Sermon (08-May): "A Mother's Influence and Love"

Scripture:

Romans 16:12-13

12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.

13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.

Proverbs 31:30-31

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Big Idea:

The objective of this message today is to realize the presence and importance of women and mothers to their home, family and the world

Introduction:

- If the Bible and/or the church looks at man—Adam—as the head of creation,

- Then, women and mothers must be considered to be the crown in our homes—signifying dignity, royalty and nobility

- There’s a story of a teacher asked her class what word started with an “M” and was used to pick things up. She was looking for magnet, most of the class said, “Mother”!

Alan Carr, “God’s Description of a Godly Mother (Pro. 31:10–31),” in The Sermon Notebook: Old Testament (Lenoir, NC: Alan Carr, 2015), 1699.

- Doesn’t that seem how the world can look at women today?

- Look at a couple of these illustrative points (slides)

- Mothers, imagine receiving a gift or a card like one of these

- For many or most of us, we could tell a story of how our mothers have impacted our lives

- Now, I know that some of those stories may be better for some than for others

- And this message is not intended to diminish anyone’s experiences

- Little happens to be known about the writer of Proverbs 31, King Lemuel whose name itself means "devoted to God"

- Some believe that He's King Solomon and others believe him to be from the kingdom of Massa located in present day Northern Arabia

- One thing can be said is that he had a woman in his life--a mother--that was instrumental in his life

- King Lemuel had a mother that taught him the importance and value of a woman and a mother

- Men and fathers have a level of influence in the home and in the world

- But Lord knows, where would we be without the presence, influence and impact of a woman today

- Women make life more fruitful, beautiful, and dare I say, more meaningful to our society and world

- I've told my wife on different occasions--and definitely not enough--that without her

- The walls in our home would be bare, our young daughter would have had to have worn a simple ponytail

- And our son would have been misguided about most things female in his life

- They would have had to deal with my slow growth in gaining a more holistic outlook on life

- They each have gained immeasurable knowledge and wisdom from the one they simply call, Mom

- The achievements that are shown in this chapter are notable

- But most importantly point to a woman's reverence to and dependence upon God

- It's always my belief that no one can reach their fullest potential apart from God…until they accept and depend on Him

-You can have fame or fortune, riches untold but until we meet and come into a relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords

- We are grasping at straws—only attaining a shadow of what God can and wants to do in and through us

- If the author of this chapter is Solomon, and we know his experience with women

- We have the opportunity of hearing wisdom from the one who God said (1 Kings 3:12),

12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.

- It’s no doubt that he made some foolish decisions in his life

- But that does not cancel out his God-given wisdom shown through Proverbs

- The Book of Proverbs gives us short quips/witty remarks that give us down to earth insight that we can utilize in our daily life

Transition: It’s no different in Proverbs 31 so in honor of women and mothers, I want to focus a few things

- Here in this passage, this Proverbs 31 woman:

-- She impacts her family and home

-- She impacts herself

-- She impacts the world

Message:

- She impacts her Family and Home

10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.

14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.

15 She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.

- Many women over time have looked at the Proverbs 31 woman and either been inspired, challenged or discouraged

- On the one hand, it seems as if she is doing everything

- The home is more than intact, she’s holding it down on the work front

- There’s nothing that she cannot do

- And, if we are encouraged to look for biblical examples for men or women

- I can only imagine how difficult it would be to attempt to measure up this woman

- By far, she would be the gold standard

- She would be trending on every news and social media app and search engine…

- On the cover of many magazines

- All in favor and pointing to the Proverbs 31woman

- No one can definitively say that this woman did all this in a day or a lifetime

- We can see her impact and love overall

- She impacted her family tremendously

- Women and mothers have that somewhat innate influence where it is noticeable

- This king introduces her worth and it’s tied to her virtues and character

- Talent, skills and abilities are one thing but character is quite another

- Character is built over the long term

- You don’t trip up into good or godly character

- It’s one of those things that God shapes in the furnace of life—through challenges and trials

- We either come out bitter or better, learning a lesson so we don’t have to repeat the lesson

- And this woman learned enough to benefit not just herself but her family

- Her family is not in want—the children are good, the husband is good

- As a whole, their home is thriving

- Yet, anyone who’s had an experience or two with life

- It does not necessarily always come that easily

- So, if any woman is going through a rather tough, difficult time

- This virtuous woman comes out on the other side of the circumstance

- We’re fortunate enough to see the rainbow but we forget that sometimes there is a storm before

- That God can show the same favor in this day and age

- We may not always get our whys answered

- But God is still one to confound and astound us—to say the least

- We see that she is determined to come out on the other side

- And, her family is the better for it

Transition: But we see that it doesn’t end there

-- She impacts herself

16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. 17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. 18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. 19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

- Another line of strength that flows from this virtuous woman is her savviness—she considers and plants

