Pr 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Pr 31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
Pr 31:12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
Pr 31:13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
Pr 31:14 She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
Pr 31:15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
Pr 31:16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
Pr 31:17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
Pr 31:18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
Pr 31:19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
Pr 31:20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
Pr 31:21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
Pr 31:22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
Pr 31:23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
Pr 31:24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
Pr 31:25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
Pr 31:26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
Pr 31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Pr 31:28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Pr 31:29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
Pr 31:30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
Pr 31:31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
No one deserves a special day all to herself more than today’s Mom. A cartoon showed a psychologist talking to his patient: "Let’s see," he said, "You spend 50 percent of your energy on your job, 50 percent on your husband and 50 percent on your children. I think I see your problem."
How many of you women look into the mirror before you go anywhere?....I would say it would be most of you. Thinking along that line tonight’s sermon will be focused on you MOMS and to show a guideline as to what a virtuous woman is. You may say, comparing your life to Proverbs 31 is almost like looking in one of those wavy mirrors which distorts your image.
I can already imagine your thinking; I can never measure up to this scripture. I am not saying you have to measure up, but there may be areas where each of you can fit it and you can say, I am doing good in this or that area or I need to improve in some area.
1. A Wanted Woman vs. 10
a. Pr 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
b. Vs. 10 MHC - 2. What is virtuous, She is one that takes pains in her duties, and takes pleasure in them. She is careful to fill up time, that none be lost. She rises early. She applies herself to the business proper for her, to women’s business. She does what she does, with all her power, and trifles not.
c. Pr 31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
d. Pr 31:12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
e. Ed Skidmore - a preacher who had a wife with an acid tongue. She was known for complaining about everything … but especially about people in the church. She was continually stirring up arguments among the church members. They moved from church to church, usually because folks got tired of her mouth. The whole thing kind of amazed me (since I have such a noble wife myself!) I still remember the comment another preacher made to me about the situation. He said that this preacher’s wife literally undid everything the poor preacher ever tried to accomplish.
f. The saying goes…..behind every good man there is a great woman, it also goes the other way.
g. A trustworthy wife increases the home’s effectiveness, and teamed with that it takes a wife that is willing to help.
2. A Willing Woman
a. Pr 31:13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
b. Pr 31:14 She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
c. Pr 31:15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
i. She is an economist of time; and when the nights are long, and the days short, her family not only spend a part of the evening after sunset in domestic labour, but they all arise before daylight, and prepare the day’s food, that they may not have their labour interrupted.
d. Pr 31:20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
e. This is a picture of one who willingly gives to the needy, and not only that, she give to the poor. Those are ones who are the common poor, but she also gives to the needy (those who are afflicted, could be disabled and such)
f. ACC - she is not contented to give common alms. While with one hand she relieves the general poor, with both hands she gives to the needy, , to the afflicted poor.
A willing woman is a giving woman, and having wisdom increases the effectivness.
3. A Wise Woman
a. Todd Riley - a man who was fighting with his wife in regards to the running of the house. She was a stay home mom and he worked all day. When at home he felt that he should have just as much and even more say than her regarding how to decorate, what to cook, etc, etc. There is no such conflict in the household of a Proverbs 31 woman. Her castle is her home and she is its keeper. Her husband, being out all day has his own domain to rule and she hers.
My counsel to the guy I was counseling was this: You have a workplace in which you get to make decisions all day. Your wife’s workplace is the home, stop interfering with her and let her do her job, let her have a bit of autonomy and the same kind of control that you enjoy in your workplace.
b. Pr 31:18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
i. MHC - She makes what she does turn to good account by prudent management. Many undo themselves by buying, without considering whether they can afford it. She provides well for her house. She lays up for hereafter.
ii. An interview of 6 top executives, all of them making 6-figure salaries. That means that they made somewhere between $100,000 & $999,999 a year.
Now you are probably thinking what I thought, "If I made even $100,000 a year, I’d be in great shape. No worries, & no problems."
But in the interview each was asked, "What is your greatest fear?" Each answered pretty much the same, using different words. Their greatest fear was that they would not have enough. When they were asked, "How much is enough?" they always answered, "a little more."
iii. 18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good
iv. She knows she can sell what she makes, not wasteful
v. The Proverbs 31 woman can manage her household, there is no desire to want more but wisely use what she has.
vi. Pr 31:26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
vii. GBN - Her tongue is a book by which one might learn many good things: for she delights to talk of the word of God.
Not only is the a wanted, willing and wise woman, but she is worthy of all praise
4. A Woman worthy of Praise
a. Pr 31:30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
b. There is a story about four preachers discussing the merits of the various translations of the Bible. One liked the King James Version best because of its simple, beautiful English. Another liked the American Revised Version best because it was closer to the original Hebrew and Greek. Still another liked a contemporary version because of its up-to-date vocabulary. The fourth minister was silent for a moment, then said, “I like my mother’s translation best.” Surprised, the other three men said they didn’t know his mother had translated the Bible. “Yes,” he replied. “She translated it into life, and it was the most convincing translation I ever saw.”...
c. Pr 31:30…but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
d. Pr 31:31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
e. There are several probably saying….there is no way of obtaining the Proverbs woman. Your probably right but MOM you still need to strive at what areas you do best.
There is a difference between being an idealist and a realist.
f. a. The idealistic mother will have a perfect body even after having
four or five kids.
b. The realistic mother knows she will never see size 8 or 10
again except maybe in shoe size.
2. Raising Children
a. The idealistic mother will expect to attend her son’s
graduation as he graduates with honors.
b. The realistic mother may have to visit her son in jail or
prison, or may be even visit his grave site. Or she may even be a childless wife who lives with the pain like Hannah of wanting hildren, but having none.
3. Homes
a. The idealistic mother lives in a castle-type home setting on a hill.
b. The realistic mother may live in an apartment down town, or
in a run down neighborhood.
4. Job/Career
a. The idealistic mother has a Master’s degree and has her own
office in the business district.
b. The realistic mother may have barely finished high school or dropped
out and is working on a GED. She takes whatever job she can find.
g. the New York Times was going to do a story on the 12 greatest women in the United States…
• And after great consideration…the editors of the newspaper wrote:
• ’The twelve greatest women in the United States are women who have never been heard of outside of their own homes.’
• "I ask you, who was greater, Thomas A. Edison or his mother? When he was a young lad his teacher sent him home with a note which said, ’Your child is dumb. We can’t do anything for him.’ Mrs. Edison wrote back, ’You do not understand my boy. I will teach him myself’. And she did, with results that are well known”
• Quietly faithful.
• A teacher had been teaching her class about magnets. She then gave them a quiz. One of the questions was: “My full name has six letters. The first one is M. I pick up things. What am I?” When the test papers were turned in, the teacher was surprised that half the class answered the question with the word “Mother”.
Mothers you are touching lives in ways no other will. Thank you to those of you who are the positive impact on our children’s lives and the helpmate to us husbands.
WE appreciate you!
