You Surpass Them All

Introduction

The Intruders sang a song that says, “I’ll always love my momma she’s my favorite girl, I’ll always love my mama, she brought me in this world”.

Tupac Shakur wrote “there’s no way I can pay you back but my plan is to show you that I understand, you are appreciated”.

Even when you watch a football game, the most feared linebacker will make a game saving tackle or a crushing sack and say “hey momma”. To the women that are mothers or even serve in a motherly space, we say thank you! The month of May is not just a time where flowers bloom, the weather warms, and allergies flare up. It’s also Foster Care Awareness Month. A reminder for those who may not have been able to create a family the way society has traditionalized or those who just want to show love still have an opportunity to give a child a home. They still have an opportunity to love a child that may come from a place of neglect, trauma, or death.

As we approach the 31st Proverb as some denote this as the virtuous woman or wife, but what I really want us to draw out from this chapter is the fact these are instructions from a Mother to a Son.

What we must teach the next generation is the qualities that we look for in other people we must first master in ourselves. Every relationship podcast has referenced this text, and to be quite honest I can’t look for something that I do not see in myself. Proverbs 31 exemplifies four qualities, kindness, wisdom, stewardship, and not overtaken by idleness! As much as this describes a the quote on quote “virtuous” woman, it’s a duty of every person to be kind, every person to be a good steward, every person not to be tossed to and fro at the expense of idleness.

Proverbs 31:29 ““Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all.””

This woman stands out, she stands out because she stands in the protection of God. Anytime we are obedient to the place of reaching our potential as it pertains to the will of God. What the world sees as a person excelling is basically what God created us to do and be.

When we are focused on the eternal, it’s not that we neglect ourselves but she stands out because strong faith cannot be hidden.

Kindness

v. 20 of Proverbs 31 states, she extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.

Helping others doesn’t mean neglecting yourself, it’s a sign that you care about your fellow human being. I’m thankful for the sisters that have held space for the poor, helped those in need. Been a light in a dark place for people that have come to this church. Often times we dismiss a lot of things that don’t have a title attached to it. Understand something, kindness goes a long way in the kingdom. It’s a gift to be kind, it’s a gift to be giving! The church survives off the foundation of kindness!

Her kindness makes her standout, I need us to understand that it’s okay to stand out. Truth be told we have to stop belittling ourselves with this false sense of humility. God did not create you to get lost in the crowd, God created you to stand out. When God asks us to do something, many will not understand it, but life it’s about gaining understanding from people, it’s about being affirmed by God.

Not only are her actions kind but her speech is filled with kindness as well. Proverbs 31:26 “She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.”

How you talk to people matters, there is power in wise and kind speech.

Abigail - 1 Samuel 25:28-35

Kind speech will get us a long way!

Stewardship

Proverbs 31:15–19 “She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household, And a portion for her maidservants. She considers a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength, And strengthens her arms. She perceives that her merchandise is good, And her lamp does not go out by night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hand holds the spindle.”

Proper stewardship is the seed that provides fruit for generations to come. Last week we talked about the mother of Moses. It was her stewardship of her family and her faith that preserved the life of her son, that led to the liberation of an entire nation. It was the stewardship of Eunice and her faith that instilled principles of leadership in Timothy that led to him leading a church during the infancy of Christianity which instilled tenets and patterns that we still follow till this day.

Stewardship provides one with the power to give life and instill faith. Because she is a good steward of her possessions it provides the needs for her family, because she is a good steward the neighborhood is a better place, her community is a better place. We look so much at resources and miss the fact that kindness and stewardship have the power to change the world! Her stewardship impacts not only her life but even the life of her husband. He’s able to sit among the elders because this is what companionship is about it’s about bringing the best out of each other. Love was never meant to be a competition but an opportunity to show each other what Jesus shows to us.

Wisdom

Wisdom is much more than applied knowledge in this text. Verse 26 states that she opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness. She sets the standard of kindness because she speaks with wisdom. Essentially she has the capacity to understand and so have skill in living, implying adherence to a set standard. What is that set standard? It’s God’s standard. She’s teaching her son what to look for. The first step to pouring into the next generation is teaching them not just what to do but what to look for in other people. What are you teaching people by your actions.

I’m thankful for the wise counsel that comes from a God fearing woman.

it was Deborah that prophesied over Barak that God would grant Him with the victory.

It was Jochebed that taught Moses that regardless of what the powers that be in this world do, we have to trust in the providence of God.

it was the faith of Rahab, despite her past as a harlot, to affirm them by saying “I know the Lord has given you the land”.

It was Esther that stepped in to the faith of for such a time as this, who had the faith and wisdom not to remain silent in the face of the oppressor.

It was the Samaritan Woman who was empowered by Jesus that told everyone about a savior

We can learn by mistakes or by the counsel of those who are willing to be used by God.

It was the faith of Mary Magdalene in the face of oppression on the heels of crucifixion to go to the disciples and tell them what she had seen!

You excel them all because of your faith, kindness, stewardship and wisdom! Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised! It’s praiseworthy, we ought to be thankful that God works through women. If it had not been for a praying grandmother I wouldn’t be here, if it had not been for a wise mother I wouldn’t be here. If it wasn’t for a God-fearing auntie, sister or daughter many of us wouldn’t be here. I’m thankful that God decided to work through a woman by the name of Mary to bring the savior of the world into this earth that He would conquer sin!

You surpass them all!