- She’s shrewd enough to know how to maneuver her personal affairs

- And has the ability to use—not necessarily brawn—but her skills and abilities to best advantage herself

- When the verse mention that she “considers” a field, think along the lines that she rolls it over in her mind

- And she figures out best how to purpose the land or “situation”

- It’s not merely the effect of “earnings” financially

- It’s along the lines that how can she benefit herself and all those that are connected to her

- That is not only a skill but for many women—I find it to be an intuition

- Considering, planting and prudent thinking are her strengths that cannot be overlooked

- She becomes an example or an embodiment of all God has called her to be

- That’s why I become more convinced that this woman/this mother has been crafted and built over time

- So anybody here that feels as if she doesn’t measure up to this Proverbs 31 woman

- Know that you qualify to be in the building stages toward such a noble goal if you are not already in the process

- Additionally, I say that she impacts herself because according to verse 17 in the Amplified version,

v.17 “She equips herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task] and makes her arms strong”

- She is in it for the long haul

- Her God-given task is going require the best out of her

- But it’s okay because she’s being equipped for it

- She makes a profit but she’s not in it for the profit

- We see that she is a diligent and vigorous worker

- She is by no means a weakling and contrary to what some may say of a wife or a woman as shown in 1 Peter 3:7

- A “weaker vessel” is comparatively speaking to the physical strength of a man and that’s generally speaking

- A woman, wife, mother is not weaker in intelligence, skills or abilities

- She knows what healthy choices need to be made to address whatever task at hand

- It shows up holistically across the board not in just one area either

- The fact that she does not allow “her lamp to go out at night” can speak to her energy and enthusiasm

- Her focus is on point, her diligence is definitely noteworthy

- God not only sees this but He rewards her work ethic and generosity

Transition: And, even further He allows her to impact the world

- She impacts her World

24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. 25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. 26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

- At first glance at these verses, you can overlook a woman’s impact to the world as a whole

- You can see the profits that she gains for herself

- You can see the wisdom that she speaks with

- And, both can seem like they benefit only her individually

- Yet, what you can miss out on is that she “supplies the merchants”

- Many a business or venture has been impacted and uplifted by women

- Whether it be support to leading out front,

- Women have been critical in so many different ways

- I look at examples like Deborah in the Old Testament or Mary—Jesus’ mother—and the other women at the foot of the cross

- Women have always played a key role in society and of importance to God and all of humankind

- So, when the passage reads (v.26) that

“she speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue”

- Those aren’t mere words

- King Lemuel—as should we all—is taught to value this noble woman and her contributions

- The wisdom that she speaks are like “apples of gold in a setting of silver” (Pro 25:11)

- These women don’t demean another person’s character/value/worth in their words

- Her words can be instructive and corrective for future errors

- But the words that she speaks are timely

- There are numerous times when I have seen my wife impact our children and family with the right words at the right time

- We all have benefitted from it one way or another

- I like the way the MSG translation (Eccl 12:11) states it when it comes to the wise and their speech,

ECCL 12:11 The words of the wise prod us to live well. They’re like nails hammered home, holding life together. They are given by God, the one Shepherd.

- A Proverbs 31 woman is wise in her speech

- To think, we are barely even scratching the surface of the Proverbs 31 woman

- We see the poor and needy (as laid out in verse 20) benefit from her as well

- Her compassion to their plight and needs is what is missing or lacking in our world today

- Look at this stat:

Some 93% of high-net-worth women gave money to charity last year, compared to 87% of high-net-worth men, according to the 2018 U.S. Trust Study of High Net Worth Philanthropy.

Women were also more likely to volunteer their time: 56% did so, compared to 41% of men.

- https://www.marketwatch.com/story/wealthy-women-give-away-their-money-and-time-more-than-rich-men-2018-10-24

- For some of us, those numbers are not surprising

- What should be surprising is that if pay continues on the path that I currently trending towards,

- Experts don’t expect the pay gap to close until the year 2106

- That’s pretty sad when you consider that life begins with a mother—obviously a man and a woman—

- But ultimately through a mother

- We see that the modern day Proverbs 31 woman is not a doormat, not silent, not dismissible;

- Rather, she is trustworthy, eager, purposeful and savvy

Closing:

- As I close, where do we go from here as a society in regards to women and mothers?

- The proper thing is to see that we all should value women and our mothers in the respect that God made them

- King Lemuel sums it up perfectly,

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

- Praise and honor win out over charm or beauty any day of the week

- That praise and honor is linked to her fear of God

- And this is the woman—the mother is the one who makes an impact to her family, home, herself and the world

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I ask you to forgive me for all of my sins known and unknown, I renounce them all. Lord Jesus, come into my heart. I receive you now as Lord and Savior of my life. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He died for me and arose and sits at the right hand of God praying for me, interceding for me. Lord Jesus, I give you everything. I thank you for saving me, delivering me and setting me free, in Jesus’ name!