Proverbs 31:28,29,  Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. (saying) Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

The life of this woman of virtue is headed in a direction that will result in praise by her children and her husband.

The children of a virtuous mother will eventually come to the conclusion that their mother is a special woman, a woman to be called blessed.

But Mothers, don't look for that conclusion early, for you will be disappointed.

Don't expect your children to know that what you do for them is valuable and worthy of you being called blessed.

Did we not read in verse 25 that this woman of virtue will rejoice in time to come?

The blessing that she has been to her children will not be appreciated by her children until they have matured to an age sufficient to realize how special and virtuous she was in their upbringing.

But they will come to this conclusion in time and they will thank God for the blessing that he has bestowed on them through their mother.

There will come a time that the virtuous woman will be shown affection and high regard by her children and her husband.

There will come a time when her children will remember:

the late nights of work invested on their behalf,

the early morning rising to prepare food for the family,

the warm clothes that came from the distaff and the spindle in the hands of their mother,

the grapes from the vineyard that she planted and harvested herself,

the many times she left the house to bring food and clothing to the poor and the needy,

the pleasant womanly appearance of their mother at all times,

the words of wisdom and kindness that she displayed to them and all around her,

the support she gave their father as he conducted official duties.

It takes time for children to recognize these virtues.

It takes time for children to grow to such awareness.

It takes time for children to realize what it takes to be a straight and level headed and fair woman.

It takes time for children to rise up and call their mother blessed.

It may take 40 years for an alert child!

Mother's, don't expect it to happen sooner with your children.

Rearing children, Mothers, is an act of faith.

The Bible tells us that faith is the evidence of things not seen.

Mothers! Through your physical eyes you cannot see your children as they will be when they grow up.

But you can see them through the eyes of faith if you obey the word of God in your rearing of them because the word of God tells you what they will be when they grow up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Proverbs 22:6,  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Does not this promise give you clarity of vision as to what your child will turn out to be?

Faith in the word of God gives you sight to see the outcome of obedience to the word of God.

As you pour into your children seemingly endless effort you act in faith believing that the rewards of all that effort will come.

But those rewards are usually far into the future and only seen through the eyes of faith, faith that causes you to believe what result that obedience to the word of God will bring.

This scripture reinforces that when it reminds us that,  Her children arise up, and call her blessed.

This is the time mentioned in verse 25 when she rejoices in time to come.

She begins to see that which she put into her children bringing forth fruit.

Real fruit in lives living for God and lives serving God.

For many years on many different occasions my wife received a greeting card from a relative with a picture of this relative's daughter sitting at a piano.

There was always indications of rejoicing in the progress of the daughter as she grew up.

But that rejoicing was premature.

It was not time for that mother to rejoice because she was not done with that daughter.

That daughter was a work in progress.

That daughter was not completed.

What became of the rejoicing when that daughter became a drug addict,

when she became the mother of several children outside of marriage,

when her father committed suicide because he could not bear the heartache?

This mother rejoiced in her child before it was time to rejoice.

We are to rejoice in children when it is time to rejoice.

What are they doing for God? Are they faithful to God?

What about the boasting in children that takes place on car bumpers.

My child is an honor student at King Middle School!

Too many mothers rejoice in their children ahead of time.

The workmanship is not finished yet.

How many folks would boast in an unfinished house during the building.

Come to my housewarming and see the foundation, see the house frame!

Do we not wait until the work is finished before we rejoice?

Do we rejoice in a cake as it is baking in the oven?

How many mothers try to grab rewards of motherhood before it is time and in so doing sacrifice the permanent of the child on the altar of immediate rewards?

But the woman of virtue saves her rejoicing for a time to come!

But her rejoicing for the present ought to be because her virtues are praised by her husband!

He is accountable! He is of age and not a child and he ought to be praising a virtuous wife!

That is where her rejoicing ought to come from.

Husbands don't forget to rise up and call her blessed!

Praise ought to be expressed to your wife!

He says: Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

He recognizes her value to him and to his children and he rises up in the midst of her children and makes those values known to her children.

His praise is designed to teach the children what a virtuous woman is and what great value she is to them.

Children do not have a basis of knowing what value their mother is and it is very important for her husband to make that value known to them.

Lawson in his commentary on Proverbs comments:  He cannot refrain from bestowing praise on one whom he finds the sweetener of all his cares, his faithful adviser in perplexities, his comforter in every distress, the instrument of a great part of his earthly felicity, his best friend, his unceasing joy, and his brightest crown.

He knows that she is the best wife and mother on earth and does not hesitate in his praise of her virtues.

What lessons to be taught to the children so they know what virtue is!