A Mother’s Love

In olden times there ruled a great and powerful king, whose name was Solomon. Upon succeeding to the throne, Solomon had been filled with awe at the mightiness of the task before him, prayed, not for wealth and fame- but for wisdom to govern justly.

“For,” he said, “I am but a little child, and how should I discern between right and wrong?”

His wish was granted and, above and beyond his wealth and honor, Solomon came to be known as the wisest man in all the earth! Though he faced many challenges, he ruled wisely and well!

Here is the story of two mothers who claimed the same child as their own. How would King Solomon resolve the problem? What was his wise ruling?

One day two women came before the King. They carried with them a little baby, which was set down on the floor, at the foot of Solomon’s throne

“O my lord,” said one of the women, “five days ago I gave birth to a child. This woman and I live in the same house, and three days later, she also gave birth, but that same night her child died. At midnight she arose and, while I was sleeping, took my son away from me, and laid her dead child in its place. When I awoke in the morning I thought at first that my son was dead, until I realised that it was not my child.”

“No,” interrupted the second woman, “she lies, my lord, she lies! The living child is mine and the dead is hers!”

“No,” cried the first woman, wildly. “No, the dead child is yours, and the living child is mine.”

King Solomon raised his hand for silence.

“One of you says ‘my child lives and yours is dead ’, and the other says ‘your child is dead and my child lives’: there is a simple way to resolve the matter. Bring me a sword.”

A sword was brought, and the assembly waited with bated breath, to see how the King would proceed.

“Very well,” he said, “ cut the

Love

child in two, and give half to one mother, and half to the other.”

The first woman turned pale.

The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! But don’t kill him!”

But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”

Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman The child belongs to her. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”

We need to recognise, however, that many women, pressed between career and family, have been obliged to give more and more time to work at the expense of time and care for the family! Creches, day schools or nanny at home, are no substitute for a mother’s love. Is it any wonder that these children grow up without that inner strength and stability to face crises. Teen-suicides are rising at an alarming rate! Who is to blame?

Mothers, let us remember that children are a sacred trust for us to nurture and train lovingly so that they can build a strong India!

To enable the younger generation to do this, may our national leaders desire and pray for wisdom, so that they can rule our people with great righteousness and justice!

What an awesome responsibility!

-Juliet Thomas