“Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her: “Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all” (Proverbs 31:28, 29).
Our Father in heaven, thank You so much for placing Your confidence in women, to consider us worthy of being role models in our homes, and in society! Please help us not to let you down by not living up to Your expectations. Please help us by Your grace to believe, that “[We] can do all things through Christ who strengthens [us]” (Philippians 4:13). In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
In our last devotional we took a good look at some of the woman’s character traits: She is a strong and honorable woman. From her mouth flows wisdom and kindness. She is a wonderful houskeeper and there is no time or place in her life, for idleness.
When you add all of this to what we already know about the woman, we are not surprised at the reaction of her children and her husband toward her, They bless and praise her! And the words of their praise shed much light on how they feel about her:
“Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all.“
The children sing mom’s praises: “There is no mother, wonderful as they may be, like our mother. She is the best mother of all!
Of course dad will not stay behind in complimenting the love of his life: “Many wives are known for being very good wives, but you, my wife, are better by far!”
When you have been kind to someone who is not a family member, and they are abundant in their praise toward you, it gives you a good feeling. But I always feel so much better when I receive such a compliment from a member of my own family!
Why? because they are the ones who see me at my strongest and best, but also at my weakest and worst! In other words, the ones who see me behind closed doors! And when their opinion of me is that high, then I must be doing something right, by the grace of God!
Only too often we reserve our best behavior for those on the outside; while those who are closest to us, just have to take us as we really are, which sad to say, may not be very nice. With this kind of behavior, we are telling our family members that they are not worthy of the best of us! They just have to take what they get, and be satisfied!
If that was all, it would be bad enough, but in some cases, it may cost them their eternal salvation! My beloved sisters, let us not forget that we were created, and chosen by God, to make a “very good” world, a better place (Genesis 2:18)! The word used for man in the Hebrew can also mean an individual, a person, and generally, the human race.
So let us begin in our homes. Let us make them “a little heaven on earth.” Let us make them a place where both children and parents like to be. Where we are loved, and cared for, and accepted for who we are, and where we are being “polished as pillars” for the kingdom of God!
Then both spouses and children will sincerely count us as their best friend and example!