Funeral For A Godly Woman

Funeral for a Godly Woman: Mrs. Opal Self

Proverbs 31:10-31

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Kilpatrick / McClendon Baptist Church - Aug. 10, 2012

*We are going to miss Opal Self. It is always hard to lose someone we love, especially when that someone is someone like Opal. But in the midst of our grief, we can remember Mrs. Opal with joy. And we can have great gratitude for her life.

1. First: We can thank God for Mrs. Opal’s devotion to her family.

*When it came to Opal, the very first Scripture I thought about was the Godly woman in Proverbs 31. And when we met yesterday, that was the Scripture you mentioned to me. Just a few minutes ago, Opal’s sister told me that when we open our Bibles to Proverbs 31, there ought to be a picture of Opal’s face.

*Opal Self was the epitome of a Proverbs 31 woman. Listen to these verses from that tribute to a good woman. I am sure that they describe your wife, mother, grandmother and friend:

10. Who can find a virtuous woman? For her worth is far above rubies.

11. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain.

12. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.

13. She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands.

14. She is like the merchant ships; she brings her food from afar.

15. She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservants.

*Those verses describe Opal Self to a “T.”

-She was the wife who could be safely trusted by her husband.

-She was the wife who did you “good and not evil all the days of her life.”

*The family told me that Mrs. Opal “fretted over Mr. Pete until the day she died. She made sure that he took his medicine.” And Mr. Pete said, “She took better care of me than she took care of herself.”

*That’s the way she was for all of you. Opal was always more concerned about her family that she was for herself. Clyde said that he called his mother every day to check on her, -- and sometimes it would get frustrating, because she would turn the conversation around to him. Rita said, “She just didn’t want to talk about herself.”

*Mrs. Opal was also like the good woman in Proverbs 31:13, who “seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands.” She was a willing worker. She helped John and Liz build their house last year.

*And she was the woman in Proverbs 31:15 who “rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household. . .”

*Mrs. Opal loved to prepare those famous family meals you had every Sunday. She was always deeply devoted to her family. Rita told me that your mom moved in with her for a while after Mark died. “She took care of me,” Rita said.

-Opal took care of you all.

*One cousin said that Mrs. Opal “filled-in as the grandmother that I never knew. She was there.”

-She was there for you all.

*No wonder we hear an echo of Proverbs 31:28 today: “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”

-Today, we can thank God for Mrs. Opal’s devotion to her family.

2. And thank God for her demonstration of her faith.

*How did Mrs. Opal demonstrate her faith? How does any Godly woman demonstrate her faith? -- God’s Word shows us 3 ways in Proverbs 31.

[1] First: she rejoiced in serving. Proverbs 31:20 says, “She extends her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.” That’s one good way to serve. Mrs. Opal loved to serve the Lord at church.

*Of course she cooked the Wednesday night meals here for 8 or 10 years. -- What a blessing that was to us. And Mrs. Opal served in the nursery a whole lot longer than that: 25 years or more.

*She rejoiced in serving the Lord. -- That’s how she demonstrated her faith.

[2] But Opal also relied on the Scripture. Proverbs 31:26 says this about a Godly mom: “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.”

*Where did she get her wisdom and kindness? -- It came from the Word of God.

*And Mrs. Opal was fully committed to God’s Word.

-She was in church every time she could be there.

-And she wanted you to be there too.

*Mr. Pete and several other family members said, “If you weren’t in church, she wanted to know why.” She would ask, “Where were you?” But she didn’t have to say anything. Mr. Pete said that “just her look would let you know that you needed to be in church.”