Sermon for Sunday May 9th, 2010

Mom: Wisdom Personified by C. Philip Green

Proverbs 31:10-31:31

Some time ago, Peg Beukema of Nyack, New York, collected the responses of several elementary school children to some questions about moms. I got a kick out of reading them this last week, and I thought you’d enjoy them too, especially on this Mother’s Day.

Why did God make mothers?
• She’s the only one who knows where the Scotch tape is.
• Mostly to clean the house.
• To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
• He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
• Magic, plus superpowers and a lot of stirring.
• God made my mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
• God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world... and one dab of mean.
• They had to get their start from men’s bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
• We’re related.
• God knew she likes me a lot more than other people’s moms like me. (www.PreachingToday.com)

Moms are great! In fact, when God wanted to give us a picture of what real wisdom looks like, He chose the portrait of a mom. The book of Proverbs is jammed packed with wise advice. It has hundreds of short, pithy sayings that tell us what a wise person does to make his life go a whole lot smoother. In fact, there is so much advice that we can get lost in the details. So at the end of the book of Proverbs, God brings it all together into a single portrait to help us see the nature of true wisdom.

If you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Proverbs 31, Proverbs 31, where we see wisdom personified in a mom and learn what all of us must do to be truly wise.

Proverbs 31:10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. (NIV)

If we want to be truly wise, then we must…

BE WORTHY LIKE A MOM.

We must live lives of value. In other words, we must live in such a way that we’re assets to our relationships, not liabilities. We must find ways to give to those around us, not take from them.

A mom is “worth more than rubies,” because she is a “wife of noble character,” verse 10 says; literally, she is a “woman of strength.” She has strength of character that takes her and her family through the hard times.

It’s the same word used of Ruth in Ruth 3:11. There when Ruth proposes marriage to Boaz, Boaz responds by calling her a woman of “noble character – i.e., a woman of strength. This was the same Ruth who earlier determined to follow Naomi’s God even if it meant leaving her country and her people and remaining single and poor the rest of her life. She had the strength of character to trust the Lord and take care of her mother-in-law even at great personal sacrifice.

That’s a picture of real wisdom. Wise people are morally tough like a mom, so much so that they are assets to the people around them.

More than that, they are trustworthy teammates in a relationship. And they can be counted on to help, not hurt those relationships.

Proverbs 31:11-12 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. (NIV)

She makes her husband look good. She does him good and not evil. In other words, she is an asset to her husband, not a liability. She is his team-mate, not his opponent. She is not belittling him. She is not berating him. She is not getting laughs at his expense. She is on his team, doing whatever she can to help him be his best. Someone once said, “Behind every great man is a greater woman,” someone he depends on, someone he can trust.

Who can forget 18-year-old Kerri Strug in the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. As the team competition neared its end, Kerri was up last on vault. She needed to nail the vault in order for her team to win gold over Russia, but on her first attempt, she fell and injured her ankle. She was her team’s last hope to win the gold, so she decided to go for a second vault and risk further injury. On her second attempt, she managed to stick the landing before collapsing in pain, but she secured the gold for her American team. She was an unselfish team player, whose personal sacrifice kept her from the individual gymnastic events where she was favored to win. (www.strug.org)

She put the team above herself, and that’s what wise people do. They are an asset to those around them, living lives of value as morally tough, trustworthy teammates. And if we want to be truly wise, then we must do the same. 1st, we must be worthy like a mom. & 2nd, if we want to be truly wise, we must also…

WORK HARD LIKE A MOM.

We must put forth the effort. We must labor and toil to make a difference in our world. A wise person, like a mother, works hard!

Proverbs 31:13-15 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. (NIV)

This mother prepares food and clothing for her family. She also tends a garden, buying it, planting it and profiting from it.

Proverbs 31:16-18 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. (NIV)

Now, that doesn’t mean she stays up all night. In Bible days, a lamp always burned in the house. They never slept in the dark. The only two times a house didn’t have a lamp burning was #1) if it was deserted, or #2) if its occupants were dead. In either case it was a picture of terrible tragedy.

But this mother’s hard work pays off: She makes a profit, and her home is secure. In addition to all this, she makes clothing from scratch!

Proverbs 31:19  In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. (NIV)

The "distaff" was a stick that held the wool or flax, and the "spindle" was the device used to spin it into thread.

