The Praiseworthy Woman

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An excellent wife and mother is worthy to be praised.

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Introduction:
Sometimes people
Ever since my wife quit her job to stay home with the children, people ask her, “What do you do all day? You must have a lot of free time because you don’t work anymore?” I don’t think they ask maliciously, but often ask in ignorance. The people who ask usually don’t have kids. Being a wife and a mother is a full time job. Think about what a mother does in a single day:
Wake up when your child needs you. Change them. Feed them. Entertain them. Educate them. Disciple them. Discipline them. Play with them. Pray with them. Read with them. Plan for them. Prepare meals for them. Bath them. Dress them. Bear with them. Correct them. Love them.
You know when the Daddy has to watch the kids, I must confess sometimes it is Disney Junior and Low Nutrition food. And I get tired after watching them for only an hour!
If we were to think about a job description for mothers, a mother is an Educator. A Teacher. A Comforter. A Doctor. A Physical Therapist. An Administrator. An Events Planner. A Counselor. A Role Model. An Example. A Discipler. A Disciplinarian. An Entertainer. A Prayer Warrior. A Cook. A Personal Assistant. A Driver. A Cheerleader. A Protector. And that all happens within one day!
A newsweek
A Newsweek article titled “Mother’s Matter” said if stay at home moms got compensated for all the hours they work, they would be paid $131, 471 a year.
Motherhood is a tough yet rewarding task. It is part of the way God has designed women.
Behind every great man lies a great woman. It also also true that before every great man comes a great mother. When we look at church history, many people we consider the heroes of the faith were raised by godly and supportive mothers.
Behind every great man lies a great woman. It also also true that before every great man comes a great mother. When we look at church history, many people we consider the heroes of the faith were raised by godly and supportive mothers.
In the Bible, the prophet Samuel was raised by his godly mother Hannah. In the NT, John the Baptist was raised by Elizabeth. Jesus was raised by Mary. Timothy learned the Scriptures through his mother Eunice.
In church history, great theologians and hymn writers and evangelists were also raised by godly mothers.
Augustine, the great North African theologian, may have been converted through the persistent prayers of his mother Monica when he was living an immoral lifestyle and flirting with heresy.
The mother of Charles Spurgeon, Eliza Spurgeon, had Surgeon when she was only 19 years old and gave birth to 17 children though 9 died in infancy. Her husband was a bi-vocational pastor who was gone most of the time leaving the care of the children to Eliza.
Spurgeon grew up a rebellious child. However, Eliza would often read Scripture, pray, and plead for her son to be saved. This left an impression on him at an early age.
After Spurgeon’s conversion, he would preach to thousands and millions in his lifetime earning him the title the prince of preachers. In one of his sermons he said,
“There was a boy once—a very sinful child—who hearkened not to the counsel of his parents. But his mother prayed for him, and now he stands to preach to this congregation every Sabbath. And when his mother thinks of her firstborn preaching the Gospel, she reaps a glorious harvest that makes her a glad woman.”
John Piper, speaks of his mother Ruth, in this way:
“What I owe my mother for my soul and my love to Christ and my role as a husband and father and pastor is incalculable.”
John Piper’s dad was a traveling evangelist, which meant he was gone 2/3 of the year. This meant his mom had to take on more responsibilities in paying bills, managing rental properties, caring for the home, teaching and discipling the children. It was John Piper’s Mother who would lead him in prayer to receive Christ at the age of 6. He wrote a poem for a tribute
Mama knew the Good Book — especially the Proverbs; years later when I was three thousand miles away she kept on quotin’ Proverbs in her salutations. The message was always the same — the pulse beat of her heart — Be wise son, be truly wise: Fear God and keep your heart warm.
What all these men had in common was that they had a praiseworthy mother. And it is appropriate that on Mother’s Day, we would talk about what makes a woman praiseworthy. It was better to preach on the last chapter of Proverbs rather than don’t let your heart envy and follow sinners in to the end of the chapter.
What makes a woman praiseworthy?
I. A Praiseworthy woman is precious.
Main Proposition: In , we will see three things that makes a woman praiseworthy, so that we can take this day and opportunity to thank God and honor praiseworthy women.
She is precious (vv. 10-11)
She is a virtuous (vv. 13-27)
She is godly (vv. 28-31)
Scripture Reading:
What makes a woman excellent?
Proverbs 31:10–31 ESV
An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant. Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
She is rare. She has character. She is godly.
Background
Background
It is interesting that the proverbs personifies wisdom as a woman. And the last chapter, an ideal woman is described to give us a picture of what wisdom looks like in everyday life. Commentators debate whether this is a metaphor or an actual woman.
I think it refers to an actual woman because never is wisdom praised by her children or husband in proverbs except here.
It is Acrostic Poem. Each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Mom is Awesome, Blessed, Caring, Devoted. You get the idea. This would be the ABCs of a godly woman. Hebrews may have memorized this because this is what they should have looked for in a wife and these are ideals that women strived to emulate.
Proverbs 18:22 ESV
He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.
Side Note:
Non-Christian Mother—You can still praise God for a woman who reared you and provided for you and nurture you. And she doesn’t have to be a Christian to give thanks and honor her.
Women without Children—You can still be a spiritual mother to women in the church. There have been many “moms” in the Lord who didn’t have children.
Single Woman—If you are a single woman, what we see here are qualities of what true beauty looks like. If you want to look beautiful in a biblical way, listen carefully and strive to emulate these qualities in your own life.
Metaphor or Real Wife.
Single Man—If you are thinking about being married, these are some qualities you should look for in a wife. But don’t be foolish in thinking you can only marry a woman who has ALL of these qualities because I would say you need to look at your own life according to Scripture because you probably don’t meet all the standards in Scripture considered for men. Pray God would make you the type of man who is worthy for this type of woman.
Men-Look for this qualities in wives.
Married Men-Pray for this over your wife. Your love should help her grow into this type of woman. Your Christ-like love should allow her to flourish and grow more beautiful each year she is married to you.
Married Women-Don’t be discouraged because you realize that you fall short of this standard. Pray. Ask God to grow you as he sanctifies you more and more into the image of Christ. Sanctification is a process, not an quick fix transformation. And only Christ embodies perfect wisdom and beauty. But by God’s grace and His Spirit working in you, you can strive for these ideals as the years go by.
Married Woman-Pray you become this woman.
What makes a woman praiseworthy? Honorable? Beautiful?

