Mothers Through the Lens of Proverbs 31
What a blessing it is that the Lord gave us mothers! Regardless of your situation, somewhere there has been a mother figure in your life. A mother does not have to be biological, only filled with love. Let’s see what the Bible says as we take a look at mothers through the lens of Proverbs 31.
In a Summary
Proverbs 31 is not a checklist for perfection but a picture of wisdom lived out in a faithful life, often taught and passed down by a mother’s influence.
- Proverbs 31 is instruction from a mother to her son.
- It was not meant to be a checklist.
- Proverbs 31 is about character, not perfection.
- It is about influence, wisdom, and legacy.
What is Proverbs 31 Really About (That Most People Miss)
I love Proverbs 31, but oh my goodness, in the past, I saw it as a checklist, which is such an impossible challenge! That is not what is was meant to be.
Look closely at the beginning of the chapter:
“The words of King Lemuel, a pronouncement that his mother taught him: What should I say, my son?” Proverbs 31:1-2a
The verses that end Proverbs are the instructions a mother gave to her son. How encouraging that when you get to verses 10-31 you don’t find a checklist of things to do. You find her leaving a legacy of wisdom to her son. She only wanted the best for him.
It was never meant to pressure women – it was meant to teach a son what was worthy of honor.
4 Ways to View Mothers Through Proverbs 31
Instead of looking at this like a checklist to keep up with, let’s look at it in a different light.
The Teaching Mother (Verses 1-9)
This mother not only shared with her son what kind of character to look for in a wife, she also gave him instructions for his own life. Here are a few of the areas in which she instructed him:
- Time/Priorities
- Alcohol intake
- Leadership
- Justice and speaking up for others
- Caring for those in need
Later in these Scriptures, it says that “She speaks truth” and “gives wisdom.” The words she passed down mattered, and so do ours.
The Influential Mother (Leaving a Legacy)
In giving wise instruction to her son, she was leaving a legacy. It was such a legacy that we are still reading about it today.
If you have noticed, I am all about legacy. There have been wonderful people who have poured into me over the years. I only hope to be able to do the same for someone else.
A Behind the Scenes Worker
If you read my post, The Joy of Giving (about my Aunt Joy), you saw a great example of “working behind the scenes” played out in real life.
Many times mothers do so much behind the scenes that a lot of times we don’t even recognize it. Adulthood has a way of pointing some things out to us, but in our younger years, most of the motherly sacrifices go unnoticed.
A Faith-Filled Mother
I love that close to the very end of the whole passage, her faith in the Lord is mentioned.
I fully believe that for all of us to be the best version of ourselves (not going by a checklist), faith needs to be in place. It is the foundation of all we believe!
I don’t know if it was intentional of not, but to me it makes total sense to have this verse near the end of the chapter. It is like it wraps everything up in a little package. Whatever we are called to do in this life is all powered by the Lord.
Proverbs 31 Characteristics of a Mother
When I look at these characteristics closely, I can see many of them in mothers and friends I know personally.
- Verse 10 – Valuable to Her Family
- Verse 11 – Trustworthy
- Verse 12 – Brings Good to Others
- Verse 13 – Hard Worker
- Verse 14 – Smart Shopper
- Verse 15 – Provides Food
- Verse 16 – Smart Business Woman
- Verse 17 – Capable and Strong
- Verse 18 – Investor
- Verse 19 – Industrious
- Verse 21 – Generous
- Verse 22 – Takes Pride in Her Home and Appearance
- Verse 23 – Chooses a Respectable Spouse
- Verse 24 – Creative Entrepreneur
- Verse 25 – Dignified and Trusts the Lord
- Verse 26 – Wise Mentor
- Verse 27 – Attentive to Her Family
- Verse 28 – Praised by Her Family
- Verse 29 – Noble
- Verse 30 – Has a Reverential Fear of the Lord
- Verse 31 – Honorable Reputation
When I read these characteristics, I had many of you in my mind – by name! I guess I have done a good job of picking my friends and family, because you fit this Biblical description! I am truly blessed!
My mother has been such a great Godly example in my life, and I am blessed to have her, but I am also blessed to have a great daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, grandmothers (who have already passed), mothers-in-law, aunts, cousins, friends, church family, and Internet friends who are such wonderful examples of mothers through the lens of Proverbs 31. So thank you!
What This Looks Like Today
Everyone knows that we live in times that are much different now. Take a look at a few of these examples.
Then: She rose early.
Now: You wake up to take care of your family, even when you are tired.
Then: She provided for her household.
Now: You stretch groceries, plan meals, and make things work for your family.
Then: She managed her home.
Now: You juggle schedules, responsibilities, and relationships.
Our times and responsibilities may look different, but the hearts and love for our families are the same.
A Proverbs 31 Gift
Home with Grace and Joy is celebrating our 4 year anniversary this month! Since you are the only way I have been able to do this, I wanted to do something for you.
I wrote this E-book for girls based on Proverbs 31 back in 2007, but I never really shared it much. It has been for sale a few times, but for at least the rest of this month, you can download it here free.
If you already get my newsletter, it will still allow you to put your email in again to get the download. I hope you know someone who will enjoy it.
Song About a Mother (Kind of)
This is a different kind of song than you would expect when we are honoring mothers. The song’s title is “Unsung Hero,” written by For King and Country to honor their dad. However, there is one lyric that stands out to me every time I hear it.
“And you love like your mother, like there is nothing to lose.”
I love the fact that the song is about their father, but it honors him because he loves like a mother. There really is something about a mother’s love that stands out from the rest, because they love “like there is nothing to lose.” If you have not heard this beautiful song, listen to “Unsung Hero” here.
Proverbs 31 Scripture
As we celebrate mothers, remember how blessed we are when we can look at them through the lens of Proverbs 31.
I really like the fact that Proverbs 31 was written by a mother to her son! Who knows best the influence a wife has on a husband more than a woman? This mother wanted to make sure her son chose wisely, so she taught him what character to look for in a wife.
We can honor our mothers and strive to be the influences we want our families to have. Just don’t get caught up in the “checklist” mentality. It is all about influence, wisdom, and legacy.
Feel free to share something about your mother in the comments.
Related Posts
I would like to share a few other posts about the mothers in my life:
My mom, Joy – This was written by Jay.
Jay’s mom, Barbara – This was written by Jay.
Jay’s second mom, Linda – He doesn’t like to refer to her as a step-mom, because she has always been like a second mom to him.
Get to Know Grace and Joy – This shares a lot more about my grandmother, Grace and my mom, Joy.
Until next time,
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“When I am filled with cares, Your comfort brings me joy.” Psalms 94:19
what a rich heritage you have, Susan … the picture you shared paints a thousand words!
Thank you! She’s a sweetheart!
Such a fun picture of you guys! I love your tribute to your Mom and all the special ladies in your life. It was so sweet. Thanks so much for breaking down the Proverbs 31 woman. I’ve read those passage a hundred times and every single time I feel this unnecessary pull towards perfection. This definitely feels doable though. Hugs and hope you had the best Mothers Day, CoCo
Thank you! I agree about Proverbs 31. I’ve pretty much given up on perfectionism though. 😂
I like to say the Proverbs 31 lady didn’t do everything listed in a day. 🙂 Our pastor preached through Proverbs last year and said basically the same thing about chapter 31–that it is a picture of wisdom lived out in a faithful life, not a checklist for perfection.
Precious post! Over the years, Proverbs 31 has brought several lessons. And I so agree with you. Most of those lessons were about building character and wisdom, not perfection. I am so grateful God has covered my mistakes 🙂 May you and yours have a happy Mother’s Day!