There are very few things in our lives that are very precious to us because they are irreplaceable. A mother, is undoubtedly the most precious and irreplaceable jewel in any person’s life. In ancient Oriental culture, the mother of a king was widely respected and venerated by society, even more so than the queen herself. To them, history teaches us, she held a very prestigious position in the court of the king and was always sought after for advice due to her seasoned knowledge. She was expected to be the voice of reason in her son’s ear, especially if her husband was a loved king. Truly for this old culture the saying, “behind a great man, there is a great woman” referred to a mother who taught that man to be great. Although it is cause for much debate as to whether this phrase speaks of a mother or a wife, it is an undeniable truth that it is a praise meant for a special kind of woman. In the book of Proverbs, the same is true of King Lemuel’s words in chapter 31. In it, we find what many fondly call an ode to a virtuous woman. The writer of these words begins by stating that they are not his, but rather “the prophecy that his mother taught him” (Proverbs 31:1). Lemuel is believed to be a pseudonym for Solomon himself since the name means “(belonging) to God” as in “dedicated” to God (Strong, H3927). If this is true, then we can observe that the king is choosing to conclude his book with the wise counsel of his mother, Bathsheba. It is interesting to see that the final words of Proverbs have to do with the description of an ideal wife, from a mother’s perspective. It should come as no surprise that his mother’s worry is concerning who will be her future daughter-in-law. However, it is unwise to take the words from Lemuel’s mother out of context from the rest of the book of Proverbs. Let us first make some observations that can help illuminate the purpose for this conclusion to a book highly regarded as the manual for obtaining wisdom. We mentioned earlier what the name “Lemuel” meant in our language. This is relevant because from his name we see the love and devotion his mother had toward God. Toward the end of the proverb, we are taught that “a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised” (Proverbs 31:30). It is reiterated that this ode does not apply to all the women of the world; rather it is to be applied to those women who can make manifest their reverence toward God in the upbringing of their children. The apostle Paul mimics the same thought process as he explains to Timothy that although it was the woman who was deceived by the serpent, it was also the woman who was chosen to be the vessel that would bring into fruition the lineage of the Christ (1st Timothy 2:14-15, Genesis 3:15). The apostle makes the observation that it is in this way that “she will be saved” and adds “if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.” This addition that Paul makes at the end of the text seems to be separating itself from childbirth. However, this is not the case when we apply the significance of it’s remote context found in Proverbs 31. Lemuel’s mother teaches us that a God fearing woman is to be deemed as virtuous. Paul elaborates on the Proverb’s description by detailing how it is she will be saved. The apostle is not making the statement that a woman will be saved solely on bringing children into this earth, but rather the mother’s role of their child’s upbringing. In other words, they (both Paul and Lemuel’s mother) are explaining what a mother truly is. To say that a woman becomes a mother by simply giving birth to a child is erroneous, especially in these perilous times. Our God inspires both Paul and the author of the proverb to make it abundantly clear that a mother is defined by her care and guidance of her children. In stating, “if they continue,” the apostle boldly expresses that a woman was virtuous before giving birth and not as a result of. Therefore, it is wise to comprehend why a mother’s concern as to whom will be her daughter-in-law. Referring back to Paul’s allusion of Eve being deceived, it is important to accept that Adam fell prey to his wife’s suggestion of eating from the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6). It is in this allusion where the concern of Lemuel’s mother becomes evident. This woman wisely understood that a woman’s true purpose is to aid her husband in his duties before God, especially in the raising of their children. In essence what she is teaching her son is that in his election of a wife it is foolish to ignore that he is also choosing a mother to his future children. Her counsel to her son the king is the same as Paul’s to Timothy regarding a woman’s role in the church. A woman who fears God is one who dedicates her life to devoting her children to God. She is esteemed virtuous because she is a woman of admirable spiritual strength. Her convictions concerning God become very useful to her husband, but also spill over in her rearing of their children. It is very likely that the apostle’s mind had the image of Timothy’s mother and grandmother as he spoke of the woman’s role in the church since he knew that Timothy’s faith was passed on by them (2nd Timothy 1:5). A virtuous woman is truly valuable to the world because she creates faithful, righteous servants of the Lord. Women such as Hannah, are fully aware of the true importance of motherhood and are bestowed with the wonderful title of virtuous. Hannah earned this privilege from the moment she presented her purpose of wanting a child. Why else would a woman who desired a child so eagerly, vow to give the child to God after having him (1st Samuel 1:9-11)? Hannah knew very well what being a mother meant. She understood and accepted her role in setting forth the path of the great prophet Samuel. Hannah’s conviction and faith in knowing that offering God her son would be accepted by God is proof of what Lemuel’s mother was advising her son. The author to the book of proverbs chooses to end his book with this illustration because he understood that a mother’s loving voice is very difficult to forget. He chose this very important moment in the life of a man, because the election of a wife would define the future of his endeavors and the direction of his family. Therefore, in a beautiful allegory, the author of the Proverbs summarizes the purpose of his book as he has stated from the beginning with this illustration (Proverbs 1:2-4). The election of a wife comes to represent the important life altering decisions that a man must make in his journey. He personifies wisdom as a loving, nurturing mother who uses her voice to give direction in the life of her son. Therefore, we are encouraged to heed to wisdom’s call and embrace it in our decisions as we would embrace a mother.