I. A Praiseworthy Woman is Precious (vv. 10-12)

Proverbs 31:10–12 ESV
An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
Proverbs 31:10 ESV
An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
Excellent can be translated noble, virtuous, and valiant. She is literally a woman of strength.
And the author says “Who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.” KJV, translates it “rubies”. Like a rare diamond, is a woman who lives in the way God made her and designed her to be. An excellent woman is a gift of God.
Proverbs 12:4 ESV
An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.
Proverbs 19:4 ESV
Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend.
Proverbs 19:14 ESV
House and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.
What makes her precious?
A. She is Trustworthy (v. 11)
Proverbs 31:11
Proverbs 31:11 ESV
The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.
She is reliable. She is faithful. She knows that she will remain faithful. She remains discerning.
She is reliable. She is faithful. Her husband knows that she will remain faithful when he is gone.
He will have no lack of gain (metaphor of the rich plunder of a victorious army) meaning she is valuable and beneficial.
B. She is Committed (v. 12)
She is Committed (v. 12)
Proverbs 31:12 ESV
She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
She makes the man better, stronger, wiser, and godlier because he is joined to her.
She builds him up. She has her husband’s best interests in mind. And she is committed all the days of her life.
Unlike the adulterous woman in Proverbs who abandons her wedding vows, she is faithful to fulfill her wedding vows.
Martin Luther:
“The greatest gift of God is a pious amiable spouse who fears God and loves his house, and with whom one can live in perfect confidence.”
What makes this woman praiseworthy is her faithfulness and commitment to her husband and her family.
Public—In a culture that celebrates feminist ideology, a praiseworthy woman is a person who is committed to her career. Committed to her own rights even if that means aborting a child in a womb. Committed to her own autonomy. Committed to her own happiness at others expense.
In contrast, a biblical woman is praiseworthy because she is committed to lay aside her rights for her family. She is not autonomous or independent, but one who is dependent on God. She is committed to the flourishing of her family and those who are around her. It is not wrong to have a job, but its wrong to place your job over your family and your God.
SinglePractice commitment in a local church and in the home. Practice faithfulness here. If you have godly parents, your parents should be an example of what commitment looks like to you. Faithfulness and commitment are two key traits you should look for in a spouse.
MarriedI love seeing wedding anniversaries of older couples in our church. Tito Vic and Charing just celebrated 54 years of marriage. They have been married longer than I have been born, became a Christian, and married to my own wife! Praise God for that. Marriages like that are rare today because it takes commitment and faithfulness to make a marriage work.
So married people, the vows you made to one another are not empty vows. You are in marriage for the long haul. You are committed to your spouse through good times and bad. A good wife will stick with her husband through this journey of life and will do him good all the days of her life.
Transition: A praiseworthy woman is precious and a gift of God. But secondly, what makes a woman praiseworthy is her character. She is virtuous....this will be the bulk of the sermon...

