" Who can find a Virtuous Woman? For Her Price is far above rubies" vs-10


This scripture is probably used more often on Mother's Day messages than any other Scripture. There are over 82 million mothers in America today. Some of us are fortunate enough to have our mothers still with us. Many of us have mothers of whom have passed from this life. My mom passed in Jan. of 1999.

How many of you remember some of the says your mom used to tell you. "Birds of a feather, flock together".
"Show me the company you keep and I'll tell you what you are". These two my mother recited often to me.

Mother's Day was originated in 1872 by a woman named Julia Ward Howe, She was a writer, a poet, a wife and a mother of 6 children. She was also the writer of the lyrics of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic". In 1911, President Woodrow Wilson made Mother's Day a national holiday, a year after Mrs. Howe's death in 19`0, of pneumonia, at the age of 91. She read and spake, 7 different languages.

Motherhood is the crowned approval of God although we know that not all women are mothers or want to be.

Our text today deals with an ideal mother. I realize that many did not have an ideal mother as this text says today but, according to scripture, written in this time frame, this is how the writer saw the ideal mother.

1. She was a faithful woman: Vs 11-19

a. She was faithful to her husband. Those who have faithful wives are blessed.
b. Her husband knew he could trust her vs-11
c. Her goal in life is to be a good wife to her husband vs-12
d. She is dependable vs-13-14
e. She is a hard worker.
f. She is a good manager
g. She cares for her home
h. She cares for her family
i. She rises in the early to start her day.

All these thing show that she honor her husband and he honors her.
There was 23 years difference between my dad and mother. When they were married, he was 49 and she was 26. No-one thought there marriage would last. 2 years after they married, my sister was born and 10 years after my sister was born, my twin brother and I were born. My dad was 60 years old when we were born. Everyone thought he was my grand-dad. My dad treated my mother like a queen. He made us boys show her honor and respect as well till we were grown men. They were together for 46 years when my dad passed away at 94 years old. Mom live 20 more years and passed away at 93.

II. She is a caring woman: vs 20-25

a. She cares about the needs of the poor
b. She reaches out to the needy
c. She watches out for her family
1. Her kids have clean clothes
2. Her kids have warm clothes for winter.
d. She keeps her home clean and neat
e. She cares about her husband's reputation
f. He is respected in the community because of her efforts.

Years ago, a preacher friend of mine was asked to go see a lady who was very distraught because her husband had left her and moved to a motel. My friend went to see the lady, knocked on her door and she opened the door. He introduced himself and asked her what he could do for her. She began to cry and said she just did not understand why her husband left her. My preacher friend told me that her hair was a mess, she had and old robe on that hadn't been washed in who knows how long and looking over her shoulder, he saw what a mess her home was. He asked her if she would like for him to be honest with her and tell her exactly what he thought was the problem. She said "yes". He said ma'am, you home looks like a hog pen and you look like the hog! She got rather upset and ended their conversation very quickly and closed the door.

About 18 months later, a lady came to my preacher friend's office. She was very well dressed and was quite polite and asked if she could see my preacher friend. She was ushered into "Bro Bud"s office and he invited her to set down. She asked if he knew her and he said to his knowledge he did not. She said "do you remember telling a lady about 2 years ago, that her home looked like a hog pen and she looked like a hog"?
Bro Bud kind of got a bit embarassed and said "yes, I must admit, I did say that to a lady once". She then said "I am that lady and I wanted to find you and thank you for your insight and your honesty." She said she had cleaned up her home, cleaned up herself, her husband came back home and that past 18 months had been the happiest they had been in their 18 years of marriage.

You see, it does make a difference how a woman keeps her home, keeps herself, takes care of things around the house for her family. I am realistic enough to know now days that this is very difficult to do with the husband and wife having to work but, ladies, if your husband will help you around the house, things will be better for both of you.

In my case, my dad worked on the railroad. Mom always kept a clean house, she always had clean clothes for us to wear, she packed dad's lunch for him every day. Basically, mom, my twin brother and I took care of the little farm we lived on and dad worked on the railroad. When he retired, mom went to work at a hospital as a seamstress making hospital gowns, etc. to help put my brother and I through high school. She would then come home and we would milk cows, feed hogs, chickens, and feed the sheep and horses.

III. She is a wise woman vs 26-27

a. She opens her mouth with wisdom
b. She trusts God and teaches her children also
c. She finds ways to praise instead of pouting
d. Her lips show kindness to her husband and her children
e. She speaks kindly to others

Are all mothers like this? Do they show all these qualities all the time? No, but, this is a picture of the goal. This is a pattern by which they should and can follow. The attack on the family in America has destroyed some of these attributes of a wife and mother. It has also done the same for fathers as well.

My mother was a little hot tempered Irish lady. She would get mad about things and just unload the whole suitcase on my dad. He would just stand and let her get it out of her system. He would say "Faye, that's what I like about you, you have spunk"! Smoke would roll off her head because dad would not get mad.
After she cooled down, she would come to my dad and ask if he would forgive her for acting like she did and saying all the stuff she did. My dad would take her face in his hands, kiss her on the forehead and say "sweetheart, you were forgiven before you ever asked". My dad was a wonderful dad and a great husband to my mom and she loved him very deeply.

The rewards of a Godly Mother are these:
a. Her children call her blessed
b. Her husband praises her.

After my dad retired from the railroad, my dad and mom labored together in church, dad preached funerals, and sang at funerals, with my mother playing the piano for him. Mom was a church pianist for years and served faithfully in her little church, that she grew up in until she was past 90. When she couldn't walk, she could no longer get to the little country church. After her death in 1999, it closed in 2001. It sat empty for 3-`/2 years until a group got together, who were decendants of those who once attended. They bought the church and the property, remodeled the building, re-opened the church in March of 2006. They started with 6 members, 2 brothers and their wives, a former member and her son. The church has over 100 members now, they have baptized 58 and, have had about 50 saved. I am the Pastor of that little church since it opened.

I believe my mom would be proud of the little church and her two sons who re-opened the doors.

Thanks mom for your love, your teaching, your patience, your guidance, your compassion and the example that you lived before my family and others, every day of your life.

Oldbiker