Forsake Not the Law of Thy Mother

Before wisdom was written, it was whispered.
Before it was preached, it was lived.
Before it was memorized, it was absorbed—
through tone, through repetition, through love.
Scripture calls this shaping the law of thy mother.
The Hebrew word is torah.
Not rules. Not cold commands.
But direction—the gentle aiming of a life toward what is good.
Torah is instruction given again and again,
until truth settles into the bones.
A mother’s torah is learned in ordinary places:
at tables and doorways,
in correction and comfort,
in prayers spoken aloud
and prayers whispered when no one is listening.
The verse warns us not to forsake it.
The Hebrew word here means to loosen one’s grip.
To let go.
To release what once held you steady.
Some wisdom is not outgrown.
Some instruction was not meant for a season,
but for a lifetime.
There will be voices that say,
You know better now.
That was just tradition.
You’ve moved beyond that.
God answers gently:
Be careful what you loosen your hands from.
The law of your mother may return to you
at the edge of a decision,
in the quiet before sleep,
in the moment you must choose between ease and faithfulness.
It is not loud.
It does not demand.
It waits—faithful and patient—
for you to remember.
Do not forsake it.
Some guidance was given to you
before you had words for need.
Some wisdom was wrapped in love
so you could carry it all your life.

Prayer
Father,
Thank You for instruction shaped by love and sacrifice.
Help me to recognize the wisdom You placed in my life early—
to hold fast to what was aimed toward good,
and to walk gently in truth that still guides me.
Teach me to honor holy foundations
and to pass them on with grace.
Amen.