Thought for the Day

Verse 1 - Chapter 31, the last chapter of Proverbs, was written by King Lemuel. "Lemuel" is thought to have been another name for Solomon, a loving appellation his mother used. As a young man, he was a person of splendid, godly character. This can be attributed not only to his father David, whose instructions to Solomon are recorded in Proverbs 4, but also to Bathsheba, his mother, whose instructions are recorded in this chapter. She called Solomon the "son of her vows." Like the name "Lemuel," this phrase meant that she had dedicated him to the Lord. This chapter reveals her aim to teach him the responsibilities that he would have as a king, that he might please God, to whom she had dedicated him.

Verse 2 - Through the centuries, many mothers have dedicated their children to God and He has used those children mightily. Hannah, another great woman of faith and prayer dedicated her son to the Lord, and he was used mightily during a time in Israel's history when the light of God's revelation burned dimly. Her son was the great prophet, Samuel (1 Samuel 3:20-21).

More recently, we have the example of Susanna Wesley. God used her two sons, John and Charles, to touch the lives of many people for Christ. John Wesley founded Methodism, while his brother Charles wrote over 9,000 hymns and poems. John Wesley received much of his early spiritual and academic training from his mother. The year 2003 marked the 300th anniversary of John Wesley's birth. His life still influences people today, for which much credit is due his mother's faithfulness and dedication to teach her children the ways of the Lord.

Verse 3 - The prayerful woman who gives her children to the Lord will also instruct them in His ways. The first instruction that Bathsheba gave Lemuel was to reject loose women, bad companions and promiscuous ways. She realized the awesome responsibility her son would have as a king. She knew that if he were to please God, he must learn to fear the Lord. This would make him a man of integrity and help him to resist the three greatest temptations of those in authority: the misuse of wealth; yielding to pride; or yielding to lust. While these are especially tempting for those in authority, we all face the same temptations at various levels. We must remember, as Bathsheba did, our responsibility to warn our children of sin's dangers, and to teach them to walk in the reverence of God.