Being a Woman of Noble Character
Proverbs 31:10-31
May 11, 2003
Introduction
Little children can come up with some very interesting ideas. Listen to what some children wrote to their mothers for Mother’s Day.
Angie, 8 years old, wrote: "Dear Mother, I’m going to make dinner for you on Mother’s Day. It’s going to be a surprise. P.S. I hope you like pizza & popcorn."
Robert wrote: "I got you a turtle for Mother’s Day. I hope you like the turtle better than the snake I got you last year."
Eileen wrote: "Dear Mother, I wish Mother’s Day wasn’t always on Sunday. It would be better if it were on Monday so we wouldn’t have to go to school."
Little Diane wrote: "I hope you like the flowers I got you for Mother’s Day. I picked them myself when Mr. Smith wasn’t looking."
And how about this one from Carol? "Dear Mother, Here are two aspirins. Have a happy Mother’s Day!"
You may have noticed something lately. After decades of trying to convince us that there is really no difference between men and women aside from reproductive organs, the science world is finally getting a clue.
They’re finally figuring out that there really are differences between men and women.
I made mention of this last week, but let me hit it again here for just a minute.
God made men and women different. And far from that being a bad thing, it’s something we should lift up and celebrate.
If God made you a man, than be glad about the way He made you. In the same way, if God made you a woman, celebrate that.
If you’re a mother, that’s worth celebrating. I think motherhood is a sure sign that there is a Creator.
Mother’s Day is not a Scriptural holiday, nor is it a church holiday. It’s a greeting card holiday. And so I’m not going to spend a lot of time extolling the virtues of motherhood, which are many.
What you find happening in a lot of churches is a study of famous mothers in the Bible, with an idealizing of her and her spiritual life, and then a challenge that is almost impossible to meet, to try and emulate this awesome mother.
That’s not to say we can’t learn something from mothers in the Bible. Last year we looked at Hannah, the mother of Samuel, and explored how her prayer life serves as an example of how women can pray effectively.
But sometimes our ladies are given the impression that unless you’re a mother, and as holy and spiritual as Mary, the mother of Jesus, or at least Susanna Wesley, then they’re just not quite cutting it in the eyes of God.
And that’s just not true. Ladies, whether or not you are a mother, God has a special place for you in His heart. And He has a job for you. Because, you see, whether or not you realize it, you have an impact on the rest of us, and I don’t just mean the guys.
What I want to do today is to visit with you about how you ladies in general impact our world. And I’m going to do that using a very familiar passage of Scripture from Proverbs 31, verses 10-31, which my favorite woman read to you earlier in the service.
When I asked Debra to read that for you, her response was, “Yeah right, like I’m the wife of noble character.” To which I replied, “No, you’re the wife of Brian La Croix.”
Now before you start to panic and think I’m about to throw out a bunch of idealistic ideas about how to be the perfect woman or mother, you can just relax.
My plan today is to just give you some general principles that you can implement in your life, in order to become a woman of noble character.
We read a lot about the need for men to be men of character. And God knows we need men to step up to the plate and be men of godly character.
But what might get missed in all that is the need for women of godly character, whether married or single. We need women who reflect a love for God and His creation.
Our passage today gives us some insight on what a woman of noble character looks like.
My comments will be generally directed toward mothers, but you need to recognize something as we progress through the message: you can implement each of our main points into your own life, whether or not you are a mother.
A Woman of Noble Character…
1. Has a good head on her shoulders.
Listen as I read some of the characteristics listed in Proverbs 31:
• She selects good materials for her work.
She can get a good value for her money.
• She sets about her work vigorously.
• She sees that her trade is profitable; in other words, she makes wise decisions.
She looks for opportunities, and tries to take advantage of them.
• She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
You know, I need to brag on my wife here for a moment. When I come home, it’s rare that she’s sitting around. And when she is sitting, it’s generally only to take a breather.
She’s always running in our house. She does not eat the bread of idleness.
Housewives can get a bum rap sometimes, but you’ll never hear me saying that housewives don’t do anything.
Comedian Milton Berle once asked, “if evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?” (SermonCentral.com)
2. Shows compassion to her family and others.
• She gets up early to provide food for her family and servants.
That is, until they figure that the kids are old enough to get their own cereal. Just kidding.
Even if they can get their own food, Mom is the one who makes sure it’s where they can get it.
• She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
I think God has gifted women with an extra measure of compassion. They sense people’s needs better then men, generally. This is a good and godly thing, and it reflects well on her character.
3. Puts emphasis on her relationship with God.
• Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
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.” (SermonCentral.com)
Billy Graham’s mother said concerning mother’ day, that she didn’t want to be congratulated. But she wanted it to be a day of soul-searching in her life that she might gain a new awareness of the role that God had given her. (SermonCentral.com)
• She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
This is a direct result of her gaining maturity in her relationship with God. Jesus said that the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.
A woman of character speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction based on the Word of God.
• She is clothed with strength and dignity.
She is not easily swayed. And she can hold her own in most situations. In public, she carries herself well, with the posture that says she is confident in God and in her abilities.
4. Gains respect from her family.
This is not always automatic. The first three things I’ve talked about so far are things that the person can control, to a large extant. But this one doesn’t depend solely on the woman’s
• Her husband has full confidence in her.
Guys can help women along these lines, by encouraging them, providing an atmosphere for them to blossom, and grow in all areas of her life.