II. A Praiseworthy Woman is Virtuous (vv. 13-27)

And I see eighty qualities that make her a praiseworthy woman.

1. She is Economical or Resourceful (vv. 13-15)

Proverbs 31:13–15 ESV
She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.
She knows how to take wool to make clothes. She would weave and sew clothes for herself and family. She was willing to work with eager hands. In other words, she is willing to get her hands dirty for her family. She takes pleasure in making something beautiful out of these clothes.
(v. 14) She also would make profit over what she made. The picture of merchant ships implies she was willing to travel to sell and bring home profit for her family.
This is the type of woman who doesn’t spend all her money on shopping, but makes money to bring home to her family. She is the one who makes cool stuff and sold her stuff on Ebay, or Etsy, and her valuable product was purchased for the benefit of her family.
She is resourceful. I know some moms who clip coupons to save every single dime for their families. I know some moms who go to thrift stores and shop and resell that clothing to make a profit. I know other moms who work a side job to support their family.
She not only provides food for her household, but even for her servants or maidens. This implies she managed her household well.
Unlike the sluggard, she wakes up early to provide for her household and her family. She is diligent and not lazy.

2. She is Entrepreneurial (vv. 16-18)

Proverbs 31:16–18 ESV
She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.
She knows how to makes wise investments. She considers, plans, and strategies how to increase her investments. She takes courage to make the deal.
She is prepared for hard work and active. She dresses herself with strength or girds her loins meaning she is ready for action. In other words, she is physically and spiritually motivated. She is resolved to work.
I know of some single moms who have had to raise children on their own. And they had to play role of both mom and dad to protect, provide, support, care, and nurture their children.
A mom has a instinct to do the very best to provide and care for her children.
She works until far in the night. The lights were on while everybody was sleeping. She was the first one to rise and the last one to go to sleep.
She is economical, she is entrepreneurial, but third,
When the kids nap, my wife is working. When the kids are put down. She is still working.
She is able to make clothes.

3. She is Generous (v. 20)

Proverbs 31:20–21 ESV
She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
Proverbs 31:20 ESV
She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
Proverbs 31:21-
She receives those who need help, whether inviting into her own home or giving material need.
She gives the needy what they need, whether food or financial assistance or even shelter. She is hospitable. She is kind to strangers.

4. She is Courageous (v. 21)

Proverbs 31:21 ESV
She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
Snow falls in Palestine in the winter rainy season. Crimson or Scarlet which is costly wool. She makes sure her family has the proper clothing to survive the season.
She knew how to make Northface jackets before they were a company so her family could be well protected.
Proverbs 31:22 ESV
She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Snow falls in Palestine in the winter rainy season. Crimson or Scarlet which is costly wool.
Scarlet
She is even able to make larger projects as bed coverings. They are fine and expensive quality. Her home didn’t have poor quality stuff, but she made sure her family had the best things and was a refreshing place to live.

So husbands, when your wife wants to go to ikea or homegoods to make the house beautiful, don’t knock her on it or scold her. This is the way God has made her.
She is cares for her own home.

4. She is a Helper (v. 23)

Proverbs 31:23 ESV
Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.

City gates were the social and economic hub of the city. The elders were the leaders responsible for legal rulings (see note on Ruth 4:1). The husband of the excellent wife was known and respected among the leaders of the town.

Proverbs
The New American Commentary: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs Type: Wisdom Poem, Acrostic, Chiasmus (31:10–31)

The verse has been read as almost an intrusion on the poem; all the other verses praise the wife, but this verse alone focuses on the esteem the husband commands. Far from being an intrusion, however, v. 23 actually establishes the central message of the poem: this woman is the kind of wife a man needs in order to be successful in life.

