Pastor Joe Fuiten, May 11, 2003

 

Scripture Reading 1 King 3:16-28,  page 239

“ Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 One of them said, "My lord, this woman and I live in the same house. I had a baby while she was there with me. 18 The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us. 19 "During the night this woman's son died because she lay on him. 20 So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. 21 The next morning, I got up to nurse my son-- and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn't the son I had borne." 22 The other woman said, "No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours." But the first one insisted, "No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine." And so they argued before the king. 23 The king said, "This one says, 'My son is alive and your son is dead,' while that one says, 'No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.'" 24 Then the king said, "Bring me a sword." So they brought a sword for the king. 25 He then gave an order: "Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other." 26 The woman whose son was alive was filled with compassion for her son and said to the king, "Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don't kill him!" But the other said, "Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!" 27 Then the king gave his ruling: "Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother." 28 When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.”(NIV)

 

The story of Solomon’s wisdom in solving this dilemma is legendary.  He knew the true mother because she was willing to give away your son rather than see him killed.  She gave him away and received him back in the same day.

There are some amazing insights from this passage.  First, that Solomon would take time to settle the dispute between two prostitutes.  It shows a commitment to justice for all his subjects, not just some of them. 

Second, goodness does not just exist in good people.  The prostitute mother loved her child as much as any mother.  When she acted to save her child, that was a good action.  Greatness and goodness are not the exclusive domain of any one social class.

Third, it is possible to do right after having done wrong.  Prostitution is a terrible life and is always wrong.  Even so, it is never too late to turn your life around and start doing right.  No matter how corrupt or defiled your life has become, today is the right time to do right.  Just as Solomon was not ashamed to do justly for these two women, so God is not ashamed to forgive those who have done wrong.

Think about this in the context of parenting.  What parent hasn’t regretted some decision about parenting.  The trouble with parenting is that by the time you are experienced, you are unemployed.

I know that the main theme of that story is that Solomon was very wise.  Secondarily, I think it says that Mother’s who give away their children can get something in return.

 

You may not be aware that Mother’s Day, as it was originally conceived was to be connected to Memorial Day.  Memorial Day honored the soldiers who died in war.  Mother’s Day honored the women who tended the wounded on both sides of the Civil War.  It was inspired by and honored the role of women in the Civil War.

 

 “In a resolution passed May 8, 1914, the U.S. Congress established the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. Congress specified that on that day American flags should be flown outside homes and government buildings "as a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country." But what does patriotism have to do with Mother's Day? The founder of Mother's Day, Anna Jarvis, saw the connection. Born in Grafton, West Virginia, in 1864, she witnessed the aftermath of the Civil War. Her mother, Anna Maria Reeves Jarvis, had spent the war organizing women to nurse wounded soldiers from North and South and generally attempting to hold her border state community together. After the war, Anna Maria started "Mothers' Friendship Days" to reconcile families divided by the conflict. Throughout her life, Anna Maria modeled ideal Victorian motherhood. She gave up her dreams of college to tend to an older husband and four children. She bore the loss of seven other children with grace. She taught Sunday school in the local Methodist church for 20 years and stayed active in benevolent work. Anna Maria's death in 1905 devastated her daughter. Two years later, Anna got the idea to found a holiday to remember her mother and all mothers, whom she felt could never be thanked enough. It was also Anna's idea to place Mother's Day near Memorial Day (which had been proclaimed in 1868) in recognition of women's contributions in wartime: sending sons and husbands to fight, tending the wounded, maintaining households alone, and encouraging peace and reconciliation.  Memorial Day honored the sacrifices of men; Mother's Day would honor the sacrifices of women.”[1]

 

            We have all been greatly touched by the recent scenes of American soldiers coming home to be buried.  We have seen up close the pain of mothers who have laid their strong sons to rest in a soldier’s grave.  Every mother who sends a child off to war has that great fear in her heart. 

            Today, especially since many of our sons and daughters are engaged in harms way, we want to hark back to that old tradition and honor the mothers of soldiers today with an extra flower. Have each mother with a son or daughter presently on active or reserve duty with the United States armed forces to please stand. Distribute Flowers

            These mothers have given their children to the country and feel the pain of separation.  In return, we have received the blessings of freedom and an increase in safety for all of us.

           

            Twice Linda and I have given away a child.  We gave our daughters to Jay and Craig.  We are thankful that God has not called them to minister in another place, so far.  When we gave them away to husbands, we believed and accepted the biblical idea of leaving father and mother and being united with one’s spouse.[2]  We gave them away, but have gotten back much more.  Jay and Sandy and given us three grandchildren.  Craig and Roz have given us two plus one on the way.  We gave away two and got six.  That’s a good deal.

            When you give away a child, you actually get a family.  Because of marriage, we now have connection to two families that we were not connected to in this way before.  I am speaking of the extended families of the Smiths and Gorcs.

            As I am speaking in this way, we all understand it because these are very human notions.  They are also spiritual notions.  This is exactly what possibly the most famous verse in the Bible says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”[3] 

We understand something of God’s heart as we think about mothers and families. The father gave away the son.  In return, he has received many children and a great family.  The love that we have for family is a reflection of the love that God has for us.