Yesterday, I heard our dog, Knightly, barking in the yard, abnormally more than usual. I went out to check on him and, low-and-behold, he was playing with a rather large turtle. The turtle had, of course, shrunk completely into his shell, as my excited puppy was turning him up and down and all around, totally confused by this moving rock.

A turtle’s natural state is either low to the ground or in the water. It is not unnatural for him to be found in either of these places. But it is, however, very unnatural to see him on any raised place — any high ground.

“Anytime you see a turtle on top of a fence post, you know he had some help.” -Alex Haley

Are you familiar with this quote? Chances are probably ‘yes’. It is a saying that speaks on many levels. Our pastor recently preached a wonderful sermon about it, and God brought all that up to me as I thought about Knightly with the turtle, and saw it in the light of Mother’s Day.

None of us have achieved any of our accomplishments in life of our own accord. It may feel like you worked for that promotion, and it truly may be that your talents and skills won that award. Yet, there were other hands behind the forming of that work ethic, and many teachers behind those talents and skills.

Christ is the ultimate help, as our redeemer and the lifter of our heads. Any fence post upon which we ever sit is a result of Him setting us there. What have we in this life that is not from Him, to Him, and for Him? (1) What talent, what gifting, what skills? What relationships, what blessings, what health? The ability to breathe life in and out; the blessing of having light in our souls instead of darkness — we can claim none of it as of our own accord, and to do so is to deny the God of Heaven. (2)

There is another saying that I like: “It takes a village to raise a child”. The ‘villagers’ are those God uses to help get us up on that fence post.

One of the main people He uses is also one of His ultimate blessings — a mom. Three little letters, but what a big word! What an enormous impact on each of our lives that name has had! Maybe yours is not your natural mother, or birth mother. Maybe she is a grandmother or a mentor, but for all of us there is a woman whose predominance in our lives has shaped and molded us into the people we are today.

Take some moments today to recognize those ‘villagers’ to whom you owe a great debt of gratitude. Truly be thankful as you think on them, and be sure to express it in tomorrow’s celebration. (3) Be humble enough, and small enough in your own eyes, to understand that you are a product of the love and care of the “village” around you. Without Him, without them, and without our moms, we would not be much to ‘write home about’.

Also, in our pursuit of reaching the top of the fence post, remember to always take the opportunities to be someone else’s “village”, too. Don’t be a greedy turtle. There are enough fence posts out there for all of us! In fact, the view is even better when we have others with which to share it.

The turtle? Me. The village? My Father God, my parents, and all who have supported, encouraged and believed in me over the years. But today, it is my mom.

(1) Romans 11:36 ESV “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to Him be glory forever. Amen.”

(2) Acts 17:28  ESV “In Him we live and move and have our being…”

 (3) Colossians 3:15 GNT “…be thankful.” 

Proverbs 31: 28-31 NLT “Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all! Charm is deceptive and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.”