a humble salute

One of the benefits of being in-between jobs is that I get to listen in to the routine my wife has been doing with my boys since they've been born. While this isn't anything new, I just thought I'd publicly recognize her contribution as a godly mom and Christ-follower.

Many godly men of the past have been richly blessed by what they learned from their mothers. From my own denominational background, the Wesley brothers may never had become the men they did without the love and witness of their mom Susannah Wesley. She spent one hour each day praying for her 17 children (ouch!), and then took each child aside for a full hour every week to discuss spiritual matters. No wonder Charles and John were used as a blessing to so many.

Here are a few of the rules she followed in training her children:

• Subdue self-will in a child and thus work together with God to save his soul.
  
• Teach him to pray as soon as he can speak.
  
• Give him nothing he cries for and only what is good for him if he asks for it politely.
  
• To prevent lying, punish no fault which is freely confessed, but never allow a rebellious, sinful act to go unnoticed.
  
• Commend and reward good behavior.
  
• Strictly observe all promises you have made to your child.

I don't know if my wife has ever looked at this list, but she's keeping every one. Granted, this isn't Scripture, but it's a decent set of cliff notes. Our boys have freewill, and so the ball will always be in their court. I'm just thankful for a wife who is happy to draw the lines and teach them how to dribble.

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." (Proverbs 31:30-31)