Sue J Love
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The Scripture passage for this morning is Proverbs 31:10-31 which is a model for a godly woman, wife, and mother. Yesterday, in America, was a day of celebration of all mothers of children, called “Mother’s Day.” I will only cover half of the passage, and I will apply the truths mentioned to what this might look like for us in 2025, from the perspective of life here in America. But not all of this will apply to every individual, so I will talk about that, too. For this woman had servants to help her, and most of us do not.
“10 An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.”
How other people react to us is not necessarily a measurement of who we are and what we are about. Look at the life of Jesus and of his New Testament apostles, as an example. These were godly men (Jesus is God the Son) who followed the leading of God with their lives. But all but Jesus were not perfect. Jesus was the only perfect person to live on the earth. But these were men of God who followed the Lord in walks of obedience. And all of them were persecuted for their walks of faith and their obedience to God.
So, just because a woman of God loves God and her husband and her family, and she does good to her family, and not evil, it will not always mean that her husband’s heart trusts in her or that her children will give her the honor and the value that she deserves. For we live in a modern culture which is very much influenced by television and the internet, and which has the most easy access ever to an entire world of evil at one’s fingertips, and in one’s pockets, via the use of smartphones. And many today are addicted to porn.
“15 She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
17 She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.”
Today, here in America, and I am certain in many other nations, as well, with all the modern technology and conveniences, not all of us must grow our own and preserve our own or even cook our own food and make our own clothing and other necessities of life. And so that opens doors for other things that women can do. And for the godly woman, who loves and serves the Lord with her life, that can open up multiple avenues of Christian ministry, such as in teaching, writing, music, blogging, and other avenues.
A mother of small children who is married should never neglect the needs of her family in order to pursue outside interests. She should be dedicated to her husband and children. But modern technology does make some things easier, and thus she may have time to pursue other interests, as well. But as a godly woman and wife and mother, the Lord and his will and purpose for her life should always come first, and so the needs of her family will be of upmost importance to her, and she should be dedicated to serving them.
“20 She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”
A woman of God is going to have a tender heart towards those who are needy, who are sick, who are hurting. But in today’s world there are so many fakers, liars, deceivers, and con artists, and the like, who have their hands out begging for money. So, as godly women we must pray for wisdom and discernment in knowing who can be trusted and who cannot, and where the Lord wants us to give, and how much, and this should be in agreement with our husbands. But we should be compassionate and generous people.
As women of God, who love our husbands and our children, and who love God, and whose desire is for God to please him in all that we are and do and say, and who love our fellow Christians and the people of this world, we should be women of Godly character and values who live for the Lord, who do his will, who are at peace with God in trusting in his sovereignty over our lives, and who speak words of wisdom, and who teach the kindness (grace) of God which teaches us to say “No” to sin and to obey God in all things.
“27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.”
A woman of God is not going to be lazy, slothful, self-serving, and unconcerned for the needs of her family. But the needs of her family will naturally change as she and they get older, and as her children marry and have children of their own, and as her husband retires (and/or she also retires). And this may be a time in her life when the Lord is able to use her in ways she could not have done when she was raising small children of her own. And so this may open new doors of ministry for her than from before.
But in all that she does, and in all of who she is in character, values, and the like, God – Father, Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit – must be king of her life, and he must have supreme rule over her life above all else. And she must be following the Lord in his footsteps in doing what God has called her to do, and in being who God desires for her to be. Thus, the product of her hands, whatever that may be, must be in line with God’s will and purpose for her life, whether or not other humans praise her. For she may be persecuted by others because of her walk of faith in obedience to the Lord’s commands.
Nearer, My God, to Thee
Lyrics: Sarah F. Adams, pub. 1841
Vs. 6: Edward H. Bickersteth, Jr.
Music: Lowell Mason, 1856
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
There let the way appear, steps unto Heav’n;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy giv’n;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
Or, if on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I’ll fly,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
There in my Father’s home, safe and at rest,
There in my Savior’s love, perfectly blest;
Age after age to be nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
Caution: This link may contain ads
A Godly Woman
An Original Work / May 12, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
“10 An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.”
