A few weeks ago i got to stay at one of my friends houses for three days. She has 2 kids and she wanted to do some heavy duty cleaning. So i watched the blondies and she got down and dirty (although her house is way cleaner than mine ever is). Just by watching I learned a lot while i was there. Mainly things that had to do with being a Godly wife or mother, but we also had a lot of conversations about those kind of things. It really just made me think practically about my future.
We all read prov.31 and say, "yeah when i grow up I'm going to apply that" we might even pray about it and start doing the dishes around the house a little more, but as soon as the day comes when we're tired, or our friends are over, or we just don't feel like it, or ____(enter lame excuse here) all our goals fly out the window and are totally justified in our minds because "we're not perfect". Well, the virtuous woman wasn't either. So what makes her so different?
While i was at her house i noticed that she had a plan, goals, you could probably even call them standards. Every morning there was devotions with the kids and she made time for her to be able to clean and get what she needed to get done, but still spend time with her kids playing with them. She made sure she had dinner ready for her husband when he got home and she had a garden in the yard. she sews and paints and exercises. and after all of that she still didn't complain about it, she did her work joyfully. Who does that sound like to you?
I think that we never stick with it because we're trying to be a perfect proverbs 31 robot, when really i believe that she just put her trust in God, prayed, made goals, and set standards for her household. And i think that we have to stop worrying about if we're not doing it right. There are hundreds of Godly women on the planet and i bet that each and everyone of them does it differently. Just seek God about it and ask Him what goals He wants in your home. If He's the one guiding you instead of you just trying to will yourself to do it on your own i bet you'll actually stick with it!
There were 7 things that stuck out to me when i went back to actually dig into the chapter that i thought were very important for the virtuous woman. Honestly, whether or not you have a garden or are an expert seamstress isn't the point. i don't believe that you are unvirtuous just because you may not have one. i think that it's the point behind it. so here are the 7 foundations.
- trustworthy (verses 11-12)
- submissive (verse 12)
- strong (verse 17)
- kind (verses 20 and 26)
- above all has the fear of the Lord (verses 21 and 30)
- wise (verse 26)
- hardworker/not idle (verse 27)
3 comments:
I too spent some time in Proverbs 31 near the end of 2007 and this what I got from it.
The word "excellent" refers to her spirit and means "valiant, strong, efficient", and is mostly used in military terms when describing power. It also means warrior, and morally perfect.
v.11 because of the wife, the woman is ever increasing and gaining, not the wife. Her excellence is recognized through the husband.
v.12 She does HIM good all the days of her life. Everyday is spent in doing good so that her husband may excel. Her blessing comes through his being blessed.
v.13 She is frugal, thoughtful, diligent not lazy, works willingly so that her husband will have no lack of gain.
v.16-beyone she is not wasteful, she stays healthy and stron, she is honest and upright in her dealings, industrious, skillful, generous to the less fortunate, plans ahead to provide the needs of her family, has taste in clothing, furnishings and her dress reflects the positions of honor held by her husband.
She is meek, gentle, therefore the wisdom of God is on her lips and her words are kind.
She raises her children to be moderate, polite, educated, diligent in work, sensible in who they associate with. Her praise comes from her husband and children, not the world.
In all she does and is, no matter how successful, her reward, her praise all remains subservent to her husband. she is the helpmate who exists to assure the sucess of her husband.
I thought about how in nature, except for humans and a few husband eating spiders, the female is camoflauged and barely noticable. She is the builder of the nest, the nurturer of the children and her husband is the one who is "out there" for all to see. How this flies in the face of our culture!
From submission, the giving of one's life for another, comes excellence in a woman. From making herself of account and making the success of others her highest goal. A wife should always be pushing her husband to the front and never pushing her dreams, talents, or goals in front of him.
Gee, that kind of sounds like what Jesus did for us, gave everything up for the good of another--even unto death.
Perhaps true joy is truly found in womanhood when we have married a man, not for what we can get from him--emotional understanding, financial support, or even spiritual leadership--but because we have something to give to him. When we have truly submitted, which can also be translated "molded ourself to him", we have found our God appointed and designed place--and God's design is perfect and wonderful in every respect! That is where true joy and peace reside!
Even many Christians teach that the Prov 31 woman is unobtainable in todays world. I disagree. God would not dangle a carrot He never intended to feed to us. I say that Prov. 31 woman can look very different in every household, but the qualities of the Prov. 31 woman are available and obtainable to any woman who will submit to God and ask Him for them.
Sorry so long. I got on a roll.
sorry about all the typos, but if you read between the lines, you'll get it!
I agree with happyvalleygirl (lol its weird to call her that) You both have very good things to say!
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