Greg's Mother Had Only One Eye
Greg Jacob's mother was a single woman who had only one eye and he hated her because of it. He felt as though she was such an embarrassment.
To support the family, she cooked for students and teachers at an elementary school cafeteria. One day, when Greg was a young boy and attending the school where his mother worked, during the lunch hour, she came out from the kitchen area to say hello to him. He was so embarrassed!
"How could she do this to me," he thought to himself. He ignored her, gave her a hateful glance and quickly ran out of the cafeteria, not eating any lunch at all.
The next day at school, one of his classmates told him, "Ewww! Your mom only has one eye! How gross!"
Greg felt ashamed and just wanted to bury himself in a deep hole where nobody could find him. He was so ashamed that he wished his mother would just disappear. Finally, later that day when it bothered him so badly, he confronted his mother, "If you're only gonna make me the laughing stock, why don't you just die? You embarrassed me in front of the whole school! Now, I won't be able to have any friends because they all think my mother is a 'freak'. From now on just stay away from me! I don't want people to know you're my mother!"
Greg's mother didn't respond. And he didn't even stop to think, for a second, about what he had said. He was so full of anger and was oblivious to her feelings.
He wanted to get out of the house. He just wanted to get away from her and have nothing more to do with her. So, during his years of growing up, he studied very hard so that his academic knowledge would earn him a scholarship and he could move to another state to get away from his mother. His goal was accomplished and after his graduation he moved far away.
He got married, bought a house, and had children. He was very happy, indeed, with his wife and kids, and how his life had turned out.
Then one day, after many years of being apart and no contact, Greg's mother surprised him with a visit to his home. She hadn't seen Greg for so long and never met his wife or even seen her grandchildren that she greatly anticipated meeting them for the very first time.
When she stood at the door, as soon as the children saw her they began laughing at her. Greg was angry at her for coming uninvited and yelled at her, "HOW DARE YOU COME TO MY HOUSE AND SCARE MY CHILDREN! GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!"
His mother stood at the door dumbfounded but quietly responded, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address."
Greg snarled at her at without saying anything, then slammed the door in her face.
Feeling disappointed about losing the opportunity to see her son and meet his family, she turned and left.
Two years passed, since his mother had been at his house and Greg received a letter in the mail regarding a school reunion in his hometown. He didn't want to take his family, in fear that they might meet up with his mother so, he lied to his wife telling her he was going on a business trip.
After the reunion ceremonies were over, he became curious as to how his mother was. He went to the old dilapidated home where he grew up as a child. As he stood from a distance glancing toward the building, a neighbor came out from his nearby home and walked up to him, "She passed away two weeks ago."
Greg did not shed a single tear. He showed no remorse. He showed no emotion whatsoever at the news he just heard.
Then the neighbor handed him a letter and said, " I've been holding onto this. Your mother told me, in case you stop by while you were in town for the reunion, to give this to you. She wanted you to have it."
Greg stubbornly took the letter and began walking away. He went to his car, sat inside, then grumpily opened the envelope and began reading:
My dearest son,
I think of you all the time. I'm sorry that I came to your house and scared your children.
I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you. I'm sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were growing up.
You see.... when you were very little, you got into an accident and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn't stand watching you having to grow up with one eye. So I gave you mine.
I was so proud of my son who was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye.
If you receive this letter then that means I have gone and will not be able to see you here on earth again. But son, please know this.... I love you, very much!
With all my love to you,
Your mother
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." Ephesians 6:1-3 NLT