SHE 31 - Woman Of ValourSample

We know that our Proverbs 31 woman is a mother, simply because her children are mentioned in the passage - “her children stand and bless her”. What a joy, to have your children bless you. Many of us will become physical mothers are some point in our lives - whether that be through childbirth, marriage, adoption, fostering or by other means. But whether we physically have children or not, we all have a role to play when it comes to mothering. 

Consider: You have something to bring

The dictionary definition of mothering is explained as this: “to bring up a child with care and affection”. Given that definition, there is more than one woman who has brought me up with care and affection. I have a biological mother and a step-mother. I had two grandmothers. I have aunties and great aunties. I have close friends decades older than me with many more years of experience than I. I’ve also had a number of spiritual mothers that have loved me and brought me up over the years. 

Context: Why bother?

The best example of a spiritual mother that I could share with you is my beautiful friend Dionne. There is so much of the Proverbs 31 woman in her. Dionne loves children and young people. Not in a gushy way. It a way that requires action. Because love is a verb. Dionne sees the kids that other people don’t. She speaks life and encouragement over them. She tells them that she believes in them and then shows them that her words aren’t empty. She tells them that they can do it. She doesn’t give up on them when they mess up. Dionne doesn’t just love the well-dressed young people who are on their best behaviour, in fact, I think she has a soft spot for those who are quite the opposite! She meets them where they’re at and she is entirely herself. Dionne loves how Jesus loves - without boundaries, without exception, regardless of social status, background, race, age or ethnicity. When young people are around Dionne, she is bringing them up with care and affection - she is mothering them. She’s there in the good times and the bad times. She is consistent and doesn’t need to be double guessed. I know of countless children and young people that she has mothered and I know that there are countless more that I’m unaware of. With or without physical children, we all have a role to play in mothering children. 

Over to you: Ask yourself…..

• How have the examples of mothering that you’ve experienced in your own life impacted the way that you see mothering?
• Would you consider yourself a spiritual mother? Why?
• We all have a part to play. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where and how you can be a mother to someone.