“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

King Lemuel’s mother spoke wise words to teach a King how to look out for his people and to protect those who could not protect themselves. She had recognised how important it was for him to learn that he should always be in control (not partaking of alcohol), being careful of whom he kept company with and keeping his strength for things that really mattered.

His mother’s words, however, are not just for King Lemuel, but also for the reader. If we do not take responsibility for speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves, then who will? We should work towards being a strength to our family, our friends, to those who are in need and speak up at a time when it is important to do so.

Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.

Interesting that humankind hasn’t changed much in a few thousand years. Alcohol is still used today by many to forget their woes and to put a different view on life for a period of time, for however long the effects are with them. King Lemuel’s mother recognised and knew that alcohol would affect her son the same, if he chose to partake of it, and she wanted to bring him up, above that level, reminding him who he was and his place in life. It wasn’t that she didn’t want him to have wine, but rather that he should refrain from partaking in anything that would impair his judgement and make him forget things of importance. This is why she told him in an earlier verse that kings and rulers should not drink wine or crave beer.

These verses, along with others in the bible, both Old and New Testaments, serve to remind us that anything allowed to control us, or become our master, is done to our detriment.

Prayer: Father, we seek your guidance, and your help in those things that we’ve allowed take hold in our lives - things that have gotten between You and ourselves. We pray that you will show us the way to break free of those bondages and place You back in our lives at the helm.

alcohol, wine, beer, lose control, anguish, kings, rulers

I will get around to the Proverbs31Woman but thought I’d start from the beginning of Proverbs 31 and work my way through. I have found it quite an interesting exercise to do. It’s required some research, reading and thinking on my part. And in the process I’ve found some great sites relating to the Proverbs31Woman, so I hope you visit them via the links to the side.

In the meantime, if you’d like to post a comment on your thoughts on any of the verses, and my interpretation of their meaning, you would be most welcome. If you have a site that might complement what this one is about, I’d like to hear about that too, so I can add it. KMT

christian, proverbs 31, christian woman, christian women