Thursday: She Cares
Read Proverbs 31:26–31. What other important characteristics are seen in this woman? Why are these important for all of us, regardless of who we are?
As we have seen all through this quarter, an emphasis is placed on words, on what we say. The woman is known for her wisdom and for her kindness. They are related. After all, couldn’t one argue that kindness is another form of wisdom, especially when we understand that wisdom isn’t just what we know but what we say and do?
Image © Kevin Carden from GoodSalt.com
Notice, too, the phrase the law of kindness.
That is, kindness isn’t just some fleeting attribute that escapes from her mouth now and then. It is a law, a principle of her very existence. How powerful it would be if the law of kindness
were to guide all that came out of our mouths.
Read Proverbs 31:30. What important point is revealed here that is so often forgotten?
All too often women are rated only in terms of outward appearance; that’s such a shallow and superficial marker. The Bible points out just how vain,
how empty, that kind of attitude ultimately is. This woman’s true beauty is found in her character and how that character is made manifest in her life and works. Beauty will always pass away; character can endure forever. A great name among men is as letters traced in sand, but a spotless character will endure to all eternity.
— Ellen G. White, God’s Amazing Grace, p. 81.
In what areas of your life do you need to see your character improve? Praying about it is fine, but what concrete positive steps must you take in order to see growth?
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The Law of Kindness.
Yes this is an area i really need to work on by the grace of God in my daily life.
The Law of kindness revealed in kind words and kind deeds.
Sometimes even our kindness can be miss-understood by others, like in the case of Mary Magdalene when she brought that expensive ointment to anoint our blessed Saviour.
Even the kindness of Jesus was miss understood by His own brothers and sisters, Sister White wrote,
"Mary often remonstrated with Jesus, and urged Him to conform to the usages of the rabbis. But He could not be persuaded to change His habits of contemplating the works of God and seeking to alleviate the suffering of men or even of dumb animals. When the priests and teachers required Mary's aid in controlling Jesus, she was greatly troubled; but peace came to her heart as He presented the statements of Scripture upholding His practices. {DA 90.2}
Here we see that Jesus was not only being kind to suffering men but even of dump animals.
This Law of kindness not only involves human beings but the animals and our natural environment.
I'll end with this story from the old testament about a young virtuous woman who indeed had the law of kindness in her mouth.
Genesis 24. You can read the whole chapter.
Its the story of finding a woman to be Isaac's wife.
The servant whom Abraham sent wanted God to show him by a sign the right woman.
The servant asked for the sign of KINDNESS.
Not only to himself but also to his camels.
Bible says that before he was done praying Rebbekah arrived.
She was beautiful and was still a virgin.
He watched her fill her pitcher and as she was returning, he asked her for a drink.
She offered him his request without asking a question, and also offered to quench the thirst of all Ten camels that were silently waiting to be shown some kindness.
What a wonderful example of kindness we see in this young woman.
May God put his Laws in our mind and write His law of kindness in our hearts, that we be found worthy for the marriage feast of the Son of God.
Praise the Lord.
indeed!! A woman that feareth the lord shall be praised 🙂
Women work hard, care, have wisdom, protect, smart, keep us out of trouble, they are creative, they are brave, and many many more values. Well gentlemen its no wonder why without women we are nothing. And for the same reason lets treat them with respect, love and dignity. They really do deserve it.
Frank,
Thanks so much for your comment that almost made me cry.
My 59th birthday is coming up and I wish just one man in my personal life would feel that about me and respect me like you mention and it's never happened. When I hear other men respect and cherish their women/mothers/wives/daughters, I just wish I had one man in my life who cherished me in that way.
Dear jane,
Im writing this reply to you because my mum kinda went through your experience also. She will also be turning 59 this coming May. I believe from your other post you are are single mum. I know some of the things single mums go through because our mother brought us up alone and we never got to have a father in our home. Its not easy being a single mum and it takes courage for women in your situation to come through and still praising the Lord. I respect all single mothers out there for your bravery and motherly love to put your feet down and carry a double burden. You are my heroes and you deserved to be praised.
God Bless
All is not lost Jane. Even though you do not get praises from men God see and knows all. He will reward you in due time. Keep trusting.
The title is \'She cares\'! The writers seem to have talked about Law of Kindness. Could this mean Caring is being equated to Kindness? If so is it true that Kind people are Caring? I would love to heae more of Caring being explained.
It has been my experience that kindness and caring go hand in hand; if you see one, you'll see the other. But if you want to know more about what caring means, when I googled it, caring is defined as "displaying kindness and concern for others", which I think is an excellent definition.
I've been thinking more of your question and even spoke with someone about it this Sabbath. She made the illustration of some who are rich who donate money to charities, but do it for a tax write-off instead of really caring for the people/organizations they donate to. So I guess it can be true that one can display kind actions without caring.
But I would still argue that those who do this never truly cared to begin with; it's like they have a form of godliness, but deny its power (2 Timothy 3: 5). I believe that to truly be kind---to have the kindness of Christ growing and living and breathing in your heart---you will also be a caring person. Hope this helps you even more! 🙂
A church is not about the building bt what which follows the law of kindness. It has wisdom to follow God's law. It has character of God for this character endures forever
Do you somehow realized that the lesson has nothing to do with a human being per se. Think it through! And I am not taking anything from the attributes that is credited to a vitreous woman, This woman is Wisdom. The author of the lesson apply poetry in this context (imagery to bring out a point).
Not everyone agrees with the author of this lesson that the "Virtuous Woman" described in Proverbs 31 is solely a poem that gives personification to the character trait of wisdom. Some believe that part of the chapter can be interpreted metaphorically, as well as towards a real woman.
Jane, my heart goes out to you. Just recently, the Lord has shown me the repeated hurts and abuses others experience in their lives. And it's not just from non-Christians, but often from church goers who label themselves as Christians. Men...we need Godly men in our churches as well as Godly women. All of us need to humble ourselves before God and before one another. All of us need to be the example of Proverbs 31. We all need to provide for our families physically and emotionally, to be the same person at home that we are out in public, to do little things for others; and especially those that we live with. It's so easy to take for granted those we live with because we become so aquainted with their faults. Let's all make a commitment to be the same caring, loving person at home that we are out in public. We cannot do this on our own. Only the Holy Spirit can change our character. Let's all ask Him to change us into the caring, dedicated people that He wants us to be, and to decrease the number of abused, hurt people around us.
The word used for "law" in "law of kindness" is towrah which means custom, manner. It was the custom and manner of the virtuous woman to be kind. It was the custom and manner of Jesus to be kind to others. Like the Ten Commandment law, may we let the law of kindness be writter in our hearts. And kindness is a fruit of the Spirit. This woman was a Spirit filled woman. She walked by the Spirit and this is why she is praised by her family and all who know her. She made a difference not only to her husband and children, but to her community. She was selfless. She was wise and faithful. She was hardworking. Her family could safely trust in her. She had the attributes of Jesus.
There is so much to learn from this remarkable woman.
Good advice. We appreciate all of your effort to make us especially myself understand the lesson. Jah bless.