Portrait of a Loving Mother

A Virtuous Mother

She rises before the sun
Her work already begun
Lunches to pack, clothes to sort
All done with a prayerful heart.

My mother, niece and sister, Mother of the World

She smiles at all on her way
Her lips sing kindness and praise
Positive words, encouraging looks
Each one rooted in the Good Book.

She considers her daily chores
Her hands sit idle no more
Beds to make, rooms to clean
Every effort to live as a queen.

She sees numberless needs
Her ears aren’t deaf to pleas
Volunteer hours, donated bags
Giving until her energy lags.

My grandmother who loved me through troubled teenhood

She listens to God’s voice
Her mind plans a choice
Others go first, family reigns
Promised blessings she claims.

She opens her hands and heart
Her love works on after dark
Homework, housework, cooked meals
Hugs, listening ears, being real.

 

 

This mother is praised by her own
God blesses her with eternal renown.

*Based on the portrait of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31:10-31

May is for Mothers

May flowers. May Day. Mother’s Day. Memorial Day. May has the shortest name and a long calendar of important events.

The next few weeks will spotlight motherhood. To prepare you for that, I thought I would share a little something about the virtuous woman. You know, the super star of Proverbs 31?

Here’s a simple acrostic (created by Elizabeth George and shared in her book A Young Woman’s Guide to Discovering her Bible) of the character of a godly woman:

She is:

An Army
a Blessing
Considerate
Diligent
Enterprising
Faithful
a Gardener
Hearty
Industrious
has a Job at night
Kind
Looks to the future
Magnificently clothed
a Noble wife
an Outstanding professional
Prepared for the future
speaks in a Quiet manner
Runs her household
has Stars in her crown
Truly outstanding
has Unusual beauty
enjoys Voices of praise

How many would others say about you? What about the Lord?

This May, let’s strive to be a woman worthy of being praised. And, children, rise up and call your mothers blessed. I won’t even begin to nag the husbands.

The 21st Century Virtuous Woman Part 3: An Industrious Personality

Image courtesy of J. Davis

“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies” -Prov. 31:10

Work. It’s a four-letter word. I’ve noticed that the upcoming generation avoids it like a plague of epic proportions.

It isn’t in the character of the virtuous woman to shirk her responsibilities or shy away from hard work.

The 21st Century Virtuous Woman Part 1: A Virtuous Mother

“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies” -Prov. 31:10

If you’re like me, Proverbs chapter 31 intimidates you. The woman described here is Wonder Woman, Mother Theresa, and Betty Crocker all rolled into one dynamic ball of business acumen and abundant energy.

I’m going to spend the next five weeks exploring the various roles this woman plays and try to bring her super-hero powers and saintly status into the realm of accessible. I don’t believe God included this description to shame every woman on the planet. Instead, she is an exceptional role model.

Defining Virtuous

Merriam-Webster tells me that virtuous is an adjective meaning 1) Potent, efficacious (effective); 2) having or exhibiting virtue; morally excellent; 3) chaste. Perhaps that first definition surprised you a little.

The 21st Century Virtuous Woman Part 5: A Praiseworthy Spiritual Life

 “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies” -Prov. 31:10

A woman would not be considered praiseworthy if she didn’t have an exemplary spiritual life. After all, God’s reckoning of a person is the only one to make an eternal difference.

With all the duties a woman has, when is there time to build a relationship with her Lord? Like anything else of importance, this essential relationship must be given top priority. Before a woman can consider her role as wife, mother, worker or community member, she must find herself at the feet of her Maker being outfitted for these monumental tasks.

Setting aside quiet time for prayer, Bible study and more prayer can be difficult. Our home is filled with people clamoring for our attention. When those voices are silent, the dirty floors scream out or the laundry glares accusingly. In order to gird ourselves to meet all these needs, we must learn to tune out the world so we can tune in to God.

“She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task]” (Pro. 31: 17, AMP)

I love reading Proverbs 31:17 from the Amplified Bible because it shows there’s a clear order for a strong woman. She must equip her spirit before she can outfit her mind, and then this emotional strength will lend a hand to “physical fitness.”