Women of Faith #2 Marks of Motherhood
Text: Prov 31:10
Introduction:
History of Mother’s Day
Celebrations of mothers and motherhood can be traced back to
the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honor of the mother
goddesses Rhea and Cybele, but the clearest modern precedent for Mother’s Day
is the early Christian festival known as “Mothering Sunday.”
Once a major tradition in the United Kingdom and parts of
Europe, this celebration fell on the fourth Sunday in Lent and was originally
seen as a time when the faithful would return to their “mother church”—the main
church in the vicinity of their home—for a special service.
Over time the Mothering Sunday tradition shifted into a more
secular holiday, and children would present their mothers with flowers and
other gifts. This faded in popularity and then merged with the American
Mother’s Day in the 1930s and 1940s.
In the years before the Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis of West
Virginia helped start “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” to teach local women how to
properly care for their children.
These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the
country still divided over the Civil War. In 1868 Jarvis organized “Mothers’
Friendship Day,” at which mothers gathered with former Union and Confederate
soldiers to promote reconciliation.
Another precursor to Mother’s Day came from the abolitionist
and suffragette Julia Ward Howe. In 1870 Howe wrote the “Mother’s Day
Proclamation,” a call to action that asked mothers to unite in promoting peace.
In 1873 Howe campaigned for a “Mother’s Peace Day”.
Other early Mother’s Day pioneers include Juliet Calhoun
Blakely, a temperance activist who inspired a local Mother’s Day in Albion,
Michigan, in the 1870s. The duo of Mary Towles Sasseen and Frank Hering,
meanwhile, both worked to organize a Mothers’ Day in the late 19th and early
20th centuries.
The official Mother’s Day holiday arose in the 1900s as a
result of the efforts of Anna Jarvis, daughter of Ann Reeves Jarvis. Following
her mother’s 1905 death, Anna Jarvis conceived of Mother’s Day as a way of
honoring the sacrifices mothers made for their children.
After gaining financial backing from a Philadelphia
department store owner named John Wanamaker, in May 1908 she organized the
first official Mother’s Day celebration at a Methodist church in Grafton, West
Virginia. That same day also saw thousands of people attend a Mother’s Day
event at one of Wanamaker’s retail stores in Philadelphia.
Following the success of her first Mother’s Day, Jarvis
resolved to see her holiday added to the national calendar. Arguing that
American holidays were biased toward male achievements, she started a massive letter
writing campaign to newspapers and prominent politicians urging the adoption of
a special day honoring motherhood.
By 1912 many states, towns and churches had adopted Mother’s
Day as an annual holiday, and Jarvis had established the Mother’s Day International
Association to help promote her cause. Her persistence paid off in 1914 when
President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure officially establishing the second
Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.
Once Mother’s Day became a national holiday, it was not long
before florists, card companies and other merchants capitalized on its
popularity. By 1920 she had become disgusted with how the holiday had been
commercialized. She outwardly denounced the transformation and urged people to
stop buying Mother’s Day flowers, cards and candies.
Jarvis eventually resorted to an open campaign against
Mother’s Day profiteers, speaking out against confectioners, florists and even
charities. She also launched countless lawsuits against groups that had used
the name “Mother’s Day,” eventually spending most of her personal wealth in
legal fees. By the time of her death in 1948 Jarvis had disowned the holiday
altogether, and even actively lobbied the government to see it removed from the
American calendar. Ironically, Jarvis never married and never had any children. - History Channel.com
Now before I share with you the wisdom of Proverbs 31 let me
share some wisdom garnered in the school of motherhood a little closer to
modern life.
Lessons on Motherhood.
#1. There is no such thing as child-proofing your house.
#2. If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over
them with roller blades, they ignite.
#3. A four-year-old's voice is louder than 200 adults in a
crowded restaurant.
#4. If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, neither the
motor nor the ceiling is strong enough to rotate a 42 lb. boy wearing Pound
Puppy underwear and a Superman cape.
#5. A ceiling fan is strong enough, however, to spread paint
on all four walls of a 20x20 room.
#6. You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan
is on because a ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.
#7. Windows will not stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.
#8. When you hear the toilet flush and the words
"Uh-oh," it's already too late.
#9. A 6-year-old can start a fire with a flint rock even
though a 36-year-old man says they can only do it in the movies.
#10. If you use a waterbed as home plate while wearing
baseball shoes it does not leak - it explodes.
#11. A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000
sq. ft. house 1 inch deep.
#12. The words Play Dough and Microwave should never be used
in the same sentence.
#13. The TV show, McGuyver, can teach our children many
things we don't want them to know.
#14. No matter how much Jello you put in a swimming pool you
still can't walk on water.
#15. VCR's do not eject PB&J sandwiches even though TV
commercials show they do.
