C.H. Spurgeon on Mothers—Like Cat like Kit KoleFarney

CharlesHaddonSpurgeon(1834-1892)wasanEnglishBaptistpastorknownforhispowerfulpreachingandextensivewriting.Belowisanexcerpttitled“LikeCatLikeKit”fromhispublication,JohnPloughman’sPicturesorPlainTalkforPlainPeople,whichisfilledwithpithyandproverbialadmonitionsineverydaylanguageforeverydaypeople.I’mprayingitwillchallengeandencourageyourheartsthisMother’sDay!____________MOSTmenarewhattheirmothersmadethem.Thefatherisawayfromhomeallday,andhasnothalftheinfluenceoverthechildrenthatthemotherhas.Thecowhasmosttodowiththecalf.Ifaraggedcoltgrowsintoagoodhorse,weknowwhoitisthatcombedhim.Amotheristhereforeaveryresponsiblewoman,eventhoughshemaybethepoorestintheland,forthebadorthegoodofherboysandgirlsverymuchdependsuponher.Asisthegardenersuchisthegarden,asisthewifesuchisthefamily.Samuel’smothermadehimalittlecoateveryyear,butshehaddoneagreatdealforhimbeforethat:SamuelwouldnothavebeenSamuelifHannahhadnotbeenHannah.Weshallneverseeabettersetofmentillthemothersarebetter.WemusthaveSarahsandRebekahsbeforeweshallseeIsaacsandJacobs.Gracedoesnotrunintheblood,butwegenerallyfindthattheTimothieshavemothersofagodlysort.Littlechildrengivetheirmothertheheadache,butifsheletsthemhavetheirownway,whentheygrowuptobegreatchildrentheywillgivehertheheartache.Foolishfondnessspoilsmany,andlettingfaultsalonespoilsmore.Gardensthatareneverweededwillgrowverylittleworthgathering;allwateringandnohoeingwillmakeabadcrop.Achildmayhavetoomuchofitsmother’slove,andinthelongrunitmayturnoutthatithadtoolittle.Soft-heartedmothersrearsoft-headedchildren;theyhurtthemforlifebecausetheyareafraidofhurtingthemwhentheyareyoung.Coddleyourchildren,andtheywillturnoutnoodles.Youmaysugarachildtilleverybodyissickofit.Boys’jacketsneedalittledustingeverynowandthen,andgirls’dressesareallthebetterforoccasionaltrimming.Childrenwithoutchastisementarefieldswithoutploughing.Theverybestcoltswantbreakingin.Notthatwelikeseverity;cruelmothersarenotmothers,andthosewhoarealwaysfloggingandfault-findingoughttobeflogged

themselves.Thereisreasoninallthings,asthemadmansaidwhenhecutoffhisnose.Goodmothersareverydeartotheirchildren.There’snomotherintheworldlikeourownmother.MyfriendSanders,fromGlasgow,says,“Themither’sbreathisayesweet.”Everywomanisahandsomewomantoherownson.Thatmanisnotworthhangingwhodoesnotlovehismother.WhengoodwomenleadtheirlittleonestotheSavior,theLordJesusblessesnotonlythechildren,buttheirmothersaswell.Happyaretheyamongwomenwhoseetheirsonsandtheirdaughterswalkinginthetruth.Hewhothinksiteasytobringupafamilyneverhadoneofhisown.AmotherwhotrainsherchildrenarighthadneedbewiserthanSolomon,forhissonturnedoutafool.Somechildrenareperversefromtheirinfancy;nonearebornperfect,butsomehaveadoubleshareofimperfections.Dowhatyouwillwithsomechildren,theydon’timprove.Washadog,combadog,stilladogisbutadog:troubleseemsthrownawayonsomechildren.SuchcasesaremeanttodriveustoGod,forhecanturnblackamoorswhite,andcleanseouttheleopard’sspots.Itisclearthatwhateverfaultsourchildrenhave,wearetheirparents,andwecannotfindfaultwiththestocktheycameof.Wildgeesedonotlaytameeggs.Thatwhichisbornofahenwillbesuretoscratchinthedust.Thechildofacatwillhuntaftermice.Everycreaturefollowsitskind.Ifweareblack,wecannotblameouroffspringiftheyaredarktoo.Letusdoourbestwiththem,andpraytheMightyLordtoputhishandtothework.Childrenofprayerwillgrowuptobechildrenofpraise;motherswhohaveweptbeforeGodfortheirsons,willonedaysinganewsongoverthem.Somecoltsoftenbreakthehalter,andyetbecomequietinharness.Godcanmakethosenewwhomwecannotmend,thereforeletmothersneverdespairoftheirchildrenaslongastheylive.Aretheyawayfromyouacrossthesea?Remember,theLordisthereaswellashere.Prodigalsmaywander,buttheyareneveroutofsightoftheGreatFather,eventhoughtheymaybe“agreatwayoff.”Letmotherslabortomakehomethehappiestplaceintheworld,iftheyarealwaysnaggingandgrumblingtheywilllosetheirholdoftheirchildren,andtheboyswillbetemptedtospendtheireveningsawayfromhome.Homeisthebestplaceforboysandmen,andagoodmotheristhesoulofhome.Thesmileofamother’sfacehasenticedmanyintotherightpath,andthefearofbringingatearintohereyehascalledoffmanyamanfromevilways.Theboymayhaveaheartofiron,buthismothercanholdhimlikeamagnet.Thedevilneverreckonsamantobelostsolongashehasagoodmotheralive.Owoman,greatisthypower!Seetoitthatitbeusedforhimwhothoughtofhismotherevenintheagoniesofdeath.

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