Supplication Sunday: Mother’s Day 2020

  Many of us have heard or said the phrase, “be a Proverbs 31 woman.”  We often start at verse 10, but what about the nine verses that precede?  It’s easy to focus on the virtues we should strive after as women, because, after all-

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.”

Proverbs 31:10 KJV

  However, I think we should strive to be like king Lemuel’s mother, who teaches him this prophecy (Proverbs 31:1).  Being the mother of a baby boy, the first nine verses of Proverbs 31 really speak to me.  This passage doesn’t only give us insight into what a virtuous woman looks like, but it tells us how a man should act as well.  King Lemuel’s mother has essentially told him what he should look for in a woman and instructed him in the way of life.

  When we look at Proverbs 31 in this context it becomes more than just how we should act as godly women, and makes us consider what we want for our children.  Of course I would want my son to exercise good judgement and stand up for those less fortunate than him.

“Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.”

Proverbs 31:9

  I would also want him to find a wife who fears the Lord and treats him well whom he can trust and call blessed.  I would want him to treat her well and give her the praise she deserves for her labor.

“The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.  She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.”
Proverbs 31:11-12 KJV

“Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.”
Proverbs 31:28 KJV

“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.  Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”
Proverbs 31:30-31 KJV

  If I had a daughter, of course I would want her to be godly and conduct herself in a way worthy of praise.  I would also want her to be strong, hard-working, kind, happy, and wise.  

“Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.  She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.  She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.”

Proverbs 31:25-27 KJV

  I encourage you to read Proverbs 31 in its entirety.  It not only tells us how to be godly women, but how to be a godly family.  It touches on what healthy relationships between a husband and wife, and children and their mother should look like.  This is a beautiful message that displays the power of a godly mother.  Not only can each of us be a “Proverbs 31 woman,” we can raise Proverbs 31 families.

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Proverbs 22:6

  I pray that each of us would strive to not only be godly women, but to share these Biblical principles with our husbands and children; so that we may raise healthy, godly, children and families.