How other people react to us is not necessarily a measurement of who we are and what we are about. Look at the life of Jesus and of his New Testament apostles, as an example. These were godly men (Jesus is God the Son) who followed the leading of God with their lives. But all but Jesus were not perfect. Jesus was the only perfect person to live on the earth. But these were men of God who followed the Lord in walks of obedience. And all of them were persecuted for their walks of faith and their obedience to God.
So, just because a woman of God loves God and her husband and her family, and she does good to her family, and not evil, it will not always mean that her husband’s heart trusts in her or that her children will give her the honor and the value that she deserves. For we live in a modern culture which is very much influenced by television and the internet, and which has the most easy access ever to an entire world of evil at one’s fingertips, and in one’s pockets, via the use of smartphones. And many today are addicted to porn.
“15 She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
17 She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.”
Today, here in America, and I am certain in many other nations, as well, with all the modern technology and conveniences, not all of us must grow our own and preserve our own or even cook our own food and make our own clothing and other necessities of life. And so that opens doors for other things that women can do. And for the godly woman, who loves and serves the Lord with her life, that can open up multiple avenues of Christian ministry, such as in teaching, writing, music, blogging, and other avenues.
A mother of small children who is married should never neglect the needs of her family in order to pursue outside interests. She should be dedicated to her husband and children. But modern technology does make some things easier, and thus she may have time to pursue other interests, as well. But as a godly woman and wife and mother, the Lord and his will and purpose for her life should always come first, and so the needs of her family will be of upmost importance to her, and she should be dedicated to serving them.
“20 She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”
A woman of God is going to have a tender heart towards those who are needy, who are sick, who are hurting. But in today’s world there are so many fakers, liars, deceivers, and con artists, and the like, who have their hands out begging for money. So, as godly women we must pray for wisdom and discernment in knowing who can be trusted and who cannot, and where the Lord wants us to give, and how much, and this should be in agreement with our husbands. But we should be compassionate and generous people.
As women of God, who love our husbands and our children, and who love God, and whose desire is for God to please him in all that we are and do and say, and who love our fellow Christians and the people of this world, we should be women of Godly character and values who live for the Lord, who do his will, who are at peace with God in trusting in his sovereignty over our lives, and who speak words of wisdom, and who teach the kindness (grace) of God which teaches us to say “No” to sin and to obey God in all things.
“27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.”
A woman of God is not going to be lazy, slothful, self-serving, and unconcerned for the needs of her family. But the needs of her family will naturally change as she and they get older, and as her children marry and have children of their own, and as her husband retires (and/or she also retires). And this may be a time in her life when the Lord is able to use her in ways she could not have done when she was raising small children of her own. And so this may open new doors of ministry for her than from before.
But in all that she does, and in all of who she is in character, values, and the like, God – Father, Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit – must be king of her life, and he must have supreme rule over her life above all else. And she must be following the Lord in his footsteps in doing what God has called her to do, and in being who God desires for her to be. Thus, the product of her hands, whatever that may be, must be in line with God’s will and purpose for her life, whether or not other humans praise her. For she may be persecuted by others because of her walk of faith in obedience to the Lord’s commands.
Nearer, My God, to Thee
Lyrics: Sarah F. Adams, pub. 1841
Vs. 6: Edward H. Bickersteth, Jr.
Music: Lowell Mason, 1856
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
There let the way appear, steps unto Heav’n;
All that Thou sendest me, in mercy giv’n;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
Then, with my waking thoughts bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I’ll raise;
So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
Or, if on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I’ll fly,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
There in my Father’s home, safe and at rest,
There in my Savior’s love, perfectly blest;
Age after age to be nearer, my God, to Thee.
Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee!
Caution: This link may contain ads
A Godly Woman
An Original Work / May 12, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
