How would you describe your individual relationship with each of your children? Moreover, how would they describe it? What about the relationship, the friendship, with your husband?The fruit of the presence of God in the life of Mrs.Proverbs 31 is evidenced in her relationship with her children and her husband.
"Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her saying: 'Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.' " Proverbs 31:28-29
Her relationship with her children is illustrated in the key words 'rise up' and 'bless her'.
The original word for 'rise up' is qum meaning to stand up and figuratively means to show honor and respect. These were children who stood up to honor and respect their mother. Why? Surely she had trained them to respect her from and early age and in their eyes, she was worthy of it. How can that be? She developed and fed a rich relationship with her children...not being their 'friend' but their respected mother and mentor. I believe the age of the children is not given here, because this relationship was not for a season, but rather it was true of her relationship with her children throughout their lives.
The word for 'bless her' is a word that is used when a man has done something positive deserving of congratulations and blessing (ie. one who trusts the Lord without equivocation). I found this interesting. It tells us that not only did this mama love the Lord and her children noticed that relationship; but that they saw it as praise worthy! Those P 31 children must've valued the things of the Lord themselves to see their mother's relationship with God as praise worthy.
Are you and I so developing a mentoring relationship with our children that not only displays our relationship with Jesus, but makes it appealing to our children? Are we training them to honor and respect us as God teaches in His word?
As for her relationship with her husband, he blesses her AND 'praises her'. This is the word 'halel', where we get 'hallelujah' from (which means praise the Lord). It is a word meaning to praise, but also to be bright, to shine, to be splendid, to celebrate, to give light; at the heart of this word is the idea of radiance. What woman doesn't want to be radiant? Especially to her husband?
Psalm 34:5 tells us of those who look to the Lord..."They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed." Mrs. P31 is a woman who looks to her Lord, thus those around her (starting with her husband!) can see His radiance on her.
Finally, I want to look at what her husband says about her. It transformed how I saw this entire passage of scripture. He says of her "Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all."
The word here translated 'nobly' is the exact same word as in verse 10 translated 'excellent' or 'virtuous'. Therefore, he is saying..."Many daughters (of God) are virtuous, excellent and noble." Verse 10 tells us it is rare to find a woman like this, yet he says 'many'...why? Because compared to her they are a dime a dozen!! Because he says...'But YOU excel them all'!! She is rarer than rare!! These qualities are NOT easy to find in a woman... but God included them in His Holy Word for US to know we CAN be this rarer than rare treasure! It's not US! But rather Jesus in us that illuminates through our lives.
How can you and I shine Jesus today? It begins with prayer and mediation on His Word and it lives with the action of outward selfless service toward others...beginning in our own homes!
