SHE TEACHES
What is it about the Proverbs 31 woman that makes her so admirable? I think I'm fascinated most by her silence & her humility. The prose in Proverbs 31 gives us a glimpse of this woman who knows her role, her influence, her skills, and her reach. She is quietly confident and hugely effective. So, in my quest to be more like the Proverbs 31 woman, I think it's worth looking at this woman through another lens: The Proverbs 31 Mom.
This week we look at how ...she teaches
The Proverbs 31 Mother teaches her children. With or without a chalkboard. With or without raising her voice. With or without a lesson plan. She teaches.
The Proverbs 31 mom uses every opportunity she encounters to teach her children. Read Proverbs 31: 1-9 for a "remembrance" of this great woman, from the perspective of her son. Here she clearly used words (and, no doubt, some wit.) This portion of scripture shows her as a mom who actively taught. She probably used a little bit of the 'ol, "do this, not that. Say this, not that" (you get the picture.)
Then Read Proverbs 31:10-31 and count all the ways she taught - without words. This is what grips me the most! She teaches without words. Her choices. Her attitude. Her example. Her character. Her prayer life. Her empathy. Her sternness. Her company. Her involvement in the church. Her outword love for Christ. Her work ethic. Her self-discipline. Her selflesness. ...she teaches without words.
Convicting? Comforting?
Either way, here's the point. Each moment, you have a powerful opportunity.
God presents moms with opportunity every day. Moments full of lifelong impact.
How will you use your teachable moments?
How will you teach with or without words?
As moms, we literally have every moment to teach our daughters (words not always required.) And if you're anything like me - you don't always relish the idea of being a teacher 24/7. As the mothers of tween/teen-agers, I'm finding that, not only do we have the opportunity to teach our daughters; but at this stage of life, there is a constant need to teach our daughters. It's like these teachable moments spring up everywhere, all the time.
Your daughter sees all & hears all. She takes it all in, and she learns from it. She will often reflect back on what you say & do, to guide her through what she should say & do. Scary? Sometimes.
In our house, I feel like there's a daily lesson plan that springs from friend-drama, peer pressure, social media (or any internet based application) and school/home responsibilities. In all honesty, it's just exhausting. [I could actually talk about all those micro-lessons for at least another week! But that would be another series all together!]
Sometimes I look at these teachable moments and think "Really, Lord? Right Now?"
His answer? "Yes. Right Now."
[out of that conversation spring a new mantra: "If not now, then when?"]
He catches me in these moments of personal decision and action. And I realize, that those are teachable moments too. Who I am. What I wear. How I treat people. How often I pray. My attitude. My self-discipline. My tempermant. Oh, Lord, those are teachable moments, too!
I look at my daughter every day and see her growth. I see the physical maturity. It's up to me to ensure that her spiritual maturity, spiritual development, and regard for everything in between matures, too.
If I've learned anything from the Proverbs 31 Mom, it's that she teaches with and without words. She sees every moment as an opportunity to have a lasting impact on her child(ren.) And don't get me wrong, sisters. She has her not-so-bright & shining-moments (if you get my gist) but she ensures that she has many more positive moments that far outweigh her bad moments.
It's not perfection - It's just the pursuit of it. God's grace covers everything in between. And if/when you find yourself challenged or discouraged, remember that in the end
"...Her children arise & call her blessed..."
Prov. 31:28
-Emily