• Her husband is respected at the gates; I think it’s implied here that one of the reasons he’s respected at the gates is because of his wife.
This brings to mind the old saying that behind every successful man is a good woman and a surprised mother-in-law.
• Her children bless her, and her husband praises her.
You know, when I’m watching the kids for Deb, I can count on the fact that when she comes in the door, the kids are glad, and they let her know it.
That does my heart good.
Just the other day, a woman in Tennessee escaped from prison, kidnapped her own son from his legal guardian, and held a gun to his head, threatening to shoot if the police tried anything.
She ended up being shot and injured, and the boy was rescued. The whole episode was captured by a news crew, and this little boy will have the unfortunate opportunity to see his mother in this light.
Rather than looking forward to seeing his mother, he will grow up traumatized by her.
What’s the lesson here? Be a woman who can be respected by her family.
Now on a lighter note, here are Ten Things a Mom Doesn’t Want to Hear:
1. I swallowed a goldfish.
2. Your lipstick works better than
crayons.
3. Does grape juice leave a stain?
4. The principal called...
5. But DAD says that word all the
time.
6. What’s it cost to fix a window?
7. Has anyone seen my earthworms?
8. I painted your shoes pretty, huh
Mommy?
9. The dog doesn’t like dressing up in
your clothes.
10. I’m moving out. (Well, maybe
some days.)
Guys, let me ask you something. If someone were to judge your wife based only on what you have said about her in public, what would they think of her?
Would they think well of her? Would they know you love and respect her?
And it doesn’t just go for wives. What about mothers, sisters, and daughters? Do you talk them up in public?
If not, then get on the stick, fellas. It goes a long way in not only increasing the stock of your family in the eyes of others, but it also brings respect for you.
One of my heroes in this area is a guy named Barry Gruters. He was the leader of a summer missions program in Arizona when I was in college. At one of the training sessions, as everyone was winding down before going to bed, his wife said good-night and walked out.
Barry just looked after her, shook his head, and said, “I feel sorry for you guys, because you’re going to have to settle for second best when you marry – I got the best.” And he meant it. That has stuck with me for the last 18 years.
In fact, I use it myself on occasion. And I mean it, too.
But my point here is that my respect for Barry went through the roof
• I also think of those ladies who care for their parents.
They may not have a husband or children to care for, but they take care of the family they do have, and it’s worthy of honor. The problem is that many times, the only honor some ever see will be when they stand in front of the Lord and hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
If you’re caring for your parents, my hat is off to you.
Conclusion
Uh, guys? I hope you didn’t tune out on me during this message. Because everything we’ve covered here, especially in the main points, applies to you as well.
I hope you’ve got a good head on your shoulders. I hope that you show compassion to your family and others. I hope that you put a strong emphasis on your relationship with God. I hope that you gain the respect of your family.
And we just talked about how you could help your wife gain respect for herself.
The Bible says that you are responsible for your family, and that you are to love your wife as Christ love the Church, giving Himself up for her.
So let me encourage you again to do all you can to help the women in your life to be a woman of Godly character.
Before we finish, allow me to read a story from Erma Bombeck about an episode she had with one of her children.
For the first 4 or 5 years after I had children, I considered motherhood a temporary condition -- not a calling. It was a time of my life set aside for exhaustion and long hours. It would pass. Then one afternoon, with 3 kids in tow, I came out of a supermarket pushing a cart (with four wheels that went in opposite directions) when my toddler son got away from me. Just outside the door, he ran toward a machine holding bubble gum in a glass dome. In a voice that shattered glass he shouted, "Gimme! Gimme!" I told him I would give him what for if he didn’t stop shouting and get in the car.
As I physically tried to pry his body from around the bubble gum machine, he pulled the entire thing over. Glass and balls of bubble gum went all over the parking lot. We had now attracted a sizable crowd.
I told him he would never see a cartoon as long as he lived, and if he didn’t control his temper, he was going to be making license plates for the state.
He tried to stifle his sobs as he looked around at the staring crowd. Then he did something that I was to remember for the rest of my life. In his helpless quest for comfort, he turned to the only one he trusted his emotions with -- me. He threw his arms around my knees and held on for dear life.
I had humiliated him, chastised him, and berated him, but I was still all he had. That single incident defined my role. I was a major force in this child’s life.
Sometimes we forget how important stability is to a child. I’ve always told mine, "The easiest part of being a mother is giving birth.... the hardest part is showing up for it each day..."
Mother’s day is traditionally the day when children give something back to their mothers for all the spit they produce to wash dirty faces, all the old gum they held in their hands, all the noses they wipe, and all the bloody knees they "made well" with a kiss.
This is the day mothers are rewarded for washing all those sheets in the middle of the night, driving kids to school when they missed the bus, and enduring all the football games in the rain.
It’s appreciation day for making your children finish something they said they couldn’t do, not believing them when they said, "I hate you," and sharing their good times and their bad times.
Their cards probably won’t reflect it, but what they are trying to say is, "Thank you for showing up."
Let me encourage you ladies, whether or not you are a mother, by paraphrasing a passage of Scripture.
1 Corinthians 15:58 – Therefore, my dear ladies, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Whatever your work is, do it in view of the fact that you are working for the Lord. And do it in the confidence that your labor is not for nothing, and that God will honor you for it.
Let’s pray.
