m not your mother.”

“No,” I replied, “but you are the mother to my four children and the grandmother to my six grandchildren.”

I have watched Kathy tenderly love each one. She missed sleep to feed our hungry children and to comfort them when they cried, and then got up early in the morning to go to work. She has bandaged wounds, cooked, cleaned, done laundry, and then worked away from home to provide for her children and grandchildren.

Kathy has defended them, even if they deserved the consequences of their actions, and taught them about life, and love, and about our Lord. She has sacrificed and given of herself to love and provide for our children and grandchildren.

What a blessing Kathy has been and continues to be as mom and grandmother!

Many have similar memories of the moms in their lives. It is good to recognize that mothers are a gift from God, part of his plan in creation.

It is God’s plan for mothers and parents to provide for and to protect, to love and to teach their children until they become adults. What a blessing God has given in good mothers and good fathers.

But, God has another plan to care for his children. Today, the fourth Sunday of Easter, is also called Good Shepherd Sunday. Christians around the world and those at St. John will also hear about God’s loving care for us in his “shepherding” of us.

In Psalm 23, we are told, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.”

When speaking to his followers about God’s care for them, Jesus takes this figure of speech one step further in John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

Shepherds provide for their sheep. Shepherds guide and protect their sheep. And we are told that good shepherds even sacrifice for their sheep.

In fact, Jesus is The Good Shepherd because he willingly laid down his life for wandering sheep like you and me, by dying on the cross. Then Jesus, our Good Shepherd, gives eternal life to those who follow him. (John 10:27-29) Do you see how God tenderly and faithfully cares for his children, even to the point of dying for them? What a blessing to have God as our shepherd (and as our Heavenly Father)!

When people in biblical times thought of care they thought of shepherds. In today’s world, when we think of sacrificial care, we think of our mothers, and the moms in our lives.

Praise be to God that he provides care for us through our parents, and through the Good Shepherd, Jesus. Thank you, Lord!

Jonathan Rockey is pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer. Contact him at jonrock53@mtaonline.net.

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