The Perfect Mother

Proverbs 31

THE PERFECT MOTHER

The Proverbs 31 Woman

10 Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.

13 She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, She brings her food from afar.
15 She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household, And a portion for her maidservants.
16 She considers a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a vineyard.

17 She girds herself with strength, And strengthens her arms.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good, And her lamp does not go out by night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hand holds the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.

21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies sashes for the merchants.

25 Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:

29 “Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31:10–31 (NKJV)

Great Mothers

Rizpah – Faithfulness

2 Samuel 21:10 (NKJV)
10 Now Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until the late rains poured on them from heaven. And she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night.

The Syro-Phonecian Woman – Great Faith

Mark 7:26–30 (NKJV)
26 The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” 28 And she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.” 29 Then He said to her, “For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.

Imperfect Mothers

Sarah – Doubted God

Hannah – Loved the Idea of Motherhood

Naomi – Call Me Marah (Bitter)

The Widow of Zarapheth – Resigned to Give Up and Die

The Shunnamite Woman – Regret

Noah’s Wife (Faithfulness and Consistency) v. Lot’s Wife (Looking Back to the Good Old Days)

The Dilemma

• Some days you are Noah’s Wife
• Other days you are Lot’s Wife
  “Life is like a box of chocolates…”
• Some of you may identify with the Proverbs 31 Woman, doing everything right for husband and family.
• However, note the first words of that description:
  10 Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.
• You Are Not the Perfect Mother…
  • …but you are the only mother your child will ever have.
  • God does not expect you to be perfect, but He does expect you to be the best you can be, and then confess and repent when you fail.
    

• Takeaway Thoughts
  • You have an example of a perfect mother, examples of great mothers, and examples of questionable mothers
  • But the best mothers are those willing to hear from God and do their very best, even with the occasional flaws in their record.
  • God takes imperfect people and makes great things happen through them!