One day, I came across immortal words of mothers. These words were uttered when our mothers felt we were not growing up right, our values were warped, we made wrong decisions, or we were not growing up as a person with character.
I chose seven of the seemingly more popular ones:
- Mata ang ginagamit sa paghahanap at hindi bibig.
- Pagsinabi ng kaibigan mong tumalon, tatalon ka naman?
- Ano akala mo sa pera pinupulot lang.
- Paano nalang kayo pagwala na ako.
- Maswerte ka nga, nuong bata kami, dies centemos lang ang baon naming.
- Ayan nagmamalaki ka na.
- Anak ka talaga ng tatay mo…
These words may have been painful when uttered when we were growing up, but now we know better. These words gave us strength and guided us to what we are right now.
In relating to words, St. John’s Gospel discusses Jesus telling his disciples to hold on to his words. Three reasons why:
- God is faithful, hence His Words are true. We love people who have what we call in Tagalog, “palabra de honor.” When he or she says it, it will be surely fulfilled. Such is God and his Words. When he says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” It will be fulfilled even when times we are overtaken by grief and worry that we don’t feel His presence.
- God is all-powerful. Hence, His words are powerful. When it is said that with the Lord, nothing is impossible, we can be assured that when we pray, God will answer our prayers in accordance with what is best: Yes, No, or Not Yet.
- God loves us, hence his Words are meant for what is good for us. While some of God’s words are inspiring, some can also be seemingly difficult:
- Pick up your cross
- Leave everything behind and follow me
- Forgive not only 7 times but 70 x 70 times.
Be assured that these are what is best for us. As the Psalm says, “ Your words Lord are lamp to my feet.”
Why do we hold on to the Words of God? In this life, nothing is permanent. All is passing and fleeting. There are good days and there will be bad days. Sometimes life gives us pleasant surprises, at times it can be unforgiving. Sometimes we are up and sometimes we are down. That is why Christ would always say put your trust not on the material things of this world but on God. Look at people who hold on to God, they become people of Character and Strength. “Marami ng pinagdaanan.” How many people of Character and Strength have been our role models? Indeed where there is grit, there is excellence. As the saying goes, God is tested with fire, and our strength during times of testing is God and his word.
3 Ways 2 Your 1 God 