Charles Hodge—A man whose mother made “all the difference”.

Charles Hodge never knew his father. After entering this world for a brief six months, Hodge’s father finished his earthly journey.

Who was Charles’ father? Dr. Hugh Hodge was a surgeon, a patriot and a war hero. Hodges’ biographer explains,

“A graduate of the College of New Jersey in 1773, Hugh trained in medicine and served as a surgeon with the Pennsylvania troops in the Revolutionary War. British forces captured him and held him prisoner in November 1776, but he obtained release after several months through the efforts of George Washington.”

Details of his death are unknown, but what is known that Charles’ three older siblings also died, which only left him and his older brother, Hugh.

Fortunately for these boys, God had ordained Mary Hodge to be their mother. She was a strong, driven and hardworking woman. Hodge’s biographer writes:

“(Though she received some money from her husband’s estate)…to supplement her income further, Mrs. Hodge took in boarders, young relatives of the family or close associates who were preparing for admission to the college (Princeton). These measures, combined with a strict economic regime enabled her to put both sons through college and professional school (Hugh—medical school; Charles—theological studies). Echoing a sentiment of many a 19^th century Protestant, Hodge summarizes his debt to his mother ‘beyond all estimate’. He wrote, ‘To our mother, my brother and myself, under God owe absolutely everything. To us she devoted her life. For us she prayed, labored and suffered.”

Many 21^st century women would quietly mock the life of Mary Hodge. As they sit around the “water cooler”, living the life of a working mom, purposefully allowing a child care worker to raise her kids. They would confidently assert that a fulfilled life must be a dualistic existence, rather than functioning in a “domestic prison”.

Please understand that my comments are not to be taken generally. I acknowledge that economics sometimes require both parents to work. Obviously, single moms must take care of the home and provide financially for their family. The only Divine requirement is for parents to obey Him and embrace the roles He has ordained for the well-being of the family.

Still, women today seem to demean the importance of simply raising children. Being singly-devoted to young children is often seen as drudgery, rather than a blessing or a vital stewardship. What drives this mindset?

First, the pervasive biblical illiteracy of this generation. If a mom is not Spirit-indwelt and Spirit-filled, bathing herself in the oracles of God, then the wisdom of this world wins every time. Am I saying the remedy is the simple memorization of Titus 2:4-5?

Titus 2:4-5 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

Certainly memorizing scripture is helpful, but it is not the complete answer. Many individuals have scripture ingrained in the memory, but these truths never stir the affections of the heart. Rather, consistent time with God, through the means of prayer-driven study of scripture, will lead a godly mom to a renewed mind (Rom. 12:2; Tit. 3:5).

Second, the women’s liberation movement of the 1960’s. It is here that women began to actively embrace a philosophy and a movement. Is this movement new or original to human history? No, of course not. This is simply a contemporary version of the battle of the sexes that began in the Garden of Eden.

Yet how harmful is this thinking? Well, here are the facts: 1) this philosophy is anti-God and 2) its purpose is to challenge and distort the original intent of gender. Furthermore, if gender distinctions are irrelevant, than naturally, gender roles are irrelevant as well.

What does this ultimately lead to? Women who are worldly, selfish, distorted and deceived. They have been taught that motherhood is demeaning and the privilege of maternal influence is not as rewarding as a personal influence in the corporate world.

So we must ask this question: What if Mary Hodge would have neglected her God-ordained responsibility to nurture her children, both intellectually and spiritually? Obviously, the result would be that the annals of church history would have never known the name Charles Hodge.

This brings me to my final thought (or thoughts).

Which life do you think God was more pleased with? The life of Mary Hodge or the life of Charles Hodge? From a human perspective, the clear answer would be Charles Hodge. Charles accomplished much for the kingdom of God. He trained hundreds of pastor / scholars throughout his tenure at Princeton. He wrote hundreds of theological treatises that impacted not only Christianity in America, but Christian thinkers around the world.

What did Mary Hodge do? She raised two sons. Her sacrifice and submission to God’s ordained role produced children that save lives, both physically (Hugh) and spiritually (Charles).

The beautiful truth is that God was supremely pleased by both lives.

Is He pleased by yours?