A Mother's Oracle

1. "The ideal woman was described 2,500 years ago in Proverbs 31--and she is still intimidating her sisters ever since." Liz Higgs

2. Many inaccuracies re: motherhood, role of women in OT...

3. E.G., weddings arranged, girls forced to marry....not true; daughters could accept/reject; parents merely emissaries...

4. E.G., Pharisees would thank God not born woman in their prayers...

5. True...but why? Because women could not make all the festivals & were exempted from keeping certain Laws....

6. Women like Sarah, Abigail, Rebekah, and Bathsheba took initiative in directing the affairs of the family. Man was head, but...

7. Motherhood....

(1) Hebrew Ím ---related to the root ’mm "be wide, roomy..."

(2) main role: to bear and NURTURE children

(3) first child as young as 16

8. In OT, Motherhood is used as a figure to express the idea of DEEPEST attachment....SELF-GIVING love...

9. Both parents are important to a child....men especially need to civilize their sons....we boys are natural barbarians....Dads can help turn "wild" boys into gentlemen...

MAIN IDEA: Moms can make lasting impressions not only upon their daughters, but also upon their sons! They can help their children avoid the detours that could ruin their lives.

TS-----------> We’ll look at 3 such detours, spelled out by the mother of King Lemuel (know nothing about him)

I. Becoming A Womanizer (1-3)

1. Note the implications here: Lemuel’s mom taught him repeatedly

2. Lemuel’s mother had difficulty conceiving him, "son of my vows."

3. The fact that her advice impacted him meant they had a good

relationship...

(1) one sign of a good rlthsp.--when a parent apologizes...

(2) another sign: time spent in discussion....

(3) normally dad is the best one to discuss the facts of life, proper

treatment of women.... morals....but not all dads do so (or are in a

position to do so/hypocrisy)---do not trust the schools to do so...

4. Note how comfortable the Bible is with human anatomy than we

are...we should emulate a relaxed but respectful attitude...

---don’t pass your personal imbalances down to the next gener.--

5. Men who run after women become absorbed with women and lose their strength....and are brought to ruin...(may succeed in career)

6. From early years on, moms need to lay the foundation for a moral

compass that will influence youngsters throughout their lives...talk about right and wrong....pass judgments about situations ALOUD to train kids to think...

7. There is a famine of sense in the land----wisdom is considered

judgmental and arrogant...but godly wisdom is making judgments and a response to the revelation of God’s word...

8. God has spoken in His Word. What He says goes. We must analyze life by applying it. We can’t apply it if we don’t know it!!!

----Aunt Leona is living with her boyfriend..."Kids, this is wrong. But we cannot police Aunt Leona. She doesn’t know the Lord, so we cannot expect her to obey His commands." SILENCE MEANS APPROVAL TO MOST KIDS...

II. Alcoholism (4-7)

1. Drinking causes failure which causes more drinking....

2. If you want to be successful in life (not just a career), you need to stay sober....

----NT, "Do not be drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit..."

----To be drunk= to be controlled....(mind clouded)

----Principle applies to drugs in general....

----Jesus/Jewish Law required use of wine...in moderation....

3. Body Chemistry is a strange things.....and there are many drug effects in nature....digestion....weather.....diet...all affect chemistry....but some things affect it too much, needlessly so....

---------almost all crime is related to alcohol and drugs....factor in

divorce, abuse, car accidents....homelessness...

4. There is a legitimate use of drugs/drunkeness for humanitarian

reasons....31:6-7...(we use morphine instead)...

5. Many of us choose not to drink at all (expecially if it’s in the family); but for those who do, only do so if you strictly control yourself...

6. Moms, do you discuss these sorts of things with your children?

7. The best drug/alcohol prevention program is to lead your children

to Christ and get them learning His Word. Take advantage of SS, PTK, AWANA---and read to them at home: Children’s story Bibles, missionary stories, Stories that teach values....Scripture Memory Fellowship....

III. Promote Justice For All (8-9)

1. Evangelical Christians have been accused of not caring about "justice," but "just us." Is this true? Often, yes.

---often true within categories within the church....what affects us is

major....what affects others doesn’t matter...

----if our church has to have the exact music or programs we like or we go elsewhere, how do you think our posture is viewed toward society at large?----IT DOESN’T AFFECT US DIRECTLY...WE DON’T CARE!

Goal of editorial column: to demonstrate Christians can be concerned about many things....depth

2. We need to teach our kids to avoid the "only concerned if it affects us" attitude...

----we pray for the persecuted church

-----missions: millions of Christians care nothing about those outside