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Bear and Cubs
R E F L E C T I O N S
Thoughts on nature and the Christian faith - 4/1/19
"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
the fruit of the womb a reward." - Ps. 127:3
I watched this mother black bear and her three cubs for quite a while at a bear sanctuary in northern Minnesota as the cubs played in the top of a tall tree while their mother rested at its base. When she called them to come down, two of the three obeyed while the third stayed where it was. After a few more calls, the last cub (the brown one) finally came down and joined the family in the underbrush below the tree. All three cubs were so different. One was shy, another adventuresome, and the third just downright mischievous. I related to this mother. Jo and I also have three children with three vastly differing personalities. The mischievous one (I won't tell you which one that is) reminds me of the little brown cub. I believe parenting, especially from a mother's perspective, is both the most rewarding and the most painful responsibility in life. I know it is the hardest job one can ever have. And I believe it is getting harder. There was a time, not too many generations ago, when community standards by and large reflected the standards of Christian parents. Those days are gone. Mothers especially feel the pain when their children reject their training, as well as the joy when their children honor what they have been taught. Someone has said children can capture a mother's heart when they are young, and yet break it when they are older. If your mother is still alive, tell her of your love and thank her for her example. She has poured more into your care than you will ever know. And mothers, instill a love and reverence for the Lord into your children before they are hardened by an ever more secular world. Love is a mandate for both parents and children which must flow in both directions - even if it is not returned. This little brown cub will no doubt frustrate its mother many more times, but it will never cease to be loved. And when you think about it, God is just like that with all of us. - John
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