Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs
SWEET WIVES AND MOTHERS
Sweetness is not something that is highlighted in women today. I wonder why, because it builds a beautiful marriage and makes a wonderful atmosphere in the home. The husband in Song of Solomon 4:11 says to his wife, "Your lips drip sweetness like the honeycomb, my bride. Honey and milk are under your tongue."
Most people have a sweet tooth and like sweet things and husbands like sweet wives. The testimony of this wife is that sweet words are constantly dripping from her mouth. And that shouldn't only be in the bedroom, but in every room and every situation throughout the day. Rather a challenge, isn't it?
Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary adds to the meaning, "gratefulness to the taste, or to the smell, fragrance, agreeableness to the ear, melody, sweetness of the voice, softness, mildness, sweetness of temper."
The picture of the wife in the heart of the home, revealed in Psalm 128:3, is also a picture of sweetness. She is pictured as a grapevine and of course every vinedresser does everything in his power to cultivate sweet grapes. Who wants to eat sour grapes? What husband wants a sour grapes wife? And what children want a sour grapes mother?
We see also how God loves sweetness. In his tabernacle He commanded that sweet incense to be lit every morning and every evening. This incense was made of SWEET spices (Exodus 30:34). He wanted the holy place to be filled with a sweet aroma, just as He wants our homes to also be filled with the sweet aroma of His presence.
The anointing oil that speaks of the Holy Spirit was also to be made with SWEET spices (Exodus 30:23). Some people confess that they are filled with the Holy Spirit, but if they are not revealing a sweet anointing, it is not the Holy Spirit. It must be something else. When we give into our fleshly nature we give off some pretty bad smells for our family to endure; but when we yield to the Holy Spirit we will release a sweet anointing.
May God help each one of us to fill our home with sweetness today--in our words, looks, smiles, and attitudes. This is my prayer.
Love from Nancy Campbell
