by Doc Adkins
As a boy growing up in Hinton, I had a great mom. She had gray to white hair most of her life. I don’t remember her not having it. She was saved just a week before she died in April of 1982 but this following story reminds me of her. (at least a little bit)
Matthew 7:2-5 for with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you use, it shall be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, Let me pull out the speck out of your eye; and, look, a plank is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first remove the plank out of your own eye; and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of thy brother’s eye.
One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast upon her brunette head. She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, “Mom, why are some of your hairs white?”
“Well”, her mother replied, “every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.”
The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, “Mamma, how come all of Grandma’s hairs are white? You must have been a horrible kid!”
A funny story, yes — but isn’t it true that we’re always looking for someone to blame for our imperfections? The Lord warned us about the danger of pointing out the faults of others. He said that people with planks in their eyes should not attempt to remove specks out of other people’s eyes. Somehow, we lose sight of this so quickly! We are all still growing.
I don’t know about you but I tend to agree with the person who said “The only person I want removing splinters out of my eyes is someone with a clear vision and a gentle touch!”
The following are some things my mamma taught me: her touch still touches my life today…
Say yes ma’am and no ma’am.
Always begin and end any request with please and thank you.
Never worry about the newness of your clothes, it’s who’s inside that matters.
Never lie to her! (that’ll get you a whoopin’ every time.)
Be grateful for every kind thing that is done for you, be it big or small. (neither HAD to be done)
–And the best thing: she promised always to be my mamma. (God I still so miss her.)
So May is the month of Mother’s Day and a time to reflect on those white hairs that we caused. To all the dear moms in our Church from a white hair causing preacher…Happy Mother’s Day.