This woman worked hard just to make her clothes. She couldn’t run down to the local Jo-Ann Fabrics, buy some cloth and zip it through her sewing machine. No! She had to start with making a whole lot of thread with her distaff and spindle. Then she had to weave those threads into cloth in a loom. Then she had to cut the cloth and sew it all by hand.

She’s making all her clothing from scratch, but not only for herself, she makes clothing for the poor.

Proverbs 31:20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. (NIV)

She makes clothing for the poor, and she makes clothing for her family.

Proverbs 31:21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet. (NIV)

That meant that she made them clothing of the highest quality. She didn’t shortchange her family. Oh no! She gave them her very best! And she didn’t shortchange herself either.

Proverbs 31:22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. (NIV)

She clothed herself in fine linen and purple – the most beautiful clothes she could make. My friends, there is no sin in dressing well. In fact, we see it here as a mark of true wisdom.

Somebody once put it this way: “Mrs.” in front of a name does not have to mean “miserable rut of sloppiness.” At least it didn’t for this wise woman.

She made fine clothes for the poor. She made clothing of the highest quality for her family. She made beautiful clothing for herself. & She made the kind of clothing for her husband that caused him to be respected in places of power.

Proverbs 31:23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. (NIV)

The city gates were where the city leaders presided. There, they made all of the decisions regarding the legal and judicial affairs of the city.

She’s making good clothes for her husband, herself, her family and the poor. Then on top of it all, she makes good clothes to sell!

Proverbs 31:24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. (NIV)

No doubt, this is where she got the money to buy land for her garden (vs.16) – ingenious!

This mom worked very hard to make all this clothing from scratch and to feed her family. Now, most moms don’t make their own clothing anymore, but they still work very hard to take care of their families.

Hungry at the end of the day, a 15-year-old boy found his mother in bed and was suddenly seized with concern.

“Mom, are you sick or something?”

“Well, as a matter of fact,” his mother replied weakly, “I’m not feeling too well.”

“I’m sorry Mom,” the boy responded with furrowed brow. After a brief pause, he then added: “Don’t you worry a bit about dinner. I’m getting pretty big now, and I’ll be happy to carry you down to the stove!” (Daniel D. Meyer, in his sermon God’s Love for Weary Mothers, preached 5-11-03 at Christ Church of Oak Brook; www.PreachingToday.com)

Even though she wasn’t feeling well, she still had to cook dinner! And that’s what most moms do! They work hard whether they feel like it or not. It’s a picture of true wisdom at work, and if we want to be truly wise, then we too must work hard just like most moms.

Somebody once said, “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.” Every mom knows this. That’s why she works hard to see her family succeed.

If we want to be truly wise, then 1st, we must be worthy like a mom; 2nd, we must work hard like a mom; and 3rd, we must...

LIVE WELL LIKE A MOM.

We must walk a holy walk, trusting in the Lord. We must be godly men and women. Wise people, like most moms, have strength of character.

Proverbs 31:25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

This mom not only clothes herself on the outside with fine linen; She also clothes herself on the inside with the ability to withstand great forces against her and an inner beauty that instills awe and respect. She doesn’t worry about the future. Instead, she laughs at it, because she is trusting in the Lord.

During an earthquake several years ago, the residents of a small town became very much afraid. But one old woman, whom they all knew, was surprisingly calm and joyful. After a while, one of them said to her, “Mother, are you not afraid?”

“No,” she replied, “I rejoice to know that I have a God who can shake the world.” (Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations, #1258)

Now, that’s what I call “living well!” Wise people, like this old mom, have strength of character.

More than that, wise people, like most moms, have words of wisdom.

Proverbs 31:26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. (NIV)

“Wisdom” here is the skill of living well. & “Faithful instruction” in the Hebrew is torah hesed – literally, “the law of loyal love.”

In other words, this mother teaches her children how to live godly lives. & She teaches them to love God and to love people, which is the foundation of God’s Law.

Eugene A. Maddox, of Palatka, Florida, talks about a time when he and his mother were invited to dinner at her friend’s home. He was 15-years-old at the time, the year was 1970, and they and two other guests were also invited to dinner: an elderly, somewhat crippled lady and her personal assistant, an African-American lady named Addie.

