A Mother's Counsel To Her Son

A MOTHER’S COUNSEL TO HER SON! Proverbs 31:10 “An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels.”

What Is The Meaning of the word MOTHER?

M is for the MILLIONS of things she does for me!

O is for the OPEN arms she has for me!

T is for the TEARS she has shed for me!

H is for the HEART of gold she has for me!

E is for the EYES of discernment she has for me!

R is for the RICHES she has deposited in me!

Today, let’s examine A Mother’s Counsel To Her Son as it relates to how to live his life and the things he should look for when choosing someone to become his wife!

I. The PROPHECY that is ACKNOWLEDGED to him! Proverbs 31:1 The words of King Lemuel, the prophecy his mother taught him!

Who was King Lemuel? We know very little about King Lemuel. He is not in any recorded list of the kings of Judah or Israel but, the name, “Lemuel” means “belonging to God.”

Some older commentaries and Jewish traditions identify Lemuel, the one belonging to God, as Solomon, and Bathsheba was his mother!

There is no evidence that Lemuel was a code name for Solomon, so, Lemuel was probably a pagan king who put his trust in Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel and through the fear of the Lord, he learned wisdom!

Notice the words, the prophecy his mother taught him. The word translated “prophecy” in the KJV is also translated “oracle” and or “burden” in other translations. Lemuel’s mother received divine instructions from the Lord, and she imparted these instructions to her son, and he was to ponder them and evaluate them as being divine instructions from God Himself as he searched for a woman to become his wife!

II. The WARNING that is EXTENDED to him! Proverbs 31:2 What, O my son? And what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows!

Lemuel’s mother probably was barren for a long period of her life. Like Hannah, she probably made a vow to the Lord that if He gave her a son, she would give him to the Lord!

This is why she says What, O my son? And what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows! Proverbs 31:3 Do not give your strength to women, or your ways to that which destroys kings! Proverbs 31:4 It is not for kings O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to desire strong drink. *Strong Drink distorts the perception of reality and impairs performance! *Strong Drink interferes with sound judgment and the capacity to make responsible decisions! *Strong Drink weakens spiritual and moral sensitivities! *Strong Drink can lead to addiction! 

Proverbs 31:2 What, O my son? And what, O son of my womb? And what, O son of my vows! My son . . . son of my womb . . . son of my vows . . . Proverbs 31:8 Open your mouth for the speechless (voiceless), in the cause for all who have been APPOINTED to DIE! The wise and godly man will open his mouth for the speechless, and take up the cause of the defenseless (those appointed to die) . . .

It is time for the Caucasian churches to “take up the cause for those who have been appointed to die” like 25-year-old, Ahmaud Arbery! It is a shame for a young African American man cannot go out jogging in his neighborhood without being shot to death 2 miles from his home! !It is time for the African American churches to “take up the cause for those who have been appointed to die” in their mother’s womb through abortion!

The PROPHECY that is ACKNOWLEDGED to him, The WARNING that is EXTENDED to him and in closing . . .

II. The QUALITIES that are LISTED for him! Proverbs 31:10 An excellent (virtuous), wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels!

We have learned a lot of things from our “mothers” over the years, for example: It was from our mothers that we learned about anticipation when she would say to us, “You just wait until your father gets home.” It was from our mothers that we learned about logic when she would say to us, “Because I said so, that’s why.” Our mothers also taught us about foresight when they would tell us, “Make sure you wear clean underwear today in case you are in an accident.” Our mothers taught us how to become adults when they said, “If you don’t eat your vegetables, you will never grow up.” They taught us about genetics. “You are just like your father.” They taught us about irony. “Keep laughing and I will give you something to cry about.” They taught us about stamina when they said, “You will sit there until all of that spinach is finished.” They taught us about the weather when they would say “It looks like a tornado swept through your room.” They taught us about the circle of life when they would say “I brought you into this world and I can take you out.” It was our mothers who first taught us about prayer when they would say “You had better pray that will come out of the carpet.” Of course, it was our mothers who taught us about justice when they said, “One day you will have kids and I hope they turn out just like you. Then you will see what it is like.”

Back to our text: Remember, these words are a mother’s instructions to her son. Each man should “search” for a virtuous woman, understanding that she is rare and valuable like the most valuable jewels in the world!

Each of the 22 verses in Proverbs 31:10-31 begin with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The purpose for this was to make the passage memorable and or easier to memorize (aleph, beth, gimel and so on, ending with the last letter tau)!

PASTOR DANNY’S TESTIMONY: Proverbs 31:11 The heart of her husband TRUSTS in her and he will have no lack of gain! Proverbs 31:12 She does him good and not evil all the days of her life!

