As we come to the last chapter, let me say thank you to all who took the journey with me. I pray that each of us learned something from it and come away stronger Christians for it. On this last chapter, I have asked Phyllis Blickensderfer to cover the topic of a virtuous woman for us. You can read her blog at http://blicktx.blogspot.com/, and you will not be sorry that you did. While it is obvious to see why this is important for women to know, it is also important for us guys to know, as well. This is the type of woman you should look to marry; the type of woman you should pray for and help your current wife to become; and the kind of woman yoou should seek to raise your daughter to be like. The follwoing is her study on this important subject:
I learned it years ago. So well that I can quote most of it still today. It was part of a program our church offered that encouraged verse memorization. To memorize it, we had to say it over and over and over again until it was a part of our thought pattern. I believe we do too little of that today.
Beginning with the tenth verse, "Who can find a virtuous woman?" Followed by not only her description, but by her family’s description – husband, children, servants. We move through her daily life of picking and choosing what needs to be done, and following through to provide for her household. There's no indication that she is a stay-at-home-mom, but there's also no mistaking how she looks after homemaking.
As women, we need to be certain how her qualities are displayed in our own lives.
Does the heart of our husbands safely trust us? We hold his heart in our hands to lift in celebration or squeeze down into a painful lump. We are to be of help to him, that remains a part of God's plan. We promise before God and an assembly of friends that we will do him good all the days we have together, till death parts us. That, too, is part of God's plan.
This is followed by her daily chores. Let me tell you, this lady is NOT lazy. Read through the list of work she accomplished. Verse 25, however, gives us pause -- she may not have recognition for this work, for "she shall rejoice in time to come." We could use some of that patience, couldn't we?
Don't think you get enough appreciation from your children? She does. "Her children arise up and call her blessed." Then, we are back to that husband, who does not only called her blessed but praises her. Those are awesome rewards, aren't they? Honestly, don't we get some of that? Our children do appreciate our work, and so does that wonderful man God provided to look after our family. At times we may think they don’t, but look back just a bit and recall their gratitude.
By the way, did any of her attributes include physical beauty? Is there a verse that tells how her looks stop a man in his tracks? Do any of her activities attract the attention of others?
Now, some would say there is not a witnessing message in this chapter, just examples for a woman to set as goals laid out in the Bible. Look again. Verse 30 gives us the true reason for her virtue, for the blessing from her children, from her husband – her focus is on her Lord:
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. [Proverbs 31:30 KJV]
Without the Lord, it is all in vain. Without the Lord our future ends with death.
You can be praised by anyone in the world...but none of it means as much nor is treasured as much as a comment from your husband or children. They are treasures you keep forever.
ReplyDeleteI knew this would be a good one! :o)
ReplyDeleteThe passage may not say specifically that this woman did not work a job outside the home, but it sure would be difficult to do all she did if she wasn't doing it from her home. No?
my fav quote about prov 31 came from a sermon my husband preached years ago. "What the world says a woman should be is constantly changing, but God's standard has always been the same."
ReplyDelete