“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”
~ Proverbs 31:25
Hi James and Ellen,
Do you have the best ma in the whole wide world? Ask your dad if he thinks that he has the best wife in the whole wide world? Your grandpaa knows that you have the best grandmaa in the whole wide world. What should the best ma in the whole wide world be like? What should the best wife in the whole wide world be like? What should the best grandmaa in the whole wide world be like? King Lemuel’s ma taught her kid an oracle. An oracle can be a revelation. King Lemuel’s ma’s oracle became the Proverbs Book’s last chapter. Proverbs 31 has become the Mother’s Day ode for mas. King Lemuel was probably not one of God’s specially chosen guys from an Israelite people group tribal clan. No one knows who King Lemuel was nor does anyone know who King Lemuel’s ma was. King Lemuel’s ma wanted her son to be an exceptional leader by making the poor, needy and destitute his primary concern instead of using his time on planet Earth drinking wine and beer and pursuing gals who are decadent.
The first nine verses of this last chapter in the Proverbs Book is King Lemuel being taught by his ma to be an exceptional king. The last twenty-two verses of this last chapter in the Proverbs Book is King Lemuel being taught by his ma what to look for in the wife who he would want to have. King Lemuel’s ma wanted her son to have a wife who had noble character. A gal of noble character fears God. A gal of noble character personifies wisdom. Rubies do not begin to compare to wisdom’s value. King Lemuel’s ma knew that her son would have favor with God if he had a wife of noble character. Your grandmaa is of noble character. Your grandmaa is full of wisdom. Your grandpaa has received favor from God. Your grandpaa knows that he can have confidence in your grandmaa as his wife. Your grandmaa has always brought your grandpaa good things into his life – not things that would hurt your grandpaa. Your grandmaa has willingly worked to help provide food for your dad and Aunt Lynn. Your grandmaa is very good at handling money wisely. Your grandmaa is always ready to help with her hands anything that your grandmaa sees that needs to be done or that your grandmaa has been asked to do. When your grandmaa is doing the Equipo SEPAL’s field team’s bookkeeping, your grandmaa wants the field bookkeeping done correctly and have the monthly bookkeeping report filed as quickly as possible after the first of each month. When your grandmaa gives orientations and co-teaches with your grandpaa a P.E.B. (Programa de Educación Bíblica) module, your grandmaa will spend hours and hours preparing the material that she will present. Your grandmaa really cares for and wants to help poor guys and gals and needy kids. One of the ministries that the South America Mission field ministry team had in Bolivia was a ministry with kids who were physically challenged in one way or another – such as kids with Down Syndrome or who were deaf or . . . your grandmaa helped in this ministry. When the field team missionary gal who initiated this ministry left Bolivia, your grandmaa was asked to take on the oversight of this ministry. Your grandmaa always wants the very best for her kids. Your grandmaa always looks very attractive and well dressed. Other guys respect your grandpaa because of your grandmaa’s genuineness and friendliness. Your grandmaa is very much like what verse 25 says, “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”
A personal assessment that your grandmaa took twice – one year apart, called Leading From Your Strengths had her score both times the highest that can be scored on the ability to create a happy family environment, on the ability to enjoy life and have fun and on the ability to organized what needs to be done. Your grandpaa does not know of any guy or gal who took this assessment who scored like your grandmaa did in three of the four strength areas. During the twelve years that your grandmaa was in Bolivia, your grandmaa traveled to more places than any of the other field missionary team gals on the Bolivia South American Mission missionary team. Your grandmaa several times on trips ended up having to sleep with your grandpaa in the cab of the C-10 Chevrolet pickup that your grandmaa and grandpaa owned. Your grandmaa spent three years with your grandpaa living at the rural resident leadership training center with up to sixteen C. de C. (Centro de Capacitación) students, the wives of the married students and their kids. Over thirty kids were for two years at the training center in Concepción, Ñuflo de Cháves. Your grandmaa would teach two or three times – for two weeks at a time, for an hour or so a day during each thirteen week trimester at the rural training center. Your grandmaa often helped the C. de C. students’ wives make by hand the small breads that they baked in a beehive oven. Your grandmaa is the very best at organizing and planning any kind of special activity. Your grandmaa always seems to have a gal in her field office – talking with her. Any guy or gal who has met and talked with your grandmaa has found out that your grandmaa has the fastest wit in the world. When your grandmaa and grandpaa are asked to speak at a church, your grandpaa can see the guys and gals in the church begin to lean forward when your grandmaa is about to speak. Your grandmaa just smiles and the guys and gals are ready to listen to her. When it is your grandpaa’s turn to speak, your grandpaa can see the guys and gals in the church lean back and cross their arms. Your grandpaa can see it on the faces of the guys and gals in the church that they would much rather listen to your grandmaa than to him. Your grandmaa is an excellent speaker. It is very easy for your grandpaa to praise your grandmaa. Your grandmaa’s desire is to always be blessing God through her life. Your grandmaa always strives in whatever she does to have God’s glory reflected through her life.
Proverbs 31 (304)