Proverbs 31:13-16 She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight; She is like merchant ships; she brings her food from afar!

She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household.

She considers a field and buys it! From her earnings she plants a vineyard!

Proverbs 31:17-18 She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She senses that her gain is good; her lamp does not go out at night!

Proverbs 31:19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff (a stick or spindle onto which wool or flax is wound for spinning), and both hands grasp the spindle!

Proverbs 31:20 She extends her hand to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the needy!

Proverbs 31:21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet Proverbs 31:22 “She makes coverings for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.”

Proverbs 31:23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land! She makes garments and sells them and supplies belts to the tradesmen!

Proverbs 31:25 Strength and Dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future! She opens her mouth in wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue!

Proverbs 31:27 She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness!

Proverbs 31:28 Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her, saying: “Many daughters have done nobly, but YOU excel them all!”

Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised! Give her the product of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates!

MOTHER’S

Did you hear about the new reality TV program this fall? Here is the premise of the program. Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and four kids for six weeks. Each kid plays two sports and either takes music or dance lessons.

There is no access to fast food. Each man must take care of his four kids by himself. He has to take all four kids before, during or after his full or part time job. He also must keep his assigned house clean. He has to correct all homework, complete science projects, cook, do laundry, etc.

These men have access to one television, and it is only on when the kids are asleep. There is no remote control. The men must shave their legs. They must put on their makeup either while driving or cooking breakfast for the kids. They have to make four lunches and exercise to keep their spouse pleased. The kids vote them off the island based on performance. Once a winner is picked, he can play the game over and over again for the next 18 to 25 years, eventually earning the right to be called mother.

You moms certainly deserve your own certain day. There ought to be a mother’s month or year!

GUILT FREE MOTHERS!

Romans 8:1 “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death!

Mothers, even though you may feel you are condemned . . .

You are not condemned by your PERSONAL SINS!

You are not condemned by your MESSY home!

You are not condemned by your MISCARRIAGE(S)!

You are not condemned by your BARRONESS!

You are not condemned by your DIVORCE!

You are not condemned by your SINGLENESS!

You are not condemned by your SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD!

You are not condemned by your REBELLIOUS children!

You are not condemned by your BODY, which has changed!

You are not condemned by your desire for a VACATION!

You are not condemned by your FAILURES as a MOTHER!

You are not condemned by your ABORTION(S)!

You are not condemned by choosing ADOPTION for your child!

You are not condemned by not being able to COOK!

SOMEONE IS MISSING . . .

Every day since my mother died, I wake up with the knowledge that . . . Someone is Missing! I go through my day and in the back of my mind, I hear a whisper . . . Someone is Missing! I sit down to eat and in the back of my mind I hear a whisper . . . Someone is Missing! On January 1st, I wake up and think . . . there is a birthday to celebrate today and I hear clearly . . . Someone is Missing! I wake up on vacation and I hear loudly . . . Someone is Missing! I gather with family to celebrate Christmas and I look around the room and inside my head, I hear a whisper . . . Someone is Missing! Please understand I enjoy spending time with family but this voice that I hear squeezes my heart . . . Someone is Missing! Today I gladly celebrate Mother’s Day, but my heart knows, Someone is Missing!

Jesus is our model for all things pertaining to life and godliness, and He modeled how to honor someone before they are missing from our lives:

WHEN GOD CREATED MOTHERS

When the Lord created mothers, He was into His sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared and said, “You’re doing a lot of fiddling around on this one.” The Lord replied, “Have you seen the specs on this order? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic. Have 180 moving parts, all replaceable. Run on black coffee and leftovers; have a lap that disappears when she stands up; a kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to a disappointing love affair; and six pair of hands.”

The angel slowly shook his head and said, “six pair of hands? No way!” The Lord said, It’s not the hands that are causing me problems, it’s the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have. One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, “What are you kids doing in there?” when she already knows.

Another pair in back of her head that sees what she shouldn’t see, but what she needs to know, and of course the pair in front that looks at a child when he messes up and enables her to say, “I understand and I love you,” without so much as uttering a negative word. The Lord also said to the angel, “I’m so close to creating something that is so much like Me. I already have one who heals herself when she is sick, can feed a family of six on a pound of hamburger, and gets a nine-year old boy to stand under a shower. Not only can she think, but she can also reason and compromise.

Finally, the angel looks over closely and ran his finger across the cheek of the mother and said, “there is a leak, and I told You that you are trying to put too much into this model.” The Lord replied to the angel, “That is not a leak, that is a tear!” The angel said, what is a tear for? The Lord said, “it’s for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness, and pride.” The angel shouted, “You’re a genius!” But the Lord calmly replied, I didn’t put it there!”