Today’s Passage: “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all.’ Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.” Proverbs 31:28-31
Today’s study of the virtuous woman is our final lesson in the study. It is an appropriate ending to the study because it shows us the blessings that come from serving God throughout our lives and brings a happy and hopeful sense of closure to this woman who has been our example for many lessons.
This hardworking woman’s family praises her for her virtuous qualities. What a beautiful thought to be so highly honored! She has certainly worked diligently for her family and they do well to hold her in such high esteem as a wife and mother.
The Lord commands that children are to honor and obey their parents as stated in Ephesians 6:1-3. Certainly the virtuous woman has taught her children well. Yet even if our spouse and children do not honor us, we can be assured that the Lord will bless us for our service. “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works” Matthew 16:27. There is no worldly blessing that could ever come close to the wonderful reward that God has planned for those who are faithful to Him.
God’s special woman does not seek praise for herself but it is a natural byproduct of her years of service for her family. There is nothing wrong with being honored for something we have done IF the intention was not to receive praise for our actions by others. The new covenant focuses on the intent of the heart and this passage indicates that the ones praising her are her husband, children and those who see her works. Jesus taught, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
We must be careful that we do not announce our good works to others but that we are so busy doing good things that others are bound to notice. When we are honored for our good works, Jesus taught us to give the honor to God. Even Christ, the Messiah and part of the Godhead, told someone who called Him Good Teacher, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” Matthew 19:17. Certainly, if any human being deserved to be honored it was Jesus Christ because He lived His life in service and ultimately gave His life for us; yet even He gave the glory to God. Jesus modeled our ideal motivation and response which are to give Jehovah God the glory for anything we have done.
We should not strive for attention and honor for ourselves because it is God who gives us life and the blessings we need to do good works. Paul wrote that our Savior Jesus Christ “gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works”. In essence, we were created to work in the service of the Lord. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” Ephesians 2:10.
I can imagine this beautiful woman saying, “Thank you for your compliments, but God has given me a beloved family like you and I am the one who is blessed.” She might also consider what she has done throughout her marriage to be her duty to God as she remembers Jesus’ words after He washed the disciples’ feet, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” John 13:14-17. Why would she not serve her family when her Master did the same for His friends?
One of my favorite verses is part of our passage today: “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.” With nearly every advertisement pressuring women to desire beauty or exude sexuality to get noticed by men, we can rest peacefully and joyfully in the truth that these things are not what the Lord desires of His daughters. He commands us to show the fruit of the Spirit; He desires that we seek not to find beauty in our outward apparel or hairstyle or jewelry but “rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God” I Peter 3:4.
God bless you this week and may you find the peace that comes from being in Christ and serving the Lord. May we all be virtuous women throughout the rest of our lives.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The Virtuous Woman: Wise, Kind and Productive
Today’s Passage: “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.” Proverbs 31:26-27
Our virtuous woman continues to teach us how to live as Christian women. Surely this woman walks with God and is a blessing to all of those who know her. I feel inadequate when I read these passages because I know that I do not excel in many of the virtuous woman’s qualities and certainly none of them to the extent that she does; however, I must also remember that if I were perfect, I would not need Christ. The passages we have studied in Proverbs 31 describe the ideal wife. As human beings, we always have room to grow because we will never attain perfection while on earth. Praise be to God that we have a Savior who washes away our sins continually as we seek His will, obey His commandments and walk in the light.
Wisdom is the first virtue mentioned in today’s verses. Wisdom is not merely the knowledge of God’s Word; it is the proper application of it in our lives. Knowledge is gained through study of the Bible; wisdom is gained by prayer and meditation of the knowledge that has been attained so that our thoughts and actions conform to God’s Word. Solomon asked for wisdom as opposed to knowledge; he had been taught God’s Word by his father David. God granted Solomon wisdom, understanding and great insight (I Kings 4:29); God will also grant us wisdom if we seek His will by studying the Holy Scriptures. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:4. Note in the next verse that this prayer for wisdom must be done with complete faith that God will give what He has promised.
If we study as we ought, meditate on what we have read and pray for guidance from the Lord, knowledge will blossom into understanding which, in its maturity, will develop into wisdom. A person who can quote the entire Bible word for word has knowledge; a person who lives by the Word he has learned is wise. We can have great knowledge and still be lost if that knowledge does not lead to action. The Pharisees knew the Scriptures but they did not make the necessary step to believe in the Christ who was fulfilling the very Scriptures they had studied. (John 5:39-40). Jesus condemned them for their unwillingness to come to Him.
Paul was clear in his writings to Timothy that the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures are able to make us wise for salvation through faith (II Timothy 3:15), yet this knowledge is not enough if it does not lead to good works (James 2:14-17). To please God, we must obey that which we read in His Word. The Word of God is living (Hebrews 4:12); if we are truly of Christ we will show it in our thoughts, actions and attitudes.
Wisdom is a virtue that has been developed through this woman’s dependence on the Lord. She may appear to be self-supporting, but she knows where her strength originates. True wisdom does not exist apart from the Lord. Even the sagest advisers have shown their weaknesses because their “wisdom” was merely the foolishness of man. Jephthah vowed to sacrifice to the Lord the first thing to come out of his door. How sad he was to see his daughter run toward him! (Judges 11). David thought it wise to move the Ark of the Covenant and had it loaded on a cart. When the oxen leading the cart stumbled, Uzzah was struck dead for trying to stabilize it (II Samuel 6). Things that seem to be the right thing to do can have great consequences. Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, stated twice that “there is a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof is death” (Proverbs 14:12, Proverbs 16:25). We simply cannot make wise choices apart from God’s Word. The truth does not lie in any other source than our Lord. (John 1:17, John 14:6, John 17:7).
