The Proverbs 31 woman

Stick to the recipe to be “the wife of noble character” – Proverbs 31:10-31

INTRODUCTION:  Women love recipes.  I like to make a recipe called “Makarolletjies” because my children and grandchildren like it so much.  You use ½ cup of milk, 1 ½ cup of sugar, ½ cup of margarine, 3 tablespoons of cacao and cook it for 5 minutes.  Then add 1 cup of coconut, 3 cups of oats and 1 teaspoonful of vanilla essence.  Stir well and put spoonsful on waxed paper to dry.  If I use vinegar instead of milk, the whole recipe will be unsuccessful.  We have to stick to the recipe!

The Christian woman’s recipe book is the Bible and we have to stick to the recipe of the Bible of how to be a dedicated Christian  woman.  The best discription of a woman who live according to the Bible standards, we find in Proverbs 31.  Lemuel took the Hebrew alphabet and next to each letter he wrote down something about a God-fearing woman.

In the Bible we find all the ingredients of a God-fearing woman and also the method how to be like that.

Ingredients	Method
FAITH  Prov.31:29-31	She is a woman who fears the LORD. She has faith because she believes in her Lord Jesus Christ and she has a relationship with Him and she lives according to the great command.  She loves God with all her heart, soul and mind. Matt. 22:37.  The main ingredient in her recipe is the Cross of Jesus Christ.  He helps her to run the race of life with the eyes fixed on Jesus – Hebr. 12:1-3.
MARRIAGE Prov.31:11-12; 23	As far as her marriage is concerned.  She shows respect to her husband and brings him good and not harm all the days of her life.  If you are single, you must remember that God is your husband and that you need to respect Him. (Isaiah 54:5)  Only the Lord can help you to be a loving wife – pray and ask Him to help you everyday.
MOTHER-HOOD                   Prov. 31:27-28	She is a woman who teaches her children to follow the rules of the Bible and follow in the ways of the Lord.  She disciplines her children in love and teaches them all the laws of the Bible – Deut. 6:6-7.  If you do not have children you can pray for the children of the world
OUTREACH TO MY NEAREST  Prov. 31:20	She is a woman with open hands and arms to the neighbours and poor and needy.  She follows in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus Christ and her prayer for people around her, is the prayer of Paul in Ephesians 3:14-21.
HEALTH                    Prov.31:14-15	She is a woman who prepares healthy food for her family and is aware of the fact that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and need to be in good shape! 1 Cor. 6:19-20.
FINANCES   Prov. 31:16	She is in control of her finances and sees this as a gift from God.  She knows how to get money and also spend money wisely.  She knows about tithing.  Luke 12:15
DILIGENCE               Prov. 31:13; 17-19	She enjoys her work and works with eager hands.  She knows above all that she has to store up treasures in heaven. - Matt. 6:19-21.
HOME-MAKER    Prov.31:21-22	Her home is a harbour in the storms and not a storm in the harbour!  She has the ability to keep her household warm and happy and make it a happy place where everyone feels at home.  Sinclair Ferguson says the Holy Spirit is like a Homemaker – He prepares our hearts to be ready to meet our King.  Our homes and hearts need to be a place where the Lord dwells.  Are we ready to meet the Lord Jesus when he comes back to earth to take us to heaven or when we die?  We have to be ready like the 5 wise virgins to meet our King! Matt. 25:1-13
STRESS-FREE                 Prov. 31:25-26	She is a woman who gets her strength and inspiration from the Lord.  She finds time to keep her quiet time and brings all her problems and joys to the Lord.  She does not have stress, because she is clothed with strength and dignity and can laugh at the days to come! Matt. 6:31 - 34
BEAUTY Prov. 31:30	Her beauty is not on the outside, but inside.  She is like a tree planted at a stream of fresh water and she stays fresh and young because the Lord is her strengh and He gives her what se needs. Ps. 1. The fruit of the Spirit is obvious in her life:  Gal. 5:22

John Pijper says:  “Therefore, I think a sermon based on this passage of Scripture should aim to accomplish three things. It should aim to inspire women to fear the Lord and be like this woman in the way she fulfilled her role (and that is possible for all women, married or unmarried). Second, it should inspire others, especially husbands and children to praise women who fear the Lord. Third, it should contain praise for the godly woman.

May God help us as Christian woman to be conformed to be more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ.  He made it possible for us to have life abundantly because He gave His life on the cross so that we can be more than conquerors.