Today in my (mostly) daily Bible reading, I finished up the Book of Proverbs. Normally, this “31st chapter" is one many women approach with fear, guilt, shame, and disdain. We think, "who could ever actually live up to those standards?!" , and are exhausted before we even begin to read the “archaic” list, not to mention the formidable principles that undergird the culturally specific verses. A side note, one of the best books that I’ve read that has helped me delve into the “Proverbs 31 woman” is “Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye” by Carolyn McCulley. With all that stated, today I was floored by a different woman in beginning of this passage, King Lemuel’s mother.
The first nine verses of Proverbs 31 are given the subheading of “The words of King Lemuel” but the first verse indicates that in actuality, the following principles/verses were words that his mother taught him. I was struck by the fact that this revealed a lot about Lemuel’s mother- she would have had to have been a woman who was intentional in her instruction of her son, and persistent enough that he had not only remembered her wisdom, but, furthermore, passed it on to others. What a legacy! The second verse has a key principle- “my son, what are you doing?”- namely, that we need to take stock of ourselves, our actions, words, and the heart behind them. This is requires insight and humility. The next few verses call her son to a high standard, to character that was achievable but also required diligence and because they were standards that surpassed common men, not suited for a King. Similarly, she not only calls her son to be one of character, but also one of action, who makes the most of his position and influence for good and for justice “open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy”. What a mother! She could not have done this without personal character cultivation. She had to be a woman of wisdom; understanding, knowledge and insight to be see the necessity of imparting these truths to her son in a manner that caused him to see their importance without legalism. Centuries later we are recipients of her wisdom because of her legacy living. King Lemuel had to have memorized these words of wisdom, he could repeat them just like so many of us can repeat our mothers’ admonitions to “have a good day”, “drive safe”, etc. King Lemuel’s mother was one who definitely “trained up her son in the way he should go”. She was mindful of legacy living.
I did go on to finish the “Proverbs 31” woman passage and, as in the past, made aware of the fact that this is not meant to be a daunting, guilt and shame producing to-do list, rather, it is an exemplification of character. “out of the overflow of the heart, so a man speaks”. This woman is diligent, hard-working, discerning, self-sacrificing, and generous, among other traits, because of her underlying character. Its not about the tasks, its about the heart. She too, had a legacy, “her children rise up and call her blessed” (v. 28). She is not doing all these things TO BE an excellent wife! They are the overflow of a woman who knows her maker and is pleased to serve him in the circumstances around her. She is a woman who fears the Lord, and is to be aspired to- not because of her works, but because of her heart.
My prayer is that as Jesus continues to work in and through me, I too, would be mindful of “legacy living”. It starts today. It starts with my heart. It starts with my Savior.
December 8, 2011- I reposted this because I'm re-reading "Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye" by Carolyn McCulley. In chapter 4 she makes an important note that King Lemuel's mother wrote this about the type of woman she wanted him to find, so it isn't really/just about a wife, but they type of woman every female can be, not based on circumstances. Single or married, I encourage you to check out this book.
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