The city gates were like the city hall of the day. This man was a respectable person who dwelt with matters of the community and the land. And what made him able to to govern and rule was because he had a strong wife at home helping him become a better man.
I can testify there are so many things my wife does way better than me, yet she submits to me. And because she submits to me voluntarily, she allows me to be a better husband, better Father, better pastor, better preacher.
She is my best sermon critic. She is my source of encouragement when I’m down. She is my best rebuker. She is my best counselor. She is my best friend.
Our wives as you can also testify makes us better men if you are married.
Find a wife who will be able to do good and strengthen you to do what God has called you to do.
Marry a Christian!

5. She is Profitable (v. 24)

Proverbs 31:24 ESV
She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.
She is able to supply merchants with quality product and able to make a profit out of it.
She is resourceful. I know some moms who clip coupons to save every single dime for their families. I know some moms who go to thrift stores and shop and resell that clothing to make a profit. I know other moms who work a side job to support their family. These are women are able to make and sell things so that her family can benefit.

6. She is Courageous ( v. 25)

Proverbs 31:25 ESV
Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
Because of her trust in God, she is able to whether the storms of life. She is a source of strength and a rock of comfort because she relies in the the Lord.
She has a confident trust and she is resilient. She trusts in the sovereignty of God and because of her diligence and planning, she is not afraid when disaster comes.

7. She is Wise (v. 26)

Proverbs 31:26 ESV
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
The translation is literally “teaching filled with lovingkindness.” She teaches God’s Word with grace and kindness. Her mouth does not destroy, but builds up in love and truth.
Proverbs 2
John Piper, speaks of his mother Ruth Piper, in this way:
“What I owe my mother for my soul and my love to Christ and my role as a husband and father and pastor is incalculable.”
John Piper’s dad was a traveling evangelist, which meant he was gone 2/3 of the year. This meant his mom had to take on more responsibilities in paying bills, managing rental properties, caring for the home, teaching and discipling the children. When ask why does he believe the Bible, he said, “Mama told me so.” It was John Piper’s Mother who would lead him in prayer to receive Christ at the age of 6. He wrote a poem for a tribute
Mama knew the Good Book — especially the Proverbs; years later when I was three thousand miles away she kept on quotin’ Proverbs in her salutations. The message was always the same — the pulse beat of her heart — Be wise son, be truly wise: Fear God and keep your heart warm.
Great men of God had great women of God who feared God and reared them.
Moms—You are not just a mom. You are one of the greatest influences in the lives of your children. The most immediate people you should disciple is your family. Cathecize them. Sing with them. Pray with them. Read the Bible to them. And your deposits will produce fruit later on in life. Don’t discount the high calling of a mother.

8. She is Diligent (v. 27)

Proverbs 31:27 ESV
She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
She maintains her household. She does not indulge in bad habits or is a sluggard. She is not on the reality TV Show “The Real Lazy Housewives of Israel.” She doesn’t spend her time in idleness. She is not a mom who is not present with her children or her husband or wasting her time on social media or at the mall.
But she is diligent. She manages her time. She manages her household well.
Wives/Mothers: If we truly understand what you did, then it should be Mother’s Day everyday and give honor to you for your hard work.
Singles—Strive to emulate these qualities in your own life. Look for these qualities in a spouse.
Non-Christian—The idea of a Biblical woman is not someone who turns off her mind and just makes dinner. The idea of a biblical woman is One who is a helper and places her priority in the family. She is wise, an entrepreneur, diligent, hardworking, kind and generous, she is hospitable. And she does everything to support her family. She makes her husband a better man. She makes her children flourish and thrive. Because she is this type of woman, she makes the people surround her flourish.
Husbands—Thank God for your wife. Lavish her with praise. It is good to appreciate what she does as a wife and mother. And we should honor our mothers who sacrifice so much to make their children flourish.
Transition: An excellent woman is a woman a rare and precious woman, because she is a gift from God and she is know by her character: she is economical, entrepreneurial, generous, supporter of her husband, profitable, wise and diligent. All these traits refer to her character and her virtues.

