Proverbs 31:10-31
A good woman is hard to find,
and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve,
and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously
all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,
and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places
and brings back exotic surprises.
She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast
for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it,
then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work,
is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,
diligent in homemaking.
She’s quick to assist anyone in need,
reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows;
their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing,
and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected
when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them,
brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant,
and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,
and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,
and keeps them all busy and productive.
Her children respect and bless her;
her husband joins in with words of praise:
“Many women have done wonderful things,
but you’ve outclassed them all!”
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
The woman to be admired and praised
is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
Adorn her life with praises!
Today’s passage from Proverbs is traditionally associated with Mothers’ Day. Often called, “The Good Wife,” it can lean toward sexism – the woman of the family must care for everyone, working from dawn into the night, ignoring her own needs. In that vein I’ve rarely chosen it for a Sunday scripture. But today I want us to hear it not as a list of jobs women must do, but as a description of how people shaped their lives 2500 years ago. What was necessary for a family to thrive in ancient times? And what attitude did people bring to that work? I’ve chosen the word nurture for today partly in honor of Mothers’ Day, but mostly because nurture is the attitude we bring to our life together. We nurture one another. We provide food and shelter, support and encouragement. Most of the words we have in our list are nurturing words. They describe an attitude that wants the best for everyone and does what’s necessary to make that happen.
This is a nurturing church. The community fund supports people who are falling short in the basics needed for life. Because of us people avoid eviction and utility shutoffs. They have essential transportation to get to school and work. They have clothing and can do laundry. They can get IDs necessary to function in the world. We do these things without judgment. We don’t say, “Try harder so we don’t have to help.” We say, “Happy we can do this.”
Yesterday we celebrated Monica’s graduation from law school. She has done an amazing job and we were able to help a little. We fed her family once a week this last semester. We made her a quilt to remind her that she’s special and we’re proud of her. Those are nurturing things.
Sometimes we think of nurturing as women’s work, but it isn’t really. It’s an attitude that we bring to life. It says everyone matters. Everyone deserves respect and encouragement. Everyone should have the basics of life. The good things in life are meant to be shared among us all and no one should struggle to live. That’s the way the followers of Jesus formed the first churches and it’s a basic Christian principle. When society gives excess to some while others go without, we aren’t following Jesus. Some would criticize saying “That’s socialism.” But socialism is an economic principle of ownership and saying everyone deserves food, clothing and shelter because they are human is Christian love, not socialism.
American Christianity tries hard to avoid political positions, but sometimes just being loving brings us up against political realities. We’ve been nurturing New Americans who have become our friends. Now we realize that policies which endanger these people are wrong. The recent increases in deportations, sometimes of legal immigrants, are unnecessary. They don’t represent the love of God among us. We are all connected in one human family. Caring for one another doesn’t harm any of us. It makes our world a better place.
There’s danger in putting the word nurture on Mother’s Day, because for too long mothers have been tasked with being the nurturing ones in our society. But nurture is a positive value for us all. Each of us can be kind and caring for others in our own unique ways. And we can form communities that lift up nurture as a positive value. We can support and encourage each other. We can advocate for inclusion and justice that makes life better for everyone.
What are the important ways that the church has nurtured you? Or that you can nurture others through the church?