#16. Always look in the oven before you turn it on because
plastic toys don’t like ovens.
#17. The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make
earth worms dizzy. It will however make
cats dizzy.
#18. Cats throw up twice their body weight when made dizzy
in washing machines.
#19. Quiet does not necessarily mean "don't
worry."
#20. The fire department in San Diego has at least a 5
minute response time.
Look in Prov 31:10. Who can find a virtuous woman? for her
price is far above rubies.
The word virtuous means excellent and this passage is giving
us the qualities and characteristics of an excellent woman, a Wondrous Women
from God’s viewpoint. Which of course is
the only one that in the end counts. Proverbs 31:10-31 is an alphabet poem,
which means that each verse started with a letter from the Hebrew alphabet. The
most famous alphabet poem is Psalm 119 where the letters are written out. They
are not written out here but the verses still conform to that pattern and the
passage makes more sense in its reading if we realize the kind of poem it is.
The Mark of Work Prov 31:13,17-18, 27
Marks That Cannot be Hidden
Diligence in her Work
13 She seeketh wool,
and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
17 She girdeth her
loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
18 She perceiveth
that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
22 She maketh herself
coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
25 Strength and
honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
27 She looketh well
to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Investment in Her Work
14 She is like the
merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
16 She considereth a
field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
24 She maketh fine
linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
Compassion in her Work
20 She stretcheth out
her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
26 She openeth her
mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
Is the Mark of Work Seen in Your Life?
You may not like it, but you better believe it, motherhood
means work and a lot of it.
But in that work there is great joy. All things worthwhile
are hard and being a mother is one of the most worthwhile things God has
allowed humans to experience so yes it will at times be hard. I am convinced
that one of the greatest plagues of our time is not sin and immorality but
laziness and apathy. It is seen in all areas of society, and with each new
generation it get worse. Yet the elements which most often describe an
excellent woman are those which deal with work, caring and involvement.
When you
find a woman who is hardworking, diligent, compassionate, you will also find a
woman of true beauty, and she will have a reason to rejoice.
She rejoices
because what she is investing herself in is worthwhile, Her husband, her
children, her community and herself. These investments in those you love will
pay a valuable and lasting dividend. They become the marks of excellence, the
way to recognize a virtuous woman.
Getting noticed as a woman
Among the
interesting motto T-Shirts created lately is one that fits our times: "A
woman has to do twice as much as a man to be considered half as good.
Fortunately, that’s not difficult." - Robert C. Shannon, 1000 Windows,
(Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Company, 1997)
Well I don’t know if I fully accept that, but I do believe
that doing what God calls excellent will make you stand out in a world of
mediocrity and apathy.
Transition
Let’s return to Proverbs 31 and look at another set of mark
for recognizing an excellent woman.
The Mark of Encouragement
These Marks Change Lives
Her Husband Trusts and Needs Her
11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so
that he shall have no need of spoil.
12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her
life.
She increases his influence and confidence
23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among
the elders of the land.
Her Home Depend on Her
15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to
her household, and a portion to her maidens.
18 She perceiveth
that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
19 She layeth her
hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all
her household are clothed with scarlet. 27 She looketh well to the ways of her
household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Do You Realize the power of a Mother on a Family?
Proverbs
31:1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him. Really you mean this didn’t come directly
from God, yes it did but it come through a mother, as much of God’s word does.
There is no King Lemuel mentioned in the Bible but here, but many believe that
King Lemuel is Solomon. The name Lemuel mean “unto God” and may have been the
name that Solomon mother called him, pointing his life toward serving God.
How God Works
When God wants an important thing done in this world, or a
wrong righted, He goes about it in a very singular way. He does not release His
thunderbolts or stir up His earthquake. He simply has a tiny, helpless baby
born, perhaps in an obscure home, perhaps of a very humble mother. Then He puts
the idea or purpose into the mother's heart, she puts it into the baby's mind
and then--God waits. - Edward T. Sullivan
An ounce of
mother is worth a pound of clergy. - Spanish proverb
The qualities you show your children are the qualities you give your children.
What
qualities are you showing when you hold your child close and cherish each
moment of their life because you know that each moment passes quickly and you
will never have it again?
What
qualities are you showing when you discipline out of love not anger? … when you
make it to your child’s athletic events, school plays, performances and any
event where your child would be looking for you to be there? … when you
bring your child to church and worship with them?
These marks of encouragement truly change the life of your
family and you, as a mother, are the agent of that lasting change.
Illustration: Favorite Child
I really enjoy this writing by Erma Bombeck, a wonderful
writer but also a very insightful mother.
