"Who can find a virtuous and capable woman? She is more precious than rubies...She is energetic and strong, a hard worker....She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy...There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!" Proverbs 31: 10, 20, 29
There are so many special friends who dedicate so much of their personal time, money, prayers, and talents to the Mission Athens team. These people are truly servants of our Lord--they wake up each day searching, seeking, and yearning for ways to serve Him and be his lights in this dark world. It is truly a blessing to work with this team, and they are all a true inspiration to me. Each week, our team is growing, crossing traditional congregational barriers, extending down the street and across town, and watching it grow is a testimony to the answered prayers of our group. As we grow, we are finding more and more people to help and more and more ways to serve. It is a beautiful thing to witness.
But there is one very special member of our team, a truly virtuous woman who surpasses us all. This woman gets up at 4:30 in the morning, and she takes care of her husband and two children. Then, she goes to her job, which is dedicated to helping homeless children. All day long, she works with special kids and their families, trying to help them improve their situation. After work, she volunteers countless hours with the Mission Athens team, and many of us may never know all that she had done in service to our Lord.
"She gets up before dawn to prepare food for her household and plan the day's work." Proverbs 31:15
Many of us who are working in dual-career marriages and who are trying to raise kids often say, "If only I had the time." "If only I had the time to help those in need, but I have so much to do with my job and my kids. I will try and make some time next week." This woman never says those things, but if you say them to her, she will smile and nod and ask you about your kids. She will try and find a way to help you with your busy week, and she truly listens to you as you go on and on about your work and your kids' sports. During the week, you may receive an encouraging text message or email from her, as she has thoughtfully remembered your big presentation or your child's big game. She just finds a way to make time to make everyone feel loved and appreciated, all the while going about her business, letting her light shine for all to see.
"When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instruction with kindness." Proverbs 31:26.
She will never tell you, but she may be found on any given day hanging out in the projects playing with some kids who have no one else to love them, waiting to meet some one who needs food at a drug infested hotel, or picking up a man who just got out of prison who needs a ride. When we are asked to go out and help some of these people as part of our Mission Athens work, I have felt uneasy at times, even worried we would not be safe, but not her. She just smiles, opens her car door, and says, "Let's go."
"She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future." Proverbs 31: 25.
Her husband and children are among the most generous people I know. They will free up their schedule, cancel their plans, fill up their truck with gas and bring their chainsaws and strong backs if you are in need. On the morning after the tornado in April, they were the first to arrive at my house, clearing my driveway of the trees that were blocking it, climbing dangerous ladders to get trees off my roof, and then going on down the road to help even more people. They didn't call first to ask if there was anything we needed because they knew we would say we didn't need help--they just showed up and got to work. So many people worked so hard in those weeks following the storms, and these men were at the forefront, generously supplying money, strong backs, and helping hands.
"Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her." Proverbs 31:28
Over the past few weeks, unbeknownst to any of us working with her, she has been lovingly caring for her mother as she was in her final days of Alzheimer's. This special lady never asked for help, never let on what she was going through, but simply kept smiling, kept working, kept loving all of us. She would work all day, host our Mission Athens meetings in her own home, cook us food, love us all, and sneak away in the night to sit by her mother's side at her sickbed.
"Her lamp burns late into the night." Proverbs 31:18
As we begin a new week, this special, special child of God will say her final goodbyes to her mother. Yet in the last few days of her mother's life, she continued to find time to serve her Father. She worked tirelessly over the weekend preparing a home for a family who would surely have been homeless without her help, slipping away to go visit her Mom, and then coming back with a cup of coffee and a smile and cheery words of encouragment for the team.
"She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy." Proverbs 31:20
A few weeks ago, several of the members of the Mission Athens team were talking about how to define success of the work we are doing. Sure, it would be great to keep a scoreboard of the number of people who have committed their lives to God and have begun to walk anew, but it just isn't that simple. We may never see many of these people again, and we are OK with that. We want to plant seeds, to demonstrate God's sacrificial love in action by sacrificing for those who need our help. We trust that God will bring those seeds to harvest in His perfect time.
But one of the greatest blessings of this Mission is the change that is happening in each of our own lives. God is working in us, and He has certainly changed me. He has blessed me with this beautiful friend whom I have grown to dearly love. He has shared one of His most special angels to shine her light and show all of us the kind of woman, the kind of Christian, He is calling us to be.
"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised." Proverbs 31:30
This week, our hearts are broken for her as she says goodbye to her Mama, and we know she will tell us she is OK and change the subject to ask us about our project, our kids, our lives. She will work late into the night on her computer finding resources and houses and jobs for people who truly need them. She will love her husband and her children, and she will be strong for her sisters. She will go on being the amazing inspiration that she is because she knows no other way to live. We thank God for her, as she is a living example of His most beautiful creation--a woman who has truly, completely, and fully dedicated her life to serving Him. We are praying that He will comfort and bless her family this week and that she will know she is loved by all of us who thank God for her each day.
"There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!" Proverbs 31:29
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