Celebrating the Wisdom of Mothers

STEWARDSHIP LESSONS MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME

by Megan Burdolski, Director of Stewardship 

"The mother is the first teacher of the child. The message she gives 
that child, that child gives to the world." - Malcolm X

When I talk, read or teach about stewardship, I try to focus on more than just sharing resources or volunteering. I especially like to focus on the behaviors that we can adopt that will make us better stewards in our everyday lives. While my father set a perfect example of a steward who shared his time, talent & treasure with his church, I credit my mother with teaching me many of the little character traits that I think should be part of our stewardship:

M - Mercy: It may not always be easy but I do try to show mercy or compassion to those who need it, particularly those whose circumstances may not be as positive as my own. My mother modeled mercy for my sister and me as young children, showing mercy when we made mistakes.

O- Openness: It can be so easy to judge others, especially those who are different from me. My mother taught me to not judge people based on race, religion, economic status, educational background or sexual orientation. As an adult, I am pleased she did so and that I have an eclectic mix of friends as a result.

T - Treasure: I was shown at a very early age how important it is to value the gifts with which I have been blessed. I treasure my family, my friends, my abilities and my faults, realizing that it takes all of these precious things (yes, even my faults are precious to me) to make me the person I am.

H - Hospitality: Hospitality means more than just the way that we treat our guests. For me, I endeavor to be warm and friendly to everyone I meet, as I witnessed in my mother's behavior when I was growing up.

E - Encouragement: My mother was my biggest source of encouragement throughout my life, always supporting me and cheering me on in every endeavor. I try to do the same, for my family and friends, my children's friends, my co-workers, the children in Visitation School and everyone with whom I interact.

R - Readiness: I was raised with the idea that I should always be willing to step up whenever there was a place where I could be of service. This is something that I still try to do as often as I can today.

These are just a handful of the many positive characteristics of a steward. My mother is no longer living, but I will always be grateful for the lessons she taught me and the way she raised me. As we honor our mothers today, let us each take time to offer our gratitude for those traits which our mothers and the motherly figures in our lives modeled for us as children and those which we are able to model for our own children, grandchildren or special young people in our lives. 

Happy Mother's Day!


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