III. A Praiseworthy Woman is Godly (vv. 28-31)

Today is the day where everyone facebook and instagrams about their moms. This is what her children were doing and what her husband was doing.
A. She is Praised By Her Children (v. 28)
Proverbs 31:28 ESV
Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
Children, it is good to praise your mom and show words of appreciation. Thank you. We love you. We appreciate all that you do. Sometimes the best thing you can show mom is appreciation for all that she does.
They call her blessed. The word speaks of a spiritual and physical wholeness. She is a well-rounded mom. She does all things well.
Dad, you should also praise mom. They should learn from your example. You should praise your wife generously in front of your children. You should lavish her with praise generously because without her, your family would not function.
B. She is Praised By Her Husband (v. 29)
Proverbs 31:29 ESV
“Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”
And this husband does do that. What he saying, your the greatest wife and mother on this planet. I have the best wife on earth. There is no one like you. You are rare, precious, a woman of character, and deserved to be praised. We praise God for your life because our family is enriched by your work and life. Thank you. There is no one like you.
What makes her precious and virtuous because her greatest quality is that she fears the Lord.
She Fears the Lord
Proverbs 31:30 ESV
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Vain means it is fleeting and brief and transitory. What makes her a woman who deserves to be praised is because she fears the Lord.
What makes her a Wonder Woman is not because she is primarily physically attractive and beats up the bad guys, but a true Wonder Woman is one who Fears the Lord.
The book of Proverbs started with the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. And the book ends with the same theme. Holiness is hot and holiness is happiness.
Proverbs 19:23 ESV
The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.
Immodest and physical beauty are fleeting. You can be hot . But you can be a hot wicked witch. There is more to a person than just how he looks.
1 Peter 3:2–3 ESV
when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—
1 Peter 3:3–4 ESV
Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.
Women, do you give more attention to putting your physical features on display that can be a stumbling block rather than putting God on display by how you live?
Singles, do you pay attention to character more than her inner beauty? Physical attraction is not wrong, but it is wrong when that is the only thing you look at. Because when she is fifty with five kids, you are going to need more than looks to get through life.
True beauty according to God’s standards is godliness and obedience.
She is rare and virtuous because she fears God and obeys Him. This is the same theme repeated throughout all of Scripture. Woman who are worthy to be praised are women who fear God. They worship God and order their life by God’s Word. And because of that, they are able to be faithful and committed and loving to their spouses and family.
Moms, make sure you are guarding your time with the Lord. Ask Husband to help you so you can have quiet times with the Lord. Given the season of life, get creative on how to feed your own soul. Feed your soul, before you feed others.
In church history, great theologians and hymn writers and evangelists were raised by godly mothers.
Proverbs 31:30–31 ESV
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
Proverbs 31:29–31 ESV
“Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
In church history, great theologians and hymn writers and evangelists were also raised by godly mothers.
Augustine, the great North African theologian, may have been converted through the persistent prayers of his mother Monica when he was living an immoral lifestyle and flirting with heresy.
The mother of Charles Spurgeon, Eliza Spurgeon, had Surgeon when she was only 19 years old and gave birth to 17 children though 9 died in infancy. Her husband was a bi-vocational pastor who was gone most of the time leaving the care of the children to Eliza.
Spurgeon grew up a rebellious child. However, Eliza would often read Scripture, pray, and plead for her son to be saved. This left an impression on him at an early age.
After Spurgeon’s conversion, he would preach to thousands and millions in his lifetime earning him the title the prince of preachers. In one of his sermons he said,
“There was a boy once—a very sinful child—who hearkened not to the counsel of his parents. But his mother prayed for him, and now he stands to preach to this congregation every Sabbath. And when his mother thinks of her firstborn preaching the Gospel, she reaps a glorious harvest that makes her a glad woman.”
John Piper, speaks of his mother Ruth, in this way:
“What I owe my mother for my soul and my love to Christ and my role as a husband and father and pastor is incalculable.”
John Piper’s dad was a traveling evangelist, which meant he was gone 2/3 of the year. This meant his mom had to take on more responsibilities in paying bills, managing rental properties, caring for the home, teaching and discipling the children. It was John Piper’s Mother who would lead him in prayer to receive Christ at the age of 6. He wrote a poem for a tribute
Mama knew the Good Book — especially the Proverbs; years later when I was three thousand miles away she kept on quotin’ Proverbs in her salutations. The message was always the same — the pulse beat of her heart — Be wise son, be truly wise: Fear God and keep your heart warm.
Proverbs 31:31 ESV
Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
Proverbs 29:
She is to be rewarded by her character and she is to be celebrated in the community.
She is to be publicly acknowledged in the gates. These are the qualities of a excellent and praiseworthy woman. And in fact, do you know there was one woman who is specifically mentioned in Scripture as excellent? Worthy? In the Hebrew Bible, the book that follow Proverbs is actually the book of Ruth.
The Gospel
The Gospel
Boaz:
Ruth 3:11 ESV
And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman.
Because she feared God and was a loyal woman, she gave birth to the great grandfather of the King of Israel, the Son of David, the One who would save His people from their sins.
Ruth 4:21–22 ESV
Salmon fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered David.
Her godliness and her character allowed for eventual birth of our great King Jesus Christ.
Her godliness and her virtue along with every other mother would raise up godly men and women who would make a lasting and eternal impact on this world.
The proverbs 31 woman is an ideal most of us fall short of. Yet because of the grace of God and fear of the Lord working in this woman’s life, Jesus Christ would come from Ruth’s genealogy.
And Jesus Christ would come from Ruth’s genealogy because she feared God.
Jesus Christ, the perfection of wisdom and wisdom incarnate, would put God’s wisdom on display by dying on the cross for sinners who deserved His wrath. And through God’s wisdom Jesus Christ would be raised from the dead. So that sinners who repent and turn to Him may find forgiveness and eternal life.
Non Christian
If you want to live a praiseworthy life, a life that honors God and loves others, you must repent of your sins, and trust in the One who embodies perfect wisdom.
But not only would they find forgiveness, but they would find wisdom to live a life that strive to emulate these ideals in a praiseworthy woman. Through God’s grace, we would be able to life wise lives so that he can have successful and prosperous lives in fearing the Lord.
If you trust in Jesus Christ, he can make you into this type of woman by God’s grace. Jesus Christ came into the world to die for fools and sinners. And those who trust in Him can be made wise and saints who receive praise from God.
What makes a woman praiseworthy?
She is precious.
She is virtuous.
She is godly
Conclusion
May you women of CFBC strive to emulate these qualities. And by God’s grace, may you raise up a generation of men and women who will be able to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Augustine, the great North African theologian, may have been converted through the persistent prayers of his mother Monica when he was living an immoral lifestyle and flirting with heresy.
The mother of Charles Spurgeon, Eliza Spurgeon, had Surgeon when she was only 19 years old and gave birth to 17 children though 9 died in infancy. Her husband was a bi-vocational pastor who was gone most of the time leaving the care of the children to Eliza.
Spurgeon grew up a rebellious child. However, Eliza would often read Scripture, pray, and plead for her son to be saved. This left an impression on him at an early age.
After Spurgeon’s conversion, he would preach to thousands and millions in his lifetime earning him the title the prince of preachers. In one of his sermons he said,
“There was a boy once—a very sinful child—who hearkened not to the counsel of his parents. But his mother prayed for him, and now he stands to preach to this congregation every Sabbath. And when his mother thinks of her firstborn preaching the Gospel, she reaps a glorious harvest that makes her a glad woman.”
John Piper, speaks of his mother Ruth, in this way:
“What I owe my mother for my soul and my love to Christ and my role as a husband and father and pastor is incalculable.”
John Piper’s dad was a traveling evangelist, which meant he was gone 2/3 of the year. This meant his mom had to take on more responsibilities in paying bills, managing rental properties, caring for the home, teaching and discipling the children. It was John Piper’s Mother who would lead him in prayer to receive Christ at the age of 6. He wrote a poem for a tribute
Mama knew the Good Book — especially the Proverbs; years later when I was three thousand miles away she kept on quotin’ Proverbs in her salutations. The message was always the same — the pulse beat of her heart — Be wise son, be truly wise: Fear God and keep your heart warm.
Spurgeon grew up a rebellious child. However, Eliza would often read Scripture, pray, and plead for her son to be saved. This left an impression on him at an early age.
After Spurgeon’s conversion, he would preach to thousands and millions in his lifetime earning him the title the prince of preachers. In one of his sermons he said,
“There was a boy once—a very sinful child—who hearkened not to the counsel of his parents. But his mother prayed for him, and now he stands to preach to this congregation every Sabbath. And when his mother thinks of her firstborn preaching the Gospel, she reaps a glorious harvest that makes her a glad woman.”
So we set aside this day, to thank God for you and honor you. May you continue to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank God for godly women in our lives. Praise God for the spiritual mothers. Praise God for the wives and mothers who love their families well. And may God raise up more women who exemplify these qualities. Let us pray.
When kids are home with daddy,
Disney Junior all day. Cookies and ice cream for lunch and dinner. And you don’t need to take a bath.
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