BACKGROUND:
The Proverbs 31 woman's wise business dealings are again referred to (“earnings,” v. 16, and “sells,” v. 24). The fact that her lamp does not go out speaks of her planning ahead. The five virgins whose lamps did not go out were praised for their foresight (Matthew 25:4). The extinguishing of one’s lamp pictured calamity (Proverbs 13:9; 20:20; 24:20).
Verses 13, 19, 22, 24 refer to her weaving and sewing. She makes cloth by spinning wool or flax (v. 13) on a distaff, using a spindle. This noble wife, mother, woman is also selfless and generous. She sells some things for profit but she also gives to the poor and the needy.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
Life is often compared to a race. But it’s not a fifty-yard dash. It’s not even a hundred-yard dash. It’s a marathon. If you’ve ever watched a marathon you know that at the beginning of the marathon there’s quite a crowd. Everybody’s all bunched up. But as the race progresses, what happens? The crowd thins out. There are fewer that finish than start. It’s always better to finish something than it is to start something. There are a lot of people who start good but finishing is what counts.
God has this to say to us in 2 Corinthians 8:11 - “Finish what you begin to do. Then your willingness will be matched by what you accomplish.”
The reality is, it’s far easier to start than it is to finish. It’s easy to sign up for stuff. It’s very difficult to keep the commitments that we make. As a mom,who is spread so thin - usually racing from one crises to another - how do we see that happen?
#1. START IMMEDIATELY
Once you know you’ve been distracted, once you know you’ve gotten detoured from something that’s important in your life, you start back on it immediately – not next month, next week, next year, tomorrow. You do it now! Romans 12:8 says, “If your gift is to encourage others, do it. If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility. If you have the gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”
He’s saying whatever you’re going to do with your life, get on with it. Get on with it now. Don’t keep saying, “One of these days…. Someday I’ll … I’m going to get around to it eventually.” Do it now! Get on with your life. Start immediately. If you’re going to finish what you’ve started, you’ve got to do it now.
#2. FOCUS ON THE GAIN NOT THE PAIN
The worthwhile things in life are rarely easy. We have to look past the pain. You have to concentrate on how good you’re going to feel after you finish. This is a Biblical principle. Moses used it. Jesus used it. Moses, the Bible tells us in Hebrews 11, why was Moses able to turn his back on all the wealth of Egypt. He was in line to become Pharaoh. He was considered the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and eventually he would have all the wealth and power of the most powerful man of the world. But he turned his back on that in order to lead one million slaves out in the desert for 40 years. Why would anybody do that?
Because in Hebrews 11 it says, “Moses was looking forward to the reward and he considered the cause of Christ greater than the riches of Egypt.” He was saying, I could be the most powerful man on earth for 30, 40, 50 years or I could enjoy eternal reward in heaven for millions and millions of years. How does that balance out? I think I’ll go for the long term. The Bible says that Jesus was able to endure the cross. That was no picnic. He was able to endure the cross because it says, “He was looking forward to the joy that was set before Him.” He could see the results it would bring and the millions, billions of people who would be in His family because of what He did.
One of the weaknesses of our culture is we are consumed with short-term thinking. All we care about is the here and now. We don’t think long term. We don’t know the meaning of delayed gratification, pay today so we can enjoy tomorrow. We want to enjoy today and forget tomorrow. That doesn’t work.
One imminent psychologist said, “Fearing pain, almost all of us to a greater or lesser degree attempts to avoid problems. We procrastinate, hoping they’ll go away. We ignore them and pretend they don’t exist. We attempt to get out of them rather than suffer through them. This tendency to avoid problems and the emotional pain inherit is the primary basis of human mental illness.”
It’s the desire to avoid pain even if what’s painful is good for us. As long as it’s painful I don’t care if it’s good, I don’t want it. I want just pleasure now. He says that’s the primary cause of human mental illness.
Ecclesiastes 7:4 (LB) says, ”A fool only thinks of having a good time now.” The issue is what do you have your eyes on? What are you focusing on? Now or later? Short term or long term? The Bible says, “Don’t get tired of doing what’s good. Don’t get discouraged and give up. You will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.”
#3. DEPEND ON GOD TO HELP
When you’re trying to finish something that you started, depend on God to help you finish it. He won’t ask you to do what He won’t give you the power to do. 1 Peter 4:11 “Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then God will be glorified.” God says I’ll give you the power to do it.
Mom, you make all the difference. No doubt. The greatest job you've been given is to raise kids who love God and live for God. There is no task more important to complete and finish.
I love you guys. Stay the course.
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