A Mother's Day Sermon: Women of Valour

Being a mum is the greatest job in the world, getting the job can be hard. You go for the interview, you meet your new work colleagues, and you spend ages waiting to hear if you got the job. Then someone important delivers the good news (That’s the easy bit done) all you have to do now is decide on a name!

If a mum had a job description it would read more like a copy of war and peace. We have so many hats sometimes we forget which one is on. So here are just a few of the jobs mummy is responsible for:

Mummy/Slave: Generally shouted for when a servant is needed, such as the TV needs tuning over or that glass of juice is just too far out of reach.

Laundry Maid: The one, who picks it up, washes it, dries it, irons it and then puts it all away.

Cook: Cafe Mission opens at 6.30 in the morning and then closes about 8.30 just after Drama has finished her Toast.

Washer upper: Duties can include scanning every room of the house for any dishes left in unusual places.

Hairdresser: On call for daughters when they need emergency hair straightening or other such duties.

Fashion Police/Dresser: On call 24/7 with growing daughters who knows what they will try and get away with wearing. Also responsible for making sure little ones look presentable for school, even though they will come home looking like they have been dragged around the school play ground by their hair!

Taxi: This one hasn’t come into full force yet, but when a touch of rain is in the air and Drama refuses to go to school with “frizzy hair” the taxi has to take them to school. This also includes taking friends home after Play dates, etc.

Nurse Maid: Duties will include working with sick, blood and snot. Unsociable hours sometimes, but perks include a permanent parking space and seat at the doctors.

Cleaner: Toys, roller blades, shoes, bikes , etc. If it’s lying on the floor it’s your job to pick it up!

Nit Nurse: This is a very occasional job, but the little buggers get everywhere so beds will need to be stripped, towels boiled washed and smelly Nit lotion to be applied to EVERYONE!

Mind Reader: You will always be on step ahead of the game, knowing that their P.E kit is covered in mud and they need it for the next day. Knowing when they need that top for a party on Saturday, the list is endless.

Occasional Dad: This applies when Daddy is busy being an important football manager on the play station or Xbox. Mummy/Slave duties will double!

Bank Manager: There are times when your children will expect paying for those imaginary chores they do around the house. They will quote this saying on various occasions “Mummmmm Can you lend me a fiver until I get my pocket money?”

Hotel Maid: Your duties will include running a bath, making sure that there are clean towels to hand, making sure the bed is “Turned down” this includes the PJ’s being left out, but excludes a mint being left on the pillow. This may also include a bedtime story!

Receptionist: You will take phone calls and rely messages, You will greet ones friends when they arrive for play dates , karaoke sessions etc and supply then with copious amounts of Juice then when it’s time to go home you will Taxi them back to their parents. (See Above)

Right now if I have Ieft anything off this Job description please feel free to add in the comments box after all us Mum’s have to stick together. So do you still want the job?

Please note we are not an Equal Opportunities employer, we will not be expecting you to go on training sessions, we will not be expecting you to further your qualifications in any way, shape or form. *small print if anyone called Andy Gray asks you to tuck something in for him please say no*

Lots of Hugs

Mummy Mission

Does that sound daunting?

Daunting list?

Slave,

laundry maid,

cook,

washer upper,

hairdresser,

fashion police/dresser,

taxi,

nurse maid,

cleaner,

nit nurse,

mind reader,

occasional dad,

bank manager,

hotel maid and

receptionist!

Probably doesn’t cover everything.

Mums - probably daunted before first child.

Not mums — including men — how on earth do you do it all?!

Today’s passage — daunting, but need to dig deeper:

Explanation (5m)

Proverbs 31: An Overwhelming Ideal?

Overwhelming ideal?

Make own clothes,

get up in middle of night to get everyone else ready for day,

take care of family business,

work into the night,

give to those in need,

always be strong and dignified,

always be ready with wise word,

but also relax and laugh a little,

don’t take yourself too seriously.

If do, and only if do, children will affirm, husband, appreciate.

Do all this with reverence for God.

Forgiven for greeting passage with a nervous laugh, “no way”.

Seems to give into today’s desire to do everything, be everything, have it all.

A poem, not a prescriptive list

But three things — indebted to Rachel Held Evans.

Poem, not a prescriptive list.

Full of hyperbole, militaristic imagery.

Not meant to be taken literally.

22 line acrostic — each line starting with each letter of Hebrew alphabet.

Meant to denote completeness, wholeness.

This is a whole picture of what wisdom (theme of book) looks like in action.

It shows how a godly woman does the things listed in it.

It does not say, you must do all of these things in order to be a godly woman.

It’s not about roles, but about character

Poem is about how you do what you do, not what you do.

Embedded in words are values of a godly woman:

Trust and integrity in personal relationships,

Sacrifice,

Going the extra mile,

Providing for your children,

Opening your hands to the poor,

Doing whatever needs to be done.

In short, a life lived well.

A life full of

Justice,

Humility,

Compassion

Fairness.

Celebrating women of valour

Passage headed The Wife of Noble Character.

Hebrew - eshet chayil.

More properly translated, Woman of Valour.

Jewish women often cheer each other on with that phrase — eshet chayil (e-sha hi-yo).

If woman friend does something good — eshet chayil (e-sha hi-yo).

Promotion - eshet chayil (e-sha hi-yo).

Pregnancy - eshet chayil (e-sha hi-yo).

Act of service — eshet chayil (e-sha hi-yo).

Battle with illness — eshet chayil (e-sha hi-yo).

Try it!

Valour isn’t about what you do, it’s how you do it.

The other Proverbs 31 woman in the Bible

RHE points out at least one more woman in Bible who is described as eshet chayil (e-sha hi-yo) — woman of valour - Ruth.

Destitute foreigner.

Daily work = gathering, threshing and winnowing wheat.

Most of life, neither wife nor mother.

But Boaz, before Ruth gets married, before she has child, before she becomes wealthy, influential woman says:

Ruth 3:11 NLT

11 Now don’t worry about a thing, my daughter. I will do what is necessary, for everyone in town knows you are a virtuous woman.

“Virtuous woman” = “Woman of noble character” = eshet chayil (e-sha hi-yo).

Ruth = woman of valour, not because she checked off Proverbs 31 checklist by

Getting married,

Keeping a clean house and

Producing children

But because she lived her life with the godly values of

Incredible bravery,

Wisdom, and

Strength.

Application (5m)

Men: The one instruction in Proverbs 31 - Honour women

For men, first of all.

One instruction in the whole of this passage.

For everything it says,

In its 22 verses, just one imperative, one command:

Proverbs 31:31 NLT

31 Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

Where you see a woman living out the godly characteristics/values of Proverbs 31, praise her, honour her and make sure others do.

Women: Be women of valour

Remember:

Valour isn’t about what you do, it’s how you do it.

Office worker, nurse, in ministry here, retired, rich, poor, single, married, mother, childless — do it all with valour.

Exhibit strong godly character in all that you do.

It is your character that defines you, not what you do.

On this Mothering Sunday, a great mother is not a great mother because of what she does, it’s because of who she is in Christ.

Pray each woman here will be a women of valour — eshet chayil (e-sha hi-yo).

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