The Book of Proverbs 31:10-31 paints a very intimating picture of a woman whom you could possible say does not exist, but she does, everything the bible listed she did, was done by the wisdom and grace of God and because she was a woman whom the bible described as a woman who had a relationship with God, who feared the Lord, a woman who was soaring like an eagle in every area of her life.
The bible says in Job 28:28 that ‘the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding’.
Proverbs 14:1 ‘Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands’. (KJV)
‘A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands’. (NLT)
The title of the short message our Father in heaven has given to us today is ‘A woman who fears the Lord’. The question the Holy Spirit is going to help us answer this morning is ‘Who is the woman who fears the Lord?
There are three things concerning the woman as she is portrayed in the book of Proverbs 31: 10-31, with particular attention to verse 31 which is the Theme for this year’s Mother’s Day celebration, ‘The woman who deserves praise’.
- Her power to discern both good and evil is emphasized. She is recognised as important in the social structure. She appreciates and does not take it for granted and accepts with a cheerful and masterly mind the place God has given her and she tries her very best to satisfy the conditions that come with being a woman who fears the Lord.
She is a woman in her own class, she is a caregiver: Proverbs 31 verse 20: ‘She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy’. She honours and respects her husband not only at home but in public as well, verse 23: ‘Her husband is respected at the city gate’, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land’. Verse 31: Honour her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. She is able to discern when the enemy is raising its ugly head against her home and knows what weapons of warfare she needs to use against the enemy.
- Her position, as portrayed here, gives us a high estimate of the life of the Jews as a nation. You can always tell a nation’s character from the character of its women.
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
She is a woman of great understanding and good character, she is beautiful from the inside to the outside, she seasons her speech with salt and grace, and she speaks with wisdom.
Wherever she goes, she carries the Glory and the kingdom of God within her, the light of God in her always shines and this light attracts even the heathen to her because they are affected in a positive way by the way she lives her life and conducts the affairs of her household. She has the fruits of the spirit (Love, peace, joy, faith, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness & temperance) and she is able to rule her spirit and keep it under control because the Holy Spirit is her Helper. She is clothed with strength and dignity.
She raises her children in the ways of the Lord and her children walk in the ways of God because they see her demonstrate how to walk in the precepts and commands of the Lord.
A home is where the character of the children is being formed. The greatest of all empires do not offer a more dignified throne for the exercise of high wisdom than the mother’s seat in the home. The results of such a good woman’s life are visible. She has a happy husband. She has appreciative children. She has a good name. She is never tired of being a mother and a wife, she is constantly giving herself in the place to be taught, to learn new things from the word of the Lord and even from her environment.
- The Christian woman is a wife and mother. She took the place God made for her and filled it excellently, this is one of the highest success in life.
She is a woman, a daughter, a wife and a mother after God’s own heart, she fears God, she has been bestowed with the wisdom of God, she is a master builder with the Lord of her home, she is in unity with her husband & children because they rise and call her blessed. She is an industrious woman; she watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. She is a woman who prays through, a woman who God attends to her petition because she prays with the leading of the Holy Spirit, aligning her prayers to the perfect will of God. She is excellent in multi-tasking (carrying different roles & tasks at the same time and managing it well).
She is a woman that is enjoying all-round dominion, all-round consolidation and soaring like an eagle in every area of her life by the special grace and mercy of God.
Brethren this is the desire of God for you and I as His Dear children that we will succeed and be excellent in every area of our lives. Please let’s not settle for less when we know we can have it all in Jesus Mighty Name. The woman who fears the Lord deserves to be praised. My prayer for every woman in the house today is that your husband and children will always rise and call you blessed and ultimately God will give you a standing ovation in heaven when you must have lived long and finished your race here on earth in Jesus Mighty name.
The sermon was delivered on March 22, 2020, on the occasion of Mother’s Day Special Service.