Calling All Mama's Boys

Proverbs 31:1“The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.”Calling all Mama’s boys!I’m a Mama’s boy to the bone—and I say that publicly as a grown man who considers himself a manly man.Fellas, loving your mama doesn’t make you less of a man. It means recognizing the woman who helped make the man.My story goes deeper than I can tell here.My father came home from Vietnam 100% disabled, carrying wounds from war and wounds that began long before it. I was the first of his children he physically and sexually abused.He was wounded—and he wounded me. But it didn’t stop with me.I can hold compassion for what happened to him—without hiding the truth about what he did to me—he had been abused by his father. His wounds may explain the cycle, but they do not excuse the harm. Compassion should never require survivors to soften the truth.When my mother realized her children were being victimized, she got us out.My mother didn’t only give me life.My mother saved my life.That’s why she’s my hero—and why Proverbs thirty-one one hits me differently:“The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.”Proverbs thirty-one opens with a king carrying his mother’s voice.King Lemuel got the title. Mama’s words made the text!Scripture doesn’t call her counsel soft, sentimental or secondary. It calls it an inspired utterance. Lemuel speaks as a king who wears the crown, but we hear the son whose mother “got in his head” and taught him to carry that kind of power.I’ve lived long enough to realize that every mother-story isn’t safe or tender. Some found mothering through a grandmother, auntie, teacher, church mother, mentor—or someone who protected them when their biological mother couldn’t.The point isn’t to romanticize motherhood.It’s to recognize the life-giving wisdom that helped form you—and refuse to be ashamed of where you received it.Being a Mama’s boy doesn’t mean being immature, dependent or unable to decide.It can mean you’re man enough to honor the woman whose courage, counsel and sacrifice helped you become wise.So, calling all Mama’s boys!Stand up! Come out of hiding.Walk in the wisdom your Mama gave you.Let your life show that Mama didn’t teach you all that for nothing.Proverbs 31:1🔥 REMEMBERBefore Lemuel wore the crown, his mother’s wisdom shaped the king.🙏🏽 PRAYERGod, let my life honor the wisdom love gave me.🎯 TODAY’S CHALLENGEName one life-giving lesson you received from your mother—or someone who mothered you. Contact that person if you can, and thank her if it’s safe and possible, then pass that wisdom to someone younger.About the AuthorFred Lynch is a creative communicator, author, and Christian Hip Hop pioneer. To learn more about Fred and what he’s up to now…click here or you can find him in all the socials by searching the handle: heyfredlynch📱 Experience Proverbs Daily by Subscribing!Ready to receive daily wisdom directly on your phone?Go to proverbsdaily.org for the app or just click that Subscribe button right now! Get full access to Hey Fred Lynch! at heyfredlynch.substack.com/subscribe