The Open Door

Michael Phelps, a name perhaps not known by many prior to the Olympics in Beijing, is a name now known throughout the world. This amazing individual from the United States swimming team is now the winningest Olympian in the history of the Olympics. With 14, Michael Phelps has more gold medals than any athlete in history. Eight were won in the Beijing Olympics. With perhaps one more Olympics to go, Phelps has won five more gold medals than anyone else.

After winning his record eighth gold medal in Beijing, Phelps said, “I don’t even know what to feel right now. There’s so much emotion going through my head and so much excitement. I kind of just want to see my mom.”

What did he say? Did he say that after setting the record for the number of golds won in an Olympics that he just wanted to see his mom? This guy has been called the greatest athlete in history. He’s a sports super star and he just wants to see his mom. Every mother in the world should be thrilled and encouraged by those words.

Did you ever hear the words, “The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world?” These words are from a poem by William Ross Wallace that praises motherhood as the preeminent force for change in the world. The poem was first published in 1865 under the title, “What Rules the World.”

A portion of the poem says,

Woman, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young
heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.

Moms, do not forget that your children never get far from the influence that you have upon them from their earliest memories. What this means, of course, is that our mothers have the power through their influence and love to impact young lives and even adult lives who are able to bring significant and lasting, positive change to our world.

I am thankful for godly, Christian mothers who love the Lord and who lead their children to know and love Jesus. My own mother is that kind of mom and my wife, Janice, has been that kind of mom to our daughters.

Lord, bless our mothers today. They have one of the world’s most significant opportunities – to bless their children and thereby to bless the world for generations to come.