“Every mother has a
favorite child. She cannot help it. She is only human. I have mine--the child
for whom I feel a special closeness, with whom I share a love that no one else
could possibly understand. My favorite child is the one who was too sick to eat
ice cream at his birthday party -- who had measles at Christmas -- who wore leg
braces to bed because he toed in -- who had a fever in the middle of the night,
the asthma attack, the child in my arms at the emergency ward.
My favorite child
spent Christmas alone away from the family, was stranded after the game with a
gas tank on E, lost the money for his class ring.
My favorite child
is the one who messed up the piano recital, misspelled committee in a spelling
bee, ran the wrong way with the football, and had his bike stolen because he
was careless.
My favorite child
is the one I punished for lying, grounded for insensitivity to other people's
feelings, and informed he was a royal pain to the entire family.
My favorite child
slammed doors in frustration, cried when she didn't think I saw her, withdrew
and said she could not talk to me.
My favorite child
always needed a haircut, had hair that wouldn't curl, had no date for Saturday
night, and a car that cost $600 to fix. My favorite child was selfish,
immature, bad-tempered and self-centered. He was vulnerable, lonely, unsure of
what he was doing in this world--and quite wonderful.
All mothers have
their favorite child. It is always the same one: the one who needs you at the
moment. Who needs you for whatever reason--to cling to, to shout at, to hurt,
to hug, to flatter, to reverse charges to, to unload on--but mostly just to be
there.” - Erma Bombeck -James S. Hewett,
Transition
Let’s look at the final mark of an excellent woman. It is
one that comes not from herself but from those her life has touched. The final
mark is the Mark of Praise.
The Mark Of Praise
These Marks Bring Fulfillment
The Praise of Her Family
28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband
also, and he praiseth her.
The Praise of Her King
29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest
them all.
30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that
feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
The Praise of Her Friends
31 Give her of
the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
The Mark that Matters Most Is The One Those Close To You Give
To be praised, to be counted as a blessing by your family,
your friends and your King Jesus Christ is the highest mark that anyone can
attain. It means your life counted, your hard work paid off in dividends of
lives touched and changed for the better. Perhaps even changed for eternity.
Let me share one last story about a Mother today….
Conclusion: The Influence of One Woman’s Life
John Todd was born in Rutledge, Vermont, into a family of
several children. They later moved to the village of Killingsworth back in the
early 1800s. And there, at a very young age, both John's parents died. The
relatives wondered what they would do with so many children, how they could
parcel them out to other friends and relatives. One dear and loving aunt said
she would take little John. The aunt sent a horse and a slave to get John, who
was only six at the time. The slave, Caesar, came and put the little boy on the
back of the horse. On the way back an endearing conversation took place:
John: Will she be
there?
Caesar: Oh, yes,
she'll be there waiting up for you.
John: Will I like
living with her?
Caesar: My son, you
fall into good hands.
John: Will she love
me?
Caesar: Ah, she has
a big heart.
John: Will I have
my own room? Will she let me have a puppy?
Caesar: She's got
everything all set, son. I think she has some surprises, too.
John: Do you think
she'll go to bed before we get there?
Caesar: Oh, no!
She'll be sure to wait up for you. You'll see when we get out of these woods.
You'll see her candle shining in the window.
When they got to
the clearing, sure enough, there was a candle in the window and she was
standing in the doorway. She reached down, kissed him, and said "Welcome
home!" She fed him supper, took him to his room, and waited until he fell
asleep. John Todd grew up to be a great minister of the gospel. But it was
there at his aunt's, his new mother, that he grew up. It was always a place of
enchantment because of his aunt. It awed him that she had given him a second
home. She had become a second mother to him. Years later, long after he had
moved away, his aunt wrote to tell him of her impending death. Her health was
failing, and she wondered what was to become of her. This is what John Todd
wrote her:
"My Dear Aunt,
Years ago, I left a
house of death not knowing where I was to go, whether anyone cared, whether it
was the end of me. The ride was long, but Caesar encouraged me. Finally, he
pointed out your candle to me, and there we were in the yard and you embraced
me and took me by the hand into my own room that you had made up. After all
these years I still can't believe it--how you did all that for me! I was
expected; I felt safe in that room--so welcomed. It was my room.
Now it's your turn
to go, and as one who has tried it out, I'm writing to let you know that
Someone is waiting up. Your room is all ready, the light is on, the door is
open, and as you ride into the yard--don't worry, Auntie. You're expected! I
know. I once saw God standing in your doorway--long ago!" -James S.
Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988),
p. 377.
The greatest mark of Motherhood is the mother who shows her
children the love of God. She shows it in all the work she does, all that she
wisdom she teaches and all the love she shares. Mothers, this morning we thank
you for all that you have done just by being a mother and my God give you
strength as you do the work He has called and created you to do for Him.
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