The Proverbs 31 Woman. Super Mom B.C.! Some would like to rip her right out of the Bible & others believe she is an impossible example to live up to and don’t believe she existed anyway. Even though Solomon was the wisest man in the Bible, he obviously conducted a very lengthy search for the Perfect woman, because he married so many wives. You do notice he didn’t write a companion piece, the Proverbs 32 Man! He must have decided it was all VANITY! So I’m going to attempt to translate (tongue in cheek) the Proverbs 21 Woman to a 21st Century Dot.com World.
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
In the 21st Century, virtue is laughed at and it is difficult to find a good, Godly Christian woman. However men, you won’t find her by “looking in all the wrong places” and if you are fortunate and blessed to find her….she is gonna be worth more than you can possibly afford.
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
Her husband trusts her to manage and balance their bank account, ATM withdrawals & credit cards well so that no checks bounce, the lights are not turned off and they are not in debt up to their eyeballs. She’ll encourage her husband to exercise, watch his cholesterol levels and take care of him while he “feels like he’s dying” for that summer cold!
She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
She tries to find the best bargains at the outlet malls, spends her money wisely, dresses her family nicely & modestly and uses coupons to bring home nutritious food from Walmart, Food World and Piggley Wiggley.
She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
She makes sure the roast is thawed out the night before and gets up early to put it in the crock pot so dinner will be ready when everyone comes home that evening. She also stays up late & rises early to cook dinners for church homecomings. Hey! I need to talk to my husband about that “maid” part.
She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. Since most fruits & veggies are found abundantly in the local supermarket, most of us just try our hand at growing a few tomatoes in the back yard.
She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
She might sign up for that exercise class at Curves, but lifting babies and mopping floors usually takes care of those flabby arms.
She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
She thoughtfully tries to buy quality goods to decorate her house & feed her family while still staying within her budget; and doesn’t waste her money on junk. Like all women, she occasionally works into the night sewing on buttons, mending holes in favorite dresses, creating white robes for Easter dramas and irons wrinkles out of those 100% cotton pants that her son left in the dryer too long.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
She visits her elderly neighbors and makes sure they are well, checks her email and voicemail for prayer requests, gives to the local charity at Christmas, helps raise funds for March & October World Mission and feeds that lonely latchkey child that shows up on her doorstep at dinnertime.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
She makes sure that her kids have gloves, hats, coats, shoes, snow sleds. And stands in long lines for bread, milk, tuna & potato chips just in case the weatherman is wrong and it does blizzard with only a 5% chance of snow!
She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
That silk purple Easter dress she either got a good deal on or sewed herself looks great….even if it is stained with spit up and baby slobber…all badges she wears with honor and pride.
Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
Yep. Husbands always love to hang with the guys instead of the mowing the grass or taking out the garbage!
She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
You got to be kidding! Okay, some women do sew beautiful dresses, crochet, decorate cakes, scrapbook & make homemade cards. Some even make money at it.
Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
She always has strong shoulders for her friends to cry on when they find they have cancer, carry heavy burdens or go through trials. Her family and friends know that they can count on her to pray for them, rejoice wit them and grieve with them. She doesn’t gossip and give wise advice from the heart when asked for it.
She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
She mops, vacuums, dust, washes clothes and babies, stays up all night with sick children, helps with homework and builds science projects until midnight, carpools to baseball & soccer practice, plans birthday parties, teach Sunday School, Children’s Church, helps in VBS, directs Christmas play, leads songs, directs choirs, plays the piano, balances the books, cleans the church, is a Pastor’s wife and still finds time to fall on her knees and pray that God blesses her family, heal her friends, saves the lost and prospers her church.
Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Well, we can only hope that our children won’t forget to send that Mother’s Day Card in time. Ooops! Sorry Mom. I’ll call you soon!!!
Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
Wrinkles will come and gravity will always win…but a woman who has done all she can for the Lord will be blessed and praised by those who love her. She will honored by her Lord who will “Find Her Faithful”.
Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
If you are reading this at home, take time to honor your mother.
If you are reading this in church: Let’s all stand and give all our mother’s a handclap!!!
Tammy Washburn
A reading for Mother’s Day:
Many of you have a wonderful gift of a Christian mother or grandmother praying for you. (Even if you don’t have either, I’m sure there is a godly woman in your church that is praying for you. If you don’t believe me, I challenge you to ask around. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.)
Did you know that God keeps a bottle of those prayers? God bottles up all those prayers and they ascend continually before Him and His throne for all eternity.
Rev 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints.
Rev 8:3,4 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.
All of us came here to honor our mothers. Perhaps some of you came because she asked you to come or even begged you to come with her today. You MAY be a Christian or you MAY be running from God as hard as you can.
One thing I know for sure…
If you are resisting the tug of Godly Prayers on your life…You might as well give up and give your heart to God today. Because those prayers will only pursue you! Yes, your Mother’s, Grandmothers, or Spiritual Mother’s prayers will compel God’s presence to pursue you.
You may think you are outrunning God and outsmarting good ole MOM. But God’s presence is everywhere.
Tammy Washburn
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