Kindness is another virtue of this beautiful woman of the Lord. She has obviously learned God’s Word and her speech reflects the wisdom that has grown from this knowledge. To speak with wisdom is to speak kindly. “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” Colossians 4:6. Though it is more difficult for some of us than others, we must try our best to say things in a way that will not offend others. It is far easier to prevent something from being said than to repair the damage afterward. I say this from experience and pray that I always strive to let my speech be “seasoned with salt” in the future. Sometimes people say they are only being honest when they say something harmful. Honesty is not an excuse for being hurtful. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” Ephesians 4:29. If the conversation is not beneficial to both the person to whom we are speaking and the person being discussed, it simply should not be said.
True Christians reflect Christ’s kindness and compassion in their behavior. “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” Colossians 3:12-13. There truly is no such thing as a hateful Christian. Either we love one another or we are not in Christ because He is love (I John 4:7-21) The commandments to love both God and our fellow man are the greatest commandments given per Jesus Himself (Matthew 22:36-40).
And finally, the virtuous woman is attentive to her household and is productive. This concept has appeared throughout the description of this woman of the Lord. It was very important then and it is just as vital to us as Christians today. Especially in this world where there are many things to draw our attention away from what we should be doing, we must be diligent to keep focused and stay on track.
There are many passages that teach us to be productive. We have discussed some of them in previous lessons (i.e., hardworking, diligent, committed). Below are various passages regarding being busy in the Lord:
A warning against laziness: “The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.” Proverbs 13:4
Be aware of the goings-on of our households and those things for which we are responsible: “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds” Proverbs 27:23
Be hard workers: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.” Ecclesiastes 9:10
A commandment to support ourselves and our household: “Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.” 2 Thessalonians 3:12
We work for the Lord and not for man: “Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.” Ephesians 6:5-8
Our work in the Lord will be rewarded: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58) and "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience" (Hebrews 4:11).
Life has been quite busy in our household due to health concerns and various commitments. I hope to be back on track so that the lessons will be sent timelier. I pray that you have enjoyed this passage as much as I have and that it will be on our minds tomorrow. There are only four verses left in our Virtuous Woman study. God bless you all and have a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday.
Our virtuous woman continues to teach us how to live as Christian women. Surely this woman walks with God and is a blessing to all of those who know her. I feel inadequate when I read these passages because I know that I do not excel in many of the virtuous woman’s qualities and certainly none of them to the extent that she does; however, I must also remember that if I were perfect, I would not need Christ. The passages we have studied in Proverbs 31 describe the ideal wife. As human beings, we always have room to grow because we will never attain perfection while on earth. Praise be to God that we have a Savior who washes away our sins continually as we seek His will, obey His commandments and walk in the light.
Wisdom is the first virtue mentioned in today’s verses. Wisdom is not merely the knowledge of God’s Word; it is the proper application of it in our lives. Knowledge is gained through study of the Bible; wisdom is gained by prayer and meditation of the knowledge that has been attained so that our thoughts and actions conform to God’s Word. Solomon asked for wisdom as opposed to knowledge; he had been taught God’s Word by his father David. God granted Solomon wisdom, understanding and great insight (I Kings 4:29); God will also grant us wisdom if we seek His will by studying the Holy Scriptures. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:4. Note in the next verse that this prayer for wisdom must be done with complete faith that God will give what He has promised.
If we study as we ought, meditate on what we have read and pray for guidance from the Lord, knowledge will blossom into understanding which, in its maturity, will develop into wisdom. A person who can quote the entire Bible word for word has knowledge; a person who lives by the Word he has learned is wise. We can have great knowledge and still be lost if that knowledge does not lead to action. The Pharisees knew the Scriptures but they did not make the necessary step to believe in the Christ who was fulfilling the very Scriptures they had studied. (John 5:39-40). Jesus condemned them for their unwillingness to come to Him.
Paul was clear in his writings to Timothy that the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures are able to make us wise for salvation through faith (II Timothy 3:15), yet this knowledge is not enough if it does not lead to good works (James 2:14-17). To please God, we must obey that which we read in His Word. The Word of God is living (Hebrews 4:12); if we are truly of Christ we will show it in our thoughts, actions and attitudes.
Wisdom is a virtue that has been developed through this woman’s dependence on the Lord. She may appear to be self-supporting, but she knows where her strength originates. True wisdom does not exist apart from the Lord. Even the sagest advisers have shown their weaknesses because their “wisdom” was merely the foolishness of man. Jephthah vowed to sacrifice to the Lord the first thing to come out of his door. How sad he was to see his daughter run toward him! (Judges 11). David thought it wise to move the Ark of the Covenant and had it loaded on a cart. When the oxen leading the cart stumbled, Uzzah was struck dead for trying to stabilize it (II Samuel 6). Things that seem to be the right thing to do can have great consequences. Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, stated twice that “there is a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof is death” (Proverbs 14:12, Proverbs 16:25). We simply cannot make wise choices apart from God’s Word. The truth does not lie in any other source than our Lord. (John 1:17, John 14:6, John 17:7).
Kindness is another virtue of this beautiful woman of the Lord. She has obviously learned God’s Word and her speech reflects the wisdom that has grown from this knowledge. To speak with wisdom is to speak kindly. “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” Colossians 4:6. Though it is more difficult for some of us than others, we must try our best to say things in a way that will not offend others. It is far easier to prevent something from being said than to repair the damage afterward. I say this from experience and pray that I always strive to let my speech be “seasoned with salt” in the future. Sometimes people say they are only being honest when they say something harmful. Honesty is not an excuse for being hurtful. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” Ephesians 4:29. If the conversation is not beneficial to both the person to whom we are speaking and the person being discussed, it simply should not be said.
True Christians reflect Christ’s kindness and compassion in their behavior. “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” Colossians 3:12-13. There truly is no such thing as a hateful Christian. Either we love one another or we are not in Christ because He is love (I John 4:7-21) The commandments to love both God and our fellow man are the greatest commandments given per Jesus Himself (Matthew 22:36-40).
