We are reading from Proverbs 31, beginning in verse 13. All quotations are from the NKJV.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
15 She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
Here we read about her willingness to work hard to help her family. She is busy and not idle. Her goal is to provide what is good for her family.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
17 She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Again, she is industrious. She carefully considers decisions before she makes them. She reaches out to others and is compassionate. She is prepared for her family, so she does not fear the future. I wonder how often our worry and stress occurs simply because we have not taken measures to be prepared?
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
Here I see that her family can live in calmness and peace, knowing that she is watching out for them and supporting them. Her husband is unafraid to fulfill his role, knowing that she stands behind him with strength, honor, wisdom, and kindness. His reputation is safe because of hers.
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.
So much of what the world values is deceitful and passes away. Sometimes I feel worthless when comparing myself to the world's standard of beauty, charm, etc. When that happens, I try hard to remind myself of the beauty that matters to GOD. Fear of the Lord is what He desires and appreciates. Last week my kindergarten class learned about David being a man after God’s own heart, and in 1 Sam 16:7, we read:
7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees;[a]for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
We would do well to remember this as we look at ourselves in light of God's word. Take heart, sweet wives and moms. Don’t be discouraged because of the worldly standards of what makes a “good” wife or mom. Remember that God did not want your husband to be alone because it was “not good.” You are his completion. His help MEET for him. His reason for leaving father and mother, and his companion in his sojourn on this earth as he prepares for his eternal life in heaven. Take courage. Be the one he finds solace in after facing the world all day long. Be the one he can trust with his heart and reputation. Remember that our goal is compassion, love, dedication, and faithfulness, not perfection. God did not put us here to be the best gourmet cook to hit Pinterest this year. He is unconcerned about how many perfect crafts we complete and post on our pages. He would rather we craft a godly life and teach that to our children. (Deut 6) To Him, a spotless house that results from spending no time with our families –in our homes and in the church- or in God’s word is like the Pharisees, who were whitewashed tombs full of dead men’s bones (Matthew 23:27). I am certainly not saying we should not keep our homes and make efforts on that front, but I think sometimes we get caught up in how things look more than in how we live. Our perfection comes from our obedience to God, not from ourselves. He will perfect us when we follow Him.
1 John 2:5-6 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
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