When it was time for dinner, they said grace and began to indulge, but about halfway through the meal Eugene noticed someone was missing. It was Addie. He didn’t think much of it at the time; he just assumed she was not feeling well.

On the way home that night, Eugene asked his mom what had happened to Addie. His mother told him to call her “Miss Addie,” and then described what had happened. Their hostess’s sister, who had cooked their meal, had grown up with the tradition that black and white people did not eat together at the same table. And so Miss Addie had been told to eat by herself in a separate room.

Eugene was shocked that this had happened in a home that he had come to love and respect, and he and his mom both hurt for Miss Addie. They felt dirty, because they had been a part of that meal.

Three days later, when Eugene came home from school, he got another shock. His mom was cooking a meal at home, something she did only once every year or two. She was not a good cook, so they ate out most of the time. But that night, she was making a roast, and their dining room table was sat as fancy as he had ever seen.

Eugene asked, “Mom, what’s going on?”

And she replied, “I have invited Miss Addie for dinner.”

Eugene Maddox says, “That night was the most wonderful dinner I ever had with my mother, and Miss Addie was a congenial guest, who even brought us a set of guest towels for a gift. No Christmas or birthday present my mother ever gave me will compare to that night. As she sat at that table, she was 100 feet tall in my eyes. Three years later she died, but the memory of that night lives on within me. Though I did not recognize it at the time, my mother had given me a living picture of grace, of God’s heart, and his great table.” (Eugene A. Maddox, Palatka, Florida; www.PreachingToday.com)

That’s what wise people do. Through their words and their actions they teach the law of love. They live well with an inner strength of character. They live well with words of wisdom, and like most moms wise people are diligent and attentive.

Proverbs 31:27  She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. (NIV)

There’s no amount of sloth or laziness found in this woman. She is constantly attentive to the needs of her family. She lives well with an inner strength of character. She lives well with words of wisdom. & She lives well with a diligence that keeps her and her family safe and well supplied.

My friends, if we want to be truly wise, then we must be like that mom. 1st, we must be worthy like a mom; 2nd, we must work hard like a mom; and 3rd, we must live well like a mom. Then and only then will we...

FIND HONOR LIKE A MOM.

We will be praised. We will be respected.

Proverbs 31:28-31 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

This mom is praised by her children. She is praised by her husband – He thinks she is the best of all women! (vs.29). & She is praised by the leaders at the city gate, respected at the highest levels of society.

Is it because she is beautiful? No. Is it because she is charming? No. Verse 30 makes it very clear. She is praised, because she fears the Lord. In the context of Proverbs that means she knows and trusts the Lord, with the result that she lives in obedience to His Word.

This is the secret to everything else! This is the secret to being worthy. This is the secret to working hard. This is the secret to living well. & This is the secret to finding honor. It’s our relationship with the Lord that makes our other relationships right.

Nine years ago (2001), Hajnal Ban, a five-foot-one-inch Australian woman decided she was tired of being short. People made fun of her whole life, and she was convinced that her short stature was the only reason no one took her seriously in the professional world.

She thought there was nothing she could do until she found a solution in Russia. According to an article in the Times of London, Russian doctors agreed to “break both her legs in four places and stretch them slowly for 1 mm every day for nine months.” Then, after all the breaking and stretching, Ban wore plaster casts for three additional months to make the changes permanent. The whole process cost her $40,000.

In the end Ban gained three inches, but did she gain the respect she was looking for? She insists that she did, pointing out that she is now a city councilwoman in Australia. Even so, she had to admit, “I know I’ll get wrinkles and put on weight, and I’ll even shrink as I get older, so we’ll see what happens.” (William Saletan, Broken Is Beautiful, Slate.com, 7-8-09; Sophie Tedmanson, Australian councilor, Hajnal Ban, has legs broken to become taller, TimesOnline.co.uk, 5-1-09; www.Preaching Today.com)

I can think of a better way to be “taller” in people’s eyes. Just get on your knees before the Lord and learn to fear Him.

Christ died for us and rose again so we could be in relationship with the living God. We don’t have to do anything to make ourselves “taller” in His eyes. In fact, we can’t do anything. All that’s left for us to do is trust Him.

Do you want to be truly wise? Then be worthy like a mom. Work hard like a mom. Live well like a mom. & Find honor like a mom. To put it simply: Trust and obey your mother’s God.