Motherhood is still something to celebrate!

Proverbs 31:10  “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.”  As Proverbs 31 describes a virtuous woman it is easy for people to be distracted by all the work that goes into domestic life.  In reality, this is a proverb about the blessings of marriage and motherhood.  This month we are reminded that motherhood is still something to celebrate!  Virtue, though, is not just something for holidays.

Verse 28 says of the virtuous woman that, “her children arise up and call her blessed…”  It occurs to me that adopted children have two mothers to celebrate.  If their birth mother allowed them to be adopted she should still be “blessed” for giving them the opportunity of life rather than selfishly taking that away.  Motherhood in all degrees is selflessness

Verses 29, 30  “Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.  Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.”   “King Lemuel, unveils the root of the excellences described.  Beauty is skin deep.  Let young men look deeper than a fair face.  Let young women seek for that beauty which does not fade.  The fear of the Lord lies at the bottom of all goodness that will last through the tear and wear of wedded life, and of all domestic diligence which is not mere sordid selfishness or slavish toil.” – Alexander MacLaren

We praise virtuous women by teaching virtue, which makes it clear that they are examples of what the Bible praises.  In that we clash with the world and contradict the value that this age places on the flesh over the spirit, and that is a fight worth picking!  We praise virtue by boycotting the world’s beauty-market and buying the truth instead!

Also, we praise the virtuous by assigning them discipleship responsibilities with younger women as, Paul taught Timothy to do.  Consider it a privilege to introduce godly virtues to the following generations.

If Solomon is the author here, he says that he learned these things from his mother… that would be Bathsheba, the most fitly named woman ever!  She is a picture of grace, and if the fruit of this book is hers it is a powerful reminder to us that our Lord brings the beauty of wisdom from the ashes of mourning. 

We are fruits of our mothers and probably some other godly people, either in our family or our faith.  It is only right that we glorify God for creating and using those people for our sake.  It is only right that we show gratitude and demonstrate that we value the work of their lives, by carrying forward their virtues.

Dr. Scott Jones
State Missions Director
Wisconsin Fellowship of Baptist Churches