HoHum:
The Supermom. What is a woman supposed to be and do? So many ideas of the perfect woman
Hats by Amy Grant- Well, it don’t stop. No, it’s never gonna stop. Why do I have to wear so many things on my head? Hats! One day I’m a mother, one day I’m a lover. What am I supposed to do? Hats! Working for a living All because I’m driven to be the very best for you. This may be a dream come true, this may be poetry in motion, This may be a dream come true, But when it all comes down, it’s an awful lot to do.
WBTU:
For thousands of years, God-fearing women have looked to the noble, or virtuous (KJV), woman of Proverbs 31 as their ideal. This poem was traditionally recited in the Jewish home every week on the eve of the Sabbath.
But what about today’s woman? Of what value can this ancient poem be to the diverse, complex life-styles of women today? To the married, to the single, to the young, to the old, to those working outside the home or inside the home, to those women with children or without children? It is more relevant than you might at first expect — although it is also too good to be true.
The woman described in Proverbs 31 is a picture of an ideal woman. The focus of this picture is a woman’s relationship with God, not her specific abilities or marital status. The Proverbs 31 woman realizes that regardless of her natural talents or acquired skills, or all her accomplishments, her strength comes from God.
Thesis: 8 descriptions of the Proverbs 31 woman
For instances:
She is compared to a rare jewel (vs. 10)
We should value her as one would value a precious stone- hard to find but once found, worth it.
Solomon, who knew something about women having 700 wives and 300 concubines, said this in Ecclesiastes 7:28: I found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all.
Proverbs 18:22: He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.
J. Vernon McGee says, “I want to say that I have always thanked the Lord for my wife. It is wonderful to have a good wife- and to have someone who is able to put up with me!”
She is her husband’s right hand man
After the creation, God found one flaw. Genesis 2:18: The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:21-24: So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
Nice but what was the reason for this. Man to have a helper suitable for him- a partnership.
Ladies- You were not taken from his feet, to be under him, nor were you taken from his head, to be above him. You were taken from his side, to stand beside him and be held close to his side.
She is industrious (vs. 13-19, 24, 27)
Man’s work is from sun to sun, but a woman’s work is never done. Men are sprinters while women are marathon runners.
In these responsibilities there is seldom praise, but often criticism. In our homes, how much would get done if it wasn’t for women?
She is a generous woman (Vs. 20-22)
First, she is generous with her family. Mother many times is more generous than the father. Always making things and giving things away to the family.
She wants to give to the family and then to her neighbors and others who are in need.
How many women give hugs, cards and food to those who are sick or in turmoil compared to those who are men?
She honors her husband (Vs. 23)
Some women publicly chastise their husbands, tell their friends what a failure or baffoon he is, tell everyone all of his faults. A woman will make or break a man. Behind every good man, there is a good woman.
A good woman will do her best to honor her husband, not to disgrace him. She should tell her husband his faults, failings and sins in private where things can be worked out, not out in public or behind his back. She will not do anything to hurt the reputation of her husband.
Ephesians 5:33: the wife must respect her husband
Strength and dignity are her clothing (Vs. 25-26)
"She is clothed," in verse 25, with spiritual character. She has spiritual strength and dignity. Now, what does that word "dignity" mean? It refers to the fact that she is elevated above common things. She is elevated above trivial things--her life is not all about what doesn't matter. She has true class, true virtue. She has godly character. She is spiritually strong and has
elevated herself to nobler issues. And she has the power of true character, and it is expressed in the fact that she can laugh at the days to come.
She has no fear. Why? Because she knows her life is right with God, and that secures His blessing in the future. She knows in whom she trusts. She knows her life is right. She is faithful, she is pure, and therefore she can delight in what is ahead.
Laugh at the days to come. Laughter is important. Our relationship with God through Jesus Christ is serious but if we take that seriously then we will not take ourselves so seriously. We do not live on a soap opera so we can laugh at ourselves and with our family.
Also based on her spiritual strength, and based on her virtue, verse 26, "She opens her mouth in wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue" and she has credibility because of her life.
She guides her family daily, including her husband, with words of wisdom from the law of God. Proverbs 1:8 tells a young man to follow the law of his mother. Hers is not a formal class. There is a place for women to teach women, and women to teach children, and that is good. Beyond that be careful. But women teach all of the time in an informal setting--it's the home, and it's "all the time"--her classroom. It's the instruction and the flow of her life, "day in" and "day out," "day in" and "day out."
Her children and her husband praise her (Vs. 28, 29)
Why is this praise so important? I suggest three reasons for praising a woman who fears the Lord: 1) it feels good to do it; 2) it honors God; 3) it strengthens her in the Lord.
She has true beauty (Vs. 30-31)
Two types of beauty.
First one is fleeting and that is physical beauty. Dorothy Parker said, ““Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone”. I disagree because there is another beauty that goes beyond measurements and appearances.
Second one is the beauty of the spirit. 1 Peter 3:3-5: Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful.
My friend Jeremy- If I took away her looks, would I still love her for her beauty.
She has the inner beauty that only comes from Christ.
Conclusion and invitation:
Lot of emphasis today on looks and appearance especially for women. How can I be beautiful? Need to have plastic surgery, need to spend big bucks on salons and diets and work out routines.
Need to start with the inward person. This originally was said of Israel, but it can be said of us today through the Lord Jesus Christ: Ezekiel 16:8-14: I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine. I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD.
