This is one of a series of posts illustrating a beautiful portrait of humanity; of men and women who without even realizing it, strive to embody qualities Proverbs 31 embraces in all life areas – personally, with their family, professionally, spiritually, and in their love life too. Whether you’re a “Proverbs 31” man or a woman, you stand out from the rest; you’re a red rose among a field of yellow roses. You’re a man or woman of and for all ages, a role model of timeless strength and beauty, virtue and responsibility; a cherished life partner and a powerful entrepreneur too!
Proverbs 31:26
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
Throughout Proverbs 31, it speaks of an individual who leads an examplary life for others to follow. They not only inspire and offer guidance to others with their words, but they also back up those words with actions that heal and clearly demonstrate the unconditional love they have for others.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom
When the Proverbs 31 individual speaks, they are mindful of what they say and the impact their words may have on others. Native Americans are very wise. They respect rather than fear silence. In fact, by remaining silent, they are aware of the abundant knowledge that can be gained from mindful listening. When they do speak. they choose their words carefully, taking special care to only speak positively and of what really matters to others in the present moment. Through mindful listening and well-chosen words, they can offer guidance that blends past experiences with the company they choose to keep. The same holds true with the Proverbs 31 individual. By spending time in silence with our Lord on a regular basis and reading His Word, the Proverbs 31 individual seeks, mindfully listens to, and has a chance to reflect on His wisdom. Once this wisdom instills into their heart, they can live life accordingly to His plan and ultimately become the person they are meant to be. What’s more, from the wisdom gained, they have a wonderful opportunity to share faithful advise to those entrusted in their care … spouse, children, relatives, co-workers, friends, and acquaintances… based on real world experiences.
and in her tongue is the law of kindness
When the Proverbs 31 individual speaks, they are not only mindful of what they say, but also of the manner in which they speak. As my mother used to say, “it is not only what you say, but also how you say it.” The Proverbs 31 individual speaks kindly and tenderly towards everyone. Whether they are speaking with loved ones, or adversaries, they do so with love. Further, they back up their words with actions that clearly demonstrate to others patience, respect, mercy, and most of all… unconditional love.
A beautiful example of this is the wisdom that my partner demonstrated to me. Early on in our courtship, Justin spoke of the love he still had for his former wife. He explained to me how their life together was not all bad; that they in fact had two wonderful boys and shared many beautiful memories during their 20 years together. Only the final moments of their marriage were bad. I was totally amazed. Not only with the compassion with which he shared it, but that he demonstrated this regularly, writing to her even though she abandoned him and their boys in favor of a new life with someone else in Sweden. He also demonstrates this with the loving friendship he shares to this day with a past girlfriend. When she has a problem, he often lends a listening ear and offers emotional support. I have to tell you that I was very uncomfortable with this “arrangement” for a very long time. I would ask myself, “how is this possible? or “if that is the case, why isn’t he still with them?” I eventually realized though the wisdom behind his words and his actions. So many of us… myself included… tend to focus so much on the negative surrounding one single event, that we often loose sight of the many positive events in our life. Then one day, I finally woke up and asked myself… “Isn’t this how I would want him to treat me if we were to part ways?” It was then that it all made sense. He opened his mouth with wisdom, and from his tongue the law of kindness flowed.
Remember … touch a life today “The Little Way” by following the lead and need of others. Also, if you ever thought to yourself, “I wish my community, knew…”, then be sure to visit White Light Communications at http://www.tothewhitelight.com.
~ Theresa
Doing It "The Little Way" 