And finally, the virtuous woman is attentive to her household and is productive. This concept has appeared throughout the description of this woman of the Lord. It was very important then and it is just as vital to us as Christians today. Especially in this world where there are many things to draw our attention away from what we should be doing, we must be diligent to keep focused and stay on track.
There are many passages that teach us to be productive. We have discussed some of them in previous lessons (i.e., hardworking, diligent, committed). Below are various passages regarding being busy in the Lord:
A warning against laziness: “The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.” Proverbs 13:4
Be aware of the goings-on of our households and those things for which we are responsible: “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds” Proverbs 27:23
Be hard workers: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.” Ecclesiastes 9:10
A commandment to support ourselves and our household: “Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.” 2 Thessalonians 3:12
We work for the Lord and not for man: “Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.” Ephesians 6:5-8
Our work in the Lord will be rewarded: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58) and "Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience" (Hebrews 4:11).
Life has been quite busy in our household due to health concerns and various commitments. I hope to be back on track so that the lessons will be sent timelier. I pray that you have enjoyed this passage as much as I have and that it will be on our minds tomorrow. There are only four verses left in our Virtuous Woman study. God bless you all and have a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The Virtuous Woman – Courageous, Honorable and Joyful
Today’s Passage: “She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies sashes for the merchants. Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come.” Proverbs 31:24-25
More lessons we can learn from the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 are courage, honor and joyfulness. There is seemingly no end to the life lessons of this godly woman! It is amazing how such a condensed passage as Proverbs 31 can contain so much sound advice for Christian women today.
Our beloved example begins by making garments and selling them. She certainly earns her keep! This is not a woman who is afraid to make a living for her family if the need arises or who has any doubt that her Lord will help her. I know women who lost their husbands while their children were still young. Never having worked outside of the home or farm before, they were forced to learn a new trade in order to feed their families. The courage shown by such godly women is incredible because they knew they must venture out to make a living doing something with which they had no experience; yet they overcame their fear for their family and through their faith in the Lord.
Similarly, after the death of Moses, God told Joshua that it was time for the children of Israel to enter the Promised Land; however, this would be no easy journey into the land they would inherit. They were going to have to fight the people in the land of Canaan in order to take it over. Surely some of the older people were still imagining the words of the ten spies who had said that the inhabitants of the land were giants and that it would be too difficult for them to conquer. Except for Joshua and Caleb and the priest, these people had grown up in the desert. This was a new generation of Israelites who would be led to fight the Canaanites.
God told them, “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:5-9.
Notice that in this short passage, “be strong and of good courage” was mentioned by God three times. Jehovah God knew that what the people were to accomplish was not something they were accustomed to doing, but He assured them that if they followed Him, He would make them successful and prosperous. Sometimes we must face trials in which we are afraid because we feel inadequate or inexperienced, but God has promised us that He will be with us always if we obey Him. As we just read in Joshua 1, “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go”. What a wonderful promise from our Lord! If we are Christian women who are strong and courageous, just as the virtuous woman was, we will be blessed and protected by our Father. Fear should no longer be a concern because God is with us. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” II Timothy 1:7.
In addition to being courageous when facing the unknown, we must be strong in the faith and courageous in spreading the gospel. The Corinthians were told, “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong” I Corinthians 16:13. It takes vigilance and faith in God in order to be ready to stand against the devil’s wiles and speak up for truth. It is no small battle that we fight, as Ephesians 6:12 indicates: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”.
Yet regardless of how powerful the devil and his servants seem, we know that Christ has already overcome and has claimed victory over death. We are taught that, “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” I Corinthians 15:56-57. Jesus Christ has already overcome death by His resurrection. We also will overcome if we are faithful to the end. We are not left alone to fight against the forces of darkness; our God is with us. John assures us, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” I John 5:4-5. It should give us strength and increase our faith to know that Christ has overcome the world and that He is with us.
Yet with our courage must come honor. It must be our clothing, just as our Scripture for today describes of the virtuous woman. It is not enough to stand up against evil if we do not seek to live pure and holy lives. It is sometimes easier to say that we are Christ’s than to live as if we are. To be honorable is not merely to be given honor but to be worthy of honor and high respect. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable…” II Corinthians 13:7. The opposite of doing what is honorable is noted at the beginning of the verse: to do evil. Therefore, if we are to be honorable, we must do that which is good according to God’s Word.
Peter also wrote that Christians should “…abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation”: I Peter 2:11-12. How then can we show the love of Christ to others and thus glorify God? According to God’s Word, we do so by being honorable in conduct and by doing good works.
A beautiful passage in Proverbs 11:16 states that “A gracious woman retains honor, but ruthless men retain riches.” Riches are merely temporary things that in some cases cause distraction from the holy things of God. Our goal should not be to focus primarily on amassing riches but to bring honor to our husband and our children and assure that their needs are met. A poor family who has love is richer by far than a family who has all worldly wealth at their disposal but know not God. “Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.” Proverbs 28:6. A woman’s integrity is akin to her honor. Integrity is adhering to a code of moral and ethical values; in a Christian’s case, our values should be determined by the Word of God. Being honorable cannot exist apart from walking in integrity.
A very wonderful promise is given to those who adhere to God’s principles. If we obey Him, are humble and honorable and stand up against evil, we can rejoice in days to come just as the virtuous woman did. Some Christians seem to think that being pious and being cheerful cannot go hand in hand. Our coworkers or old friends in the world believe that we are missing out on all of the fun. They can hardly be farther from the truth. Obeying God, while giving up worldly “happiness”, is better for us in the long run. It may seem a ridiculous comparison, but just as a child who wants candy all of the time is limited in his desires by his mother who wishes for him to have healthy teeth and a normal glucose level, so we are limited by a Father who wants only the best for us. Instantaneous pleasure is often just that – a quick satisfaction without permanency. If it is bad for us, consequences will result, ending our perceived happiness. The end result of sin is eternal death and that is not good for anyone (Romans 6:23). Because of this, God has set guidelines for us to follow in order to be truly happy and to be cleansed of our sin when we make mistakes.
Life as a Christian should be hopeful, joyous and peaceful. This does not mean that we will not have times of grief, whether in our lives or in the lives of those whom we comfort (Romans 12:15); yet we have a home in heaven with our Lord if we remain faithful to Him (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10). If we are women of God, we should rejoice just as the virtuous woman was able to rejoice because she was prepared for the days ahead. The Lord offers us hope and joyfulness if we endure suffering, such as in Mark 13:13, I Corinthians 4:12 and II Corinthians 1:5-7. Paul wrote, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” Romans 8:18. This verse is a great comfort to me.
May you be joyous this very day by resting in the comfort that God will always be with you. It is not God who leaves us but we who leave God. When we do, He is always waiting for us to return, just as the loving father of the prodigal son in Luke 15. Regardless of what we have done, God waits patiently for us to return so that He can forgive us. What hope that should give us and also the urgency to ensure that we return while we still have the opportunity.
I’d like to end this lesson with passages reflecting hope and joy in the Lord. As we attempt to live godly lives and lead others to Christ, it is helpful to pause and reflect on all of the blessings that we have. Even when we are suffering, we have hope in the Lord. Many a dear friend has helped me along my own journey of cancer, treatment and transplant and I am greatly blessed to be able to return just a portion of the love that they have shown to me through this lesson. Though I still do not know what lies around the corner, I know that my God will be there, too, and that gives me tremendous hope.
“Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!” I Chronicles 6:10.
“But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You” Psalm 5:11.
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him” Psalm 28:7.
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance” Romans 5:1-3.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4.
“Rejoice always” I Thessalonians 5:16.
“…Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!” Psalm 144:15.
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” James 1:2-3.
“Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation” James 1:9.
“Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted” Matthew 5:4.
God’s Word is completely different from what the world teaches. How could the world consider someone who is starving or is suffering happy? Yet Jesus gave hope to the suffering and lonely because He died for all of us and gave us the great gift of salvation. This is how Christians who are in pain or sick or dying or grieving can be happy and rejoice. If we die in the Lord, we will never suffer again. God will wipe away the tears from our eyes and comfort us (Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 7:17, Revelation 21:4). No heartache or pain is so great that our Father cannot wipe it away and make us forget when we reach heaven.
God bless you today and every day as you seek His Will. May you have hope and rejoice in God’s blessings of peace and comfort this very day.
More lessons we can learn from the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 are courage, honor and joyfulness. There is seemingly no end to the life lessons of this godly woman! It is amazing how such a condensed passage as Proverbs 31 can contain so much sound advice for Christian women today.
Our beloved example begins by making garments and selling them. She certainly earns her keep! This is not a woman who is afraid to make a living for her family if the need arises or who has any doubt that her Lord will help her. I know women who lost their husbands while their children were still young. Never having worked outside of the home or farm before, they were forced to learn a new trade in order to feed their families. The courage shown by such godly women is incredible because they knew they must venture out to make a living doing something with which they had no experience; yet they overcame their fear for their family and through their faith in the Lord.
Similarly, after the death of Moses, God told Joshua that it was time for the children of Israel to enter the Promised Land; however, this would be no easy journey into the land they would inherit. They were going to have to fight the people in the land of Canaan in order to take it over. Surely some of the older people were still imagining the words of the ten spies who had said that the inhabitants of the land were giants and that it would be too difficult for them to conquer. Except for Joshua and Caleb and the priest, these people had grown up in the desert. This was a new generation of Israelites who would be led to fight the Canaanites.
God told them, “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:5-9.
Notice that in this short passage, “be strong and of good courage” was mentioned by God three times. Jehovah God knew that what the people were to accomplish was not something they were accustomed to doing, but He assured them that if they followed Him, He would make them successful and prosperous. Sometimes we must face trials in which we are afraid because we feel inadequate or inexperienced, but God has promised us that He will be with us always if we obey Him. As we just read in Joshua 1, “the Lord your God is with you wherever you go”. What a wonderful promise from our Lord! If we are Christian women who are strong and courageous, just as the virtuous woman was, we will be blessed and protected by our Father. Fear should no longer be a concern because God is with us. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” II Timothy 1:7.
In addition to being courageous when facing the unknown, we must be strong in the faith and courageous in spreading the gospel. The Corinthians were told, “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong” I Corinthians 16:13. It takes vigilance and faith in God in order to be ready to stand against the devil’s wiles and speak up for truth. It is no small battle that we fight, as Ephesians 6:12 indicates: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”.
Yet regardless of how powerful the devil and his servants seem, we know that Christ has already overcome and has claimed victory over death. We are taught that, “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” I Corinthians 15:56-57. Jesus Christ has already overcome death by His resurrection. We also will overcome if we are faithful to the end. We are not left alone to fight against the forces of darkness; our God is with us. John assures us, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” I John 5:4-5. It should give us strength and increase our faith to know that Christ has overcome the world and that He is with us.
Yet with our courage must come honor. It must be our clothing, just as our Scripture for today describes of the virtuous woman. It is not enough to stand up against evil if we do not seek to live pure and holy lives. It is sometimes easier to say that we are Christ’s than to live as if we are. To be honorable is not merely to be given honor but to be worthy of honor and high respect. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable…” II Corinthians 13:7. The opposite of doing what is honorable is noted at the beginning of the verse: to do evil. Therefore, if we are to be honorable, we must do that which is good according to God’s Word.
Peter also wrote that Christians should “…abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation”: I Peter 2:11-12. How then can we show the love of Christ to others and thus glorify God? According to God’s Word, we do so by being honorable in conduct and by doing good works.
A beautiful passage in Proverbs 11:16 states that “A gracious woman retains honor, but ruthless men retain riches.” Riches are merely temporary things that in some cases cause distraction from the holy things of God. Our goal should not be to focus primarily on amassing riches but to bring honor to our husband and our children and assure that their needs are met. A poor family who has love is richer by far than a family who has all worldly wealth at their disposal but know not God. “Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.” Proverbs 28:6. A woman’s integrity is akin to her honor. Integrity is adhering to a code of moral and ethical values; in a Christian’s case, our values should be determined by the Word of God. Being honorable cannot exist apart from walking in integrity.
A very wonderful promise is given to those who adhere to God’s principles. If we obey Him, are humble and honorable and stand up against evil, we can rejoice in days to come just as the virtuous woman did. Some Christians seem to think that being pious and being cheerful cannot go hand in hand. Our coworkers or old friends in the world believe that we are missing out on all of the fun. They can hardly be farther from the truth. Obeying God, while giving up worldly “happiness”, is better for us in the long run. It may seem a ridiculous comparison, but just as a child who wants candy all of the time is limited in his desires by his mother who wishes for him to have healthy teeth and a normal glucose level, so we are limited by a Father who wants only the best for us. Instantaneous pleasure is often just that – a quick satisfaction without permanency. If it is bad for us, consequences will result, ending our perceived happiness. The end result of sin is eternal death and that is not good for anyone (Romans 6:23). Because of this, God has set guidelines for us to follow in order to be truly happy and to be cleansed of our sin when we make mistakes.
Life as a Christian should be hopeful, joyous and peaceful. This does not mean that we will not have times of grief, whether in our lives or in the lives of those whom we comfort (Romans 12:15); yet we have a home in heaven with our Lord if we remain faithful to Him (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10). If we are women of God, we should rejoice just as the virtuous woman was able to rejoice because she was prepared for the days ahead. The Lord offers us hope and joyfulness if we endure suffering, such as in Mark 13:13, I Corinthians 4:12 and II Corinthians 1:5-7. Paul wrote, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” Romans 8:18. This verse is a great comfort to me.
May you be joyous this very day by resting in the comfort that God will always be with you. It is not God who leaves us but we who leave God. When we do, He is always waiting for us to return, just as the loving father of the prodigal son in Luke 15. Regardless of what we have done, God waits patiently for us to return so that He can forgive us. What hope that should give us and also the urgency to ensure that we return while we still have the opportunity.
I’d like to end this lesson with passages reflecting hope and joy in the Lord. As we attempt to live godly lives and lead others to Christ, it is helpful to pause and reflect on all of the blessings that we have. Even when we are suffering, we have hope in the Lord. Many a dear friend has helped me along my own journey of cancer, treatment and transplant and I am greatly blessed to be able to return just a portion of the love that they have shown to me through this lesson. Though I still do not know what lies around the corner, I know that my God will be there, too, and that gives me tremendous hope.
“Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!” I Chronicles 6:10.
“But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You” Psalm 5:11.
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him” Psalm 28:7.
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance” Romans 5:1-3.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4.
“Rejoice always” I Thessalonians 5:16.
“…Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!” Psalm 144:15.
“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” James 1:2-3.
“Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation” James 1:9.
“Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted” Matthew 5:4.
God’s Word is completely different from what the world teaches. How could the world consider someone who is starving or is suffering happy? Yet Jesus gave hope to the suffering and lonely because He died for all of us and gave us the great gift of salvation. This is how Christians who are in pain or sick or dying or grieving can be happy and rejoice. If we die in the Lord, we will never suffer again. God will wipe away the tears from our eyes and comfort us (Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 7:17, Revelation 21:4). No heartache or pain is so great that our Father cannot wipe it away and make us forget when we reach heaven.
God bless you today and every day as you seek His Will. May you have hope and rejoice in God’s blessings of peace and comfort this very day.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Virtuous Woman – Supportive and Above Reproach
Today’s Passage: “Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land” (Proverbs 31:23)
It has been quite some time since our last lesson. I apologize for the delay in writing and ask for your forgiveness as well as the Lord’s for allowing other things to interfere. I believe that today’s lesson is very important to those of us who are wives because it appeals to our duty to our husband. It also applies to those who are single or widowed because all of us are in subjection to Christ and should seek to avoid bring reproach upon the church or Christ by ungodly behavior.
Proverbs 31:23 teaches us that the virtuous woman’s husband is known at the gates and sits among the elders of the land. To understand the importance of this statement, a brief history lesson is in order. In Exodus 18, Moses’ father-in-law Jethro came to visit. He noticed that Moses judged the people from morning to evening. Jethro questioned Moses as to why he was attempting to do everything himself. He stated that Moses would soon wear himself out if he continued in this manner. Jethro suggested that he select able men to assist Moses as opposed to trying to personally judge every situation alone. So Moses followed his father-in-law’s sound advice and appointed other men to judge smaller cases. Judges and elders were very important throughout the history of the Israelites.
Elders of cities decided cases such as murder, blood redemption and family issues. Deuteronomy 1:9-18 describes the selection of “tribal leaders”, “wise and knowledgeable men” as leaders over the people and the judges that were assigned to decide the cases that could be handled without Moses’ personal involvement.
As you can imagine, these duties were very important and only men who were considered to be wise, knowledgeable and just were to be selected. It was imperative that their wives were supportive and above reproach as well. It would be very difficult for an elder to sit in judgment over a city if his wife was not of good reputation, also.
The virtuous woman was of a godly nature so that her husband’s reputation was not blighted and he was able to take his place among the noble men of the land. We are taught in Proverbs 12:4 that “an excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.” What a pity that there are wives who do not properly respect their husbands and thus bring shame upon their names. God commands us to respect our husbands (Ephesians 5:33).
We discussed in a past study that Eve was created for Adam as a helpmeet. Whether society agrees or not, if we are Christians, we are to be submissive and respectful of our husbands. This is not discriminatory against women and does not seek to make us second rate citizens; however, God has established the home in the manner in which He desires. Our Lord God knows far more than we as humans do. Only by serving in our proper roles in our homes and the church can peace reign among us.
It should be said of each of us who are married or are engaged that “he who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD” Proverbs 18:22. Our husbands should not have to worry that we will do or say something that is unfit for Christian wives. They should be able to trust that we will stand behind them and support them so long as they are standing on the side of Christ, no matter how many so-called “friends” we may lose for doing so.
A good and noble wife is a gift from God. Proverbs 19:14 teaches that “houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.” Prudent means “discreet, wise and careful” according to Dictionary.com. Such a woman can be trusted when a man makes the decision to “leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife” Mark 10:7. It would be a great tragedy for a man to leave his family only to discover that his wife is not the Christian woman he thought she was. Each of us are responsible for making our homes a safe place for our husband to live, growing in the love and support of a pure and holy woman.
Let us be careful that we are women who do not demand more than our husbands should give. God must come first in our husbands’ lives before the wife. Jesus said that “everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life” Matthew 19:29. Let us live our lives in such a way that we encourage our husbands to follow Christ and do not force him to make a choice between following Christ and pleasing us. Our journey should be in the same direction if he is seeking to live a Christian life.
If our husbands are not living for Christ, we should be patient and loving according to God’s Word. We do not know the enormous impact of our good example. “For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?” I Corinthians 7:16. By living a godly life even in the midst of turmoil and an unhappy home life, a wife may lead her husband and children to Christ. I have known several women whose husbands were not saved until later in life. “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear” I Peter 3:1-2. You are the single greatest example of Christ that your husband may likely ever know. You are the model of how he should live and it may take years before he allows the seed of God to flourish that has been planted by your example.
Often, we think of wives of elders and deacons as needing to be supportive and above reproach; however, we should be helping grow future deacons and elders while our husbands are still young. Regardless of whether our husband decides to serve in this capacity, we should still live as blameless, temperate and honorable as if we were wives of such men. All Christian women should be held to the same standard: the Word of God. Though not every man will serve in specific roles of service, every Christian woman should live in such a way that the Word of God is not maligned (Titus 2:4-5). We should strive to live as examples of what Christ wants us to be.
We have a choice to make as wives: we can help our husbands grow stronger in the Lord or we can hinder them in their service. We can even contribute to the destruction of their souls if we are not careful. An example of a wife who did not encourage her husband to make the right choice is Sapphira (Acts 5). She, along with her husband, lost her life due to her sin. On the other hand, Priscilla is a shining example of a pure and godly woman. She taught Apollos alongside her husband (Acts 18:2). Priscilla and Aquila journeyed with Paul to Syria and Ephesus (Acts 18:18-19). The church met in their home and they encouraged the brethren in Corinth (I Corinthians 16:19). Much good was done in the early church because of Priscilla and thankfulness for her service was given by Paul (Romans 16:3).
May God bless us as Christian wives to help lead our families to the Lord. We have great opportunity to be examples to others whether we are single, married, mothers or grandmothers. God foreknows His children, and therefore we are right where we should be at the time that we should be here. Isn’t that a wonderful thought? Surely we are all important to His kingdom and therefore we are needed in our local congregation and in the homes in which we live.
God bless you as you serve Him today and every day.
It has been quite some time since our last lesson. I apologize for the delay in writing and ask for your forgiveness as well as the Lord’s for allowing other things to interfere. I believe that today’s lesson is very important to those of us who are wives because it appeals to our duty to our husband. It also applies to those who are single or widowed because all of us are in subjection to Christ and should seek to avoid bring reproach upon the church or Christ by ungodly behavior.
Proverbs 31:23 teaches us that the virtuous woman’s husband is known at the gates and sits among the elders of the land. To understand the importance of this statement, a brief history lesson is in order. In Exodus 18, Moses’ father-in-law Jethro came to visit. He noticed that Moses judged the people from morning to evening. Jethro questioned Moses as to why he was attempting to do everything himself. He stated that Moses would soon wear himself out if he continued in this manner. Jethro suggested that he select able men to assist Moses as opposed to trying to personally judge every situation alone. So Moses followed his father-in-law’s sound advice and appointed other men to judge smaller cases. Judges and elders were very important throughout the history of the Israelites.
Elders of cities decided cases such as murder, blood redemption and family issues. Deuteronomy 1:9-18 describes the selection of “tribal leaders”, “wise and knowledgeable men” as leaders over the people and the judges that were assigned to decide the cases that could be handled without Moses’ personal involvement.
As you can imagine, these duties were very important and only men who were considered to be wise, knowledgeable and just were to be selected. It was imperative that their wives were supportive and above reproach as well. It would be very difficult for an elder to sit in judgment over a city if his wife was not of good reputation, also.
The virtuous woman was of a godly nature so that her husband’s reputation was not blighted and he was able to take his place among the noble men of the land. We are taught in Proverbs 12:4 that “an excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.” What a pity that there are wives who do not properly respect their husbands and thus bring shame upon their names. God commands us to respect our husbands (Ephesians 5:33).
We discussed in a past study that Eve was created for Adam as a helpmeet. Whether society agrees or not, if we are Christians, we are to be submissive and respectful of our husbands. This is not discriminatory against women and does not seek to make us second rate citizens; however, God has established the home in the manner in which He desires. Our Lord God knows far more than we as humans do. Only by serving in our proper roles in our homes and the church can peace reign among us.
It should be said of each of us who are married or are engaged that “he who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD” Proverbs 18:22. Our husbands should not have to worry that we will do or say something that is unfit for Christian wives. They should be able to trust that we will stand behind them and support them so long as they are standing on the side of Christ, no matter how many so-called “friends” we may lose for doing so.
A good and noble wife is a gift from God. Proverbs 19:14 teaches that “houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.” Prudent means “discreet, wise and careful” according to Dictionary.com. Such a woman can be trusted when a man makes the decision to “leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife” Mark 10:7. It would be a great tragedy for a man to leave his family only to discover that his wife is not the Christian woman he thought she was. Each of us are responsible for making our homes a safe place for our husband to live, growing in the love and support of a pure and holy woman.
Let us be careful that we are women who do not demand more than our husbands should give. God must come first in our husbands’ lives before the wife. Jesus said that “everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life” Matthew 19:29. Let us live our lives in such a way that we encourage our husbands to follow Christ and do not force him to make a choice between following Christ and pleasing us. Our journey should be in the same direction if he is seeking to live a Christian life.
If our husbands are not living for Christ, we should be patient and loving according to God’s Word. We do not know the enormous impact of our good example. “For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?” I Corinthians 7:16. By living a godly life even in the midst of turmoil and an unhappy home life, a wife may lead her husband and children to Christ. I have known several women whose husbands were not saved until later in life. “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear” I Peter 3:1-2. You are the single greatest example of Christ that your husband may likely ever know. You are the model of how he should live and it may take years before he allows the seed of God to flourish that has been planted by your example.
Often, we think of wives of elders and deacons as needing to be supportive and above reproach; however, we should be helping grow future deacons and elders while our husbands are still young. Regardless of whether our husband decides to serve in this capacity, we should still live as blameless, temperate and honorable as if we were wives of such men. All Christian women should be held to the same standard: the Word of God. Though not every man will serve in specific roles of service, every Christian woman should live in such a way that the Word of God is not maligned (Titus 2:4-5). We should strive to live as examples of what Christ wants us to be.
We have a choice to make as wives: we can help our husbands grow stronger in the Lord or we can hinder them in their service. We can even contribute to the destruction of their souls if we are not careful. An example of a wife who did not encourage her husband to make the right choice is Sapphira (Acts 5). She, along with her husband, lost her life due to her sin. On the other hand, Priscilla is a shining example of a pure and godly woman. She taught Apollos alongside her husband (Acts 18:2). Priscilla and Aquila journeyed with Paul to Syria and Ephesus (Acts 18:18-19). The church met in their home and they encouraged the brethren in Corinth (I Corinthians 16:19). Much good was done in the early church because of Priscilla and thankfulness for her service was given by Paul (Romans 16:3).
May God bless us as Christian wives to help lead our families to the Lord. We have great opportunity to be examples to others whether we are single, married, mothers or grandmothers. God foreknows His children, and therefore we are right where we should be at the time that we should be here. Isn’t that a wonderful thought? Surely we are all important to His kingdom and therefore we are needed in our local congregation and in the homes in which we live.
God bless you as you serve Him today and every day.
Friday, September 11, 2009
The Virtuous Woman - Dependable and Prepared
Today’s Passage: “She makes tapestry for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple” (Proverbs 31:22).
Today’s study of the Proverbs 31 and how we can demonstrate virtuous and godly qualities in our own lives continues with verse 22. We have studied six lessons thus far on the passages and still have several verses left. This study, even though in depth, is far from exhaustive. Many other qualities of this woman can be gleaned from the passage and mirrored in our own lives. It is absolutely amazing how profound and wise these words are and the enormity of their lessons in our lives of service to God. Only God in His great wisdom could condense into so few words a subject that can be studied for our entire lives and never be completely mastered. Such is God’s Word: simple and yet deeper than any ocean, easy to understand and yet impossible to master to perfection without any room for improvement while on our earthly journeys. What a great and awesome Creator we serve.
“She makes tapestry for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.” This verse continues the idea of being committed by ensuring that clothing and the things that make a house a home are provided for our families. Additionally, this passage shows the dependability of a Christian woman to prepare the things that are needed by her and those in her protective care. Note that the Scripture does not state, “If she has time, she makes tapestry for herself; if she has the desire, her clothing is neat and as nice as can be afforded; if she feels like it, family needs are provided.” She makes time and she has the desire because God commands that we take time to handle the important things of life.
This verse speaks volumes to me. You may not struggle with the same things that I do, but I would imagine that all of us could become more dependable in some area of our lives. We may need to spend more time studying God’s Word or praying or allotting more time for our families’ needs and less for our own. Martha spent time cooking and serving when Jesus came over while Mary sat at His feet and listened to His words (Luke 10:38-42). Jesus wanted Martha to forget the things she could do while He was not there and enjoy His company as well as learn from His teachings while He was there. While it is true that Mary was commended for taking the time to worship and learn from Jesus, it is also important to note that Martha was not condemned for handling necessary things like cooking, serving and cleaning. Instead, it should be noted that because Jesus was in the house at the time, He was to be priority over cooking and serving. A neglect of handling these needed items when Jesus was not present was not the teaching He intended.
Christian women sometimes stress over the housework and cooking, but forget to take time to sit at the Master’s feet in personal Bible study during the day like Mary. On the other hand, we might study and make time for Bible study but neglect some of the necessary tasks like household chores, causing them to pile up and create a hectic environment when we cannot find what we need. It is difficult sometimes to maintain the healthiest balance: prioritizing our schedules so that all needs are met.
I am not a Martha, purely and simply. I have a creative mind and love to write, but unfortunately, I also have the tendency to be sidetracked by things that interest me. Perhaps you have been captivated by a sparkling crystal as you walked by a display. I am captivated by everything. If I begin a duty such as cleaning the living room and pass a magazine I have not read or a book I have been meaning to study or anything with words on it, basically, I can be sidetracked from my task. I am not militaristic by any means; instead, I am sporadic at best. This can be good for brainstorming sessions, writing poetry or devotionals and journaling but it is very detrimental to uninteresting chores like washing and folding laundry, organizing closets or keeping my side tables clutter-free. I seldom have one project going at one time; instead, I typically have no less than ten. A lack of concentration on the most important things first can quickly end in procrastination of the necessary tasks.
How can the study of the virtuous woman help me? I must prepare my mind so that I can act as God intends. “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled…” I Peter 1:13. I can learn the art of being dependable. If I start something, I should focus on completing it before going on to something new. Our key passage today states that the virtuous woman makes clothing and items for her home. Unless she completes these tasks in a timely manner, she has the intention to make these items without the final product. Therefore, when winter comes, her family is not prepared because they need completed items and not ideas to keep them warm. My good intentions will not change the world around me if they are not carried through to completion.
If my home is not ready for drop-in company, how can I invite someone over “on the fly” for Bible study? If I have not frozen cooked meals for unexpected emergencies, how can I take a meal to someone who I have just learned is sick and needs a meal that very day? There are many ways in which being prepared and being dependable can make a huge difference to a lost soul. I need to be ready to take opportunities to serve God and help my fellow man by preparing ahead of time. When God needed the Israelites to move forward and take the land of Canaan, Joshua was told to tell them, “Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own” (Joshua 1:11). God told Ezekiel, “Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them” (Ezekiel 38:7). I do not have God’s specific plan for my life spoken to me directly; therefore, my supplies must always be ready for a moment’s notice to do His work. As Joshua and Ezekiel prepared the people to be ready when God called for them to act, I also must be ready to act.
Furthermore, being prepared means that I can devote more time to the task at hand. I have often regretted not laying out my business suit or dress, shoes, jewelry and other important items the night before so that I would not be rushed to get ready for work or services. It’s amazing how jewelry, hosiery, keys and shoes can walk around and hide themselves when you need them. If I have my Bible and class book ready, my lesson already prepared (whether I am the teacher or the student) and clothing, keys and sunglasses in one place, I can leave a few minutes early for services, be calm when I arrive and greet others with a smile. The teacher will have an easier job if her students have prepared because we can discuss the things that we learned or answer questions. Peace is the order of the day if we are prepared as opposed to running around scatter-brained and frantic like the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland because we cannot locate our car keys or Bible or one of our child’s shoes.
In what ways should we be prepared? In addition to having our homes ready for drop-ins, we should be ready to teach others. The only way to be prepared to teach others is for us to have spent time in study and prayer, devoting ourselves to learning the gospel and memorizing where key verses are found. We must be ready because Christ depends on us to spread His gospel of love and salvation to those dying in sin around us. Opportunities can be lost if we are not prepared to answer questions from the Bible. Our opinions or hazy memories of a sermon on the subject do not count. It is far more convincing for us to read Romans 6:4 to someone, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life”, than to say that “somewhere in the Bible it says we’re supposed to be baptized” or “my preacher says to be baptized”. The power of the gospel is in the gospel itself and not our own argumentative style. Therefore, we must be prepared by knowing where this and other passages are located so that the other party in the discussion can read it for themselves.
We should also pray to God for wisdom to understand and apply the knowledge we uncover in our studies. God’s help through prayer is an often overlooked power, yet it should be our first thought when preparing for leading others to Christ and strengthening our weaknesses. It is not possible to be prepared for action if we have not prayed. Let us review the Scripture above that we must prepare our minds for action (I Peter 1:13). How can we prepare our minds for action without seeking God’s help? “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful" (Colossians 4:2) should cause us to consider how important it is to pray that our preparation is adequate, our motives are pure and our actions are in accordance with God’s will.
I have been working on a key Scripture bookmark that notes the passages regarding salvation and living a faithful life to have available at times when my memory fails me, but nothing can substitute for memorization and the ability to locate passages if my handy bookmark is not available. I wonder, how can I lead others to make the right decision to be saved if I have not taken the time to learn the passages myself? I spent many years in school preparing for degrees and taking tests to prove that I had gained knowledge of the courses. Am I as willing to spend as much and even more time studying and learning God’s Word so that I will be able to teach others and myself pass the greatest test on Judgment Day?
And finally, we must put into action our study. All of the preparation in the world will not help if we are not “ready to do whatever is good” Titus 3:1-3. This means being ready to step out of our comfort zone and being willing to change our schedules in order to take advantage of an opportunity to help someone. Preparation is necessary but action must follow. Christ prepared the apostles to carry on His work after He ascended into heaven. Jesus required them to be willing to stand up for the truth and put into action the things He had taught them. He put His trust in humans to spread the gospel. Can He put this same trust in me?
We were given the greatest gift we could ever receive: salvation through Jesus Christ. Our Savior stood up against the power of darkness, as it used its greatest weapons of betrayal and torment in an attempt to defeat Him, in order that He might save guilty mankind from eternal death. Am I willing to stand up for Him by learning His Word and speaking its truth to others?
Let us end with Paul’s instructions to Timothy. All Christians are required to do the same, whether it is publicly or privately to those with whom we come in contact. “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” II Timothy 4:1-3.
God bless us as we study His Word!
Today’s study of the Proverbs 31 and how we can demonstrate virtuous and godly qualities in our own lives continues with verse 22. We have studied six lessons thus far on the passages and still have several verses left. This study, even though in depth, is far from exhaustive. Many other qualities of this woman can be gleaned from the passage and mirrored in our own lives. It is absolutely amazing how profound and wise these words are and the enormity of their lessons in our lives of service to God. Only God in His great wisdom could condense into so few words a subject that can be studied for our entire lives and never be completely mastered. Such is God’s Word: simple and yet deeper than any ocean, easy to understand and yet impossible to master to perfection without any room for improvement while on our earthly journeys. What a great and awesome Creator we serve.
“She makes tapestry for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.” This verse continues the idea of being committed by ensuring that clothing and the things that make a house a home are provided for our families. Additionally, this passage shows the dependability of a Christian woman to prepare the things that are needed by her and those in her protective care. Note that the Scripture does not state, “