Proverbs 31:26
“When she speaks, her words are wise, and kindness is the rule for everything she says.”
Family is important to God. He created it before He created the church and, as with each of His creations, He made a plan for it to succeed. At the heart of that plan is love! To be part of a family is to be loved. Over the last two days, we have examined the first steps to loving your family; to build trust, to serve them with joy, to plan well and to work hard.
4. We can also love and enjoy our family by guarding our tongue
The power of the spoken word is great. Words are like seeds. What we plant will grow. If we plant negative, critical words, we will reap a family that is negative and critical. Look for the good in your family then speak it. Be their cheerleader. Everyone needs a cheerleader!
Psalm 141:3 “Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD: keep watch over the door of my lips.”
Ask yourself these questions before speaking.
T is it true?
H Is it helpful?
I is it inspiring?
N is it necessary?
K is it kind?
5. Think before you speak!
Use the five to one ratio when correcting anyone - five positive remarks to one negative. The harder the truth, the greater the love we should use to say it. It is our responsibility to use our words to train and instruct our family about the daily things in life, but more importantly, to instruct them about eternal things. We are very concerned about providing for our children when we need to be more concerned about caring for our children. The greatest care we can give is to disciple them by speaking words of truth. Guard your tongue!
6. The sixth way to enjoy our family is to take care of ourselves
The Proverbs 31 woman certainly did. “She is energetic. Her own clothing is beautifully made--a purple gown of pure linen. She is a woman of strength and dignity and has no fear of old age.” Proverbs 31:17; 22; 25
Families are hard work. In order to make our family relationships replenishing we must be replenished. Psalm 46:10 instructs us to “Be still and know that I am God.” Let’s apply this verse specifically.
Be still, MY MUSCLES, and know God’s RELAXATION.
Be still, MY NERVES, and know God’s REST.
Be still, MY HEART, and know God’s QUIETNESS.
Be still, MY BODY, and know God’s RENEWAL.
Be still, MY MIND, and know God’s PEACE.
In order to be all that we can be to our families, we must be all that we can be mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally. We must be balanced. The Proverbs 31 woman was energetic and hard working for the tasks she was gifted and called to do. Proverbs 31:25 tells us this woman could laugh “at the days to come.” The picture here is of a woman who enjoyed her life. She worked hard, but she knew how to stop and plant a vineyard. She liked to shop and watched for bargains. She liked to look beautiful, dressing in purple fine linen.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.”
We cannot give our heart to God and keep our body for ourselves. When you take care of yourself, you are honoring God and loving your family.
7. The final way to enjoy and love your family is to remember your audience
Proverbs 31:28-31 “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”
It’s so easy to have the wrong audience and the truth is that our audience determines how we run the race. Our audience should be God, our mate, our children and then others. One day we will stand before God as keeper of the family He has loaned to us for a short time. Will He be pleased? Will He say “Well done”? Will our family stand and bless us? Will others say this woman loved and enjoyed her family?
Have a great day!
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