This past weekend, I had a nice Mother’s Day.   My daughter gave me some very thoughtful gifts and made me feel appreciated.  She and I have a very close relationship, and I feel incredibly blessed to be her mother.

However, while I like Mother’s Day, and all the niceties that go with it, there is something about it that makes me a little bit uncomfortable. I don’t care for the blanket sanctification of anyone who has happened to give birth. In the same way, I don’t care for making an enormous deal out of weddings.  Getting married and giving birth are exciting, but accomplishing either one really isn’t a big deal.

What is a big deal is showing up after those big moments. Showing up is hard.  If you have been married or a parent for any length of time, there have been days when you just wanted to get a break.  And on some days you can.  You can go to Starbucks, sit alone, have a chai tea latte and experience a moment of Zen.  But on some days, you can’t.  Some days you just have to forge through and go to sleep exhausted.  Showing up on the hard days is what makes a good parent, spouse, employee, or friend.

There are some people who don’t ever show up. Or they stop showing up.  Or when they do show up, they create a lot of havoc.  And those people get a lot of attention.  People are always obsessed about the parent who disappeared.  Or the spouse who left.  Or the family member who created a lot of drama at every turn.  And the people who consistently show up, those who are dependable and responsible, are all but ignored.

The reality is that showing up isn’t going to get you a lot of applause or appreciation. Recently my husband and I were very generous with both our time and money with a family member, and there wasn’t so much as a “thank you.”  Quite honestly, we didn’t anticipate getting one, nor was that our motivation.  We showed up and helped out because it was the right thing to do.  And we will continue to do that, whether or not our efforts are acknowledged or appreciated.

We are called to show up because God is our role model in all things. God is with us at all times.  Even when things are hard, if we turn to Him, He is there to help us.  He does not leave us.  If we wish to be like Him, then we need to exhibit that kind of loyalty and faithfulness in our own relationships.

There is a beautiful hymn entitled, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” which reminds me of God’s unceasing love for us. Part of the lyrics are,

Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

This week, think about those people who have been faithful to you. Thank them for showing up, even when they didn’t have to.  Thank them for going the extra mile for you, even when you may not have deserved it.

Spend time meditating on God’s faithfulness. He is our greatest example of how we can be steadfast and loyal to others.  Remember that when we show up for others, we are learning to be like Him.