A rock thrown in a pond causes a disturbance in the still water. It begins to put the water into motion, creating a ripple in all directions. The ripples continue moving outward impacting anything that they encounter. The impact of one rock can set an entire body of water into motion and continue until the ripples fade into the distance.
Sarah Johnston was a stepmother to a nine-year-old boy that had recently lost his mother. She took her role seriously, pouring into his life like he was her own flesh and blood. She saw potential in the child and knew that if she encouraged and challenged him that he would have something very special to share. She defended him in his pursuit of education, even though she was likely illiterate herself. She saw in him great intellect and incredible kindness. Later in life her stepson would call her his “Angel Mother,” for all of the love and devotion she showed him.
Sometimes it is hard to see the forest thru the trees of motherhood. It is hard to imagine that the little ins and outs of the day to day will really move the needle in the lives of those that we are caring for and guiding. It is hard to know concretely whether our actions of motherly love make a difference.
But they do.
For us it may be a collection of our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, friends, teachers, and neighbors that poured into us. For some, a mother wasn’t present, but someone else filled the gap with motherly love.
Motherly love can change the whole trajectory of a child’s life. It can be the stone thrown that ignites the ripples that continue to impact others well beyond their reach. For all of us, mothers or not, we have the power to speak life, encourage, mold and guide. Our words can either lift up or they can tear down.
We each have stones to throw into the waters of other people’s lives, our ability to make a rippling impact.
My mom’s stone has taught me resilience, unconditional love, and the pursuit of excellence in all that you do. One grandma’s stone showed me the value of hard-work and devotion to family. My other grandma’s stone taught me the importance of a loving marriage and a positive attitude. The nanny that helped raise me; her stone has shown me that it doesn’t take blood to show motherly love, care and guidance. My mother-in-law’s stone has taught me the power of trusting God above all else and knowing His word- so that I can raise children that do as well.
When we pour out motherly love, whether toward our own child, the neighbor, a niece or nephew, a student, the kids we babysit, a daughter or son-in-law; we have no idea how far it will reach- we will probably never know on this side of heaven. The ripple effect can change one life, which can change another and another and another.
I am grateful for the motherly love that Sarah Johnston showed that little boy. I wonder if she ever doubted herself, wondering if how she was raising her stepson was really all that important: underestimating her role as just a “Stepmom.”
But we know the ripple effect of her stone on his life not only changed his trajectory, countless others as well.
Don’t ever underestimate the power of YOUR stone. Don’t ever feel like the work of pouring into children is anything other than a high calling. We have Sarah Johnston’s motherly love to thank for the ripple effect on America of the Great Emancipator, President Abraham Lincoln.
