Proverbs 31:1 A mother's calling

"The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him."

That. Is. Motivating.

Look at it again. His mother taught him an inspired utterance. Not just opinion. Not just something she thought up on the spur of the moment, but an inspired teaching. 

Compared to the men in the Bible, we don't hear that much from the women of the Bible....not in so many words. There are many that we can read about, and see what others said about them, but this is a woman's words to her son. This is actually her advice to him.

Mother's ministry to her children is the strongest, most tender, and most influential of any ministries in this world. When she relies on God the Father for her ministry, it becomes not a job, not a chore, but an awesome and exhilarating adventure!
Think of all that motherhood means to us, and to the people of the ancient world: She has borne her child, and fed him at her breast or in her arms, has watched over his infancy and childhood with sedulous care, has shielded, sustained, and comforted him, fed him and clothed him -- in short, she has "mothered" him.

Think also of the motherly training and instruction that a godly mother imparts. . . this includes much more than the physical needs that have been met. It includes educating the childish intellect, molding and shaping the will of the child, the first impartings of religious instruction and values, and the many prayers uttered in that child's behalf. 

The godly and faithful mother also is unselfishly devoted to the best interest of her child; she is the bearer of true love and affection for her offspring. 

What is the duty of this child, now grown into an adult? (Many translations mention that this may be the words of Solomon's mother, for there are records of his being called "Lemuel" as a sort of family or "pet" name.) Surely the first responsibility is to respect the words of mother, to give them attention and consideration, and to dedicate oneself to honoring the advice that is given. For to do otherwise would be to wound the heart of one's faithful mother.

We need, as Christian women, to dedicate ourselves to being the faithful and noble woman described later in this chapter -- to give teachings to our children that are inspired by the Bible. And we need to honor our own mothers with respect and attention.