Are you thankful for the Godly women in your life?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
(Proverbs 31:30 (NIV))

We just celebrated a day set aside to honor the women in our lives who are responsible for making us who we are. Mothers have such an influence in our lives that we should do more than just honor them one day a year. We should honor them in every action that we take. We should honor them in the way that we treat other people. We are molded by their nurturing. We are shaped by their instruction and we are made aware of our responsibility to others by their love.

It is my hope and prayer that your memories of your mother are ones that you look back upon and recognize the influence that she had on your life. It is also my prayer that you realize the influence that the Lord had on your mother. The Lord used her to shape your life. Be thankful for that influence, even if you fail to recognize that there was an influence.

When you read Proverbs 31:30, do you think of your mother?

If you fear the Lord, there is a very good chance that you were given that foundation by your mother.

Are you thankful for the Godly women in your life?

Copyright 1998 – 2018 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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What are you like on the inside?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
(Matthew 23:25-26 (NIV))

How many people do you know that put up appearances? The way they look from the outside is all righteous, but when no one is around, or they are in different company, they are completely different. Jesus spoke of people like this. There were people like that then and there are still people like it now.

What are you like on the inside? Do you change or do you stay consistent in your words and actions? Be sure that your motives are of God on the inside, and then what the world sees will also be of God.

I find it interesting that far too many people only look at the outside. They look at what the world sees. Have you come to the realization that worldly attitudes call for false facades? We try to be perfect on the outside because we, as a society, have been shown a picture of perfection all of our lives. This is a perfection that calls for the perfect body, perfect hair, the perfect job, the perfect house and the perfect attitude all the while we ignore what really matters.

In other words, we are all show and no substance.

What happens when age takes the body and the mortgage on the perfect house ties you to a job that has lost its perfection. Life is not about appearances. Life is not about looking good to the world.

When all of the outside trappings have lost their luster, what do you have?

You have what is on the inside. If you have spent your whole life focusing on the outside, then your world is easily turned upside down. Jesus called the Pharisees out for their teachings, but I think that we can also look at what society teaches us in the same manner.

The old saying, “You are what you eat,” comes to mind. If we fill ourselves with greed and self-indulgence, then we are nothing on the inside but greed and self-indulgence. If we fill ourselves with Jesus, then what are we on the inside?

I honestly believe that when we fill ourselves with Jesus, we bear fruit!

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
(Galatians 5:22-25 (NIV))

Once again, I think that I need to ask, what are you like on the inside?

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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A woman who fears the Lord

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
(Proverbs 31:30 (NIV))

What is it about your mother that you remember the most?

Chances are that it is not worldly things such as how charming everyone may have thought her to be, or how beautiful everyone thought her to be. These things fade with time. In addition, the outward trappings of life, such as charm and beauty are soon gone. Time fades them all too quickly. Women who focus on these aspects soon find themselves forgotten or tossed aside.

I would venture that the things you remember of your mother are the things that no one else really saw as well as you saw them. Things such as compassion, integrity, honesty, and love. Things such as Bible stories and taking the time to teach principle such as the fruits of the spirit. The women who focus on these aspects of life are the ones that make a positive impact in the lives of the people around them, especially their children. It is these inward characteristics that often are remembered. You never hear of someone saying that their mother was a beautiful woman and the men would not leave her alone. You hear people talk of their mothers as loving and caring people who have instilled a moral fiber within the family. You hear of people speak of women of faith who never gave up on their children. You hear of women who taught us the concepts of right and wrong and who lived out these concepts in their daily lives.

Yesterday was Mother’s Day. I am grateful that we have set aside a day to honor women who are worthy to be praised. During the remainder of the year, we must not forget the integrity, values and love that these women show every day. We must look upon them as Jesus looked upon His earthly mother. We must look upon them with love and praise.

Copyright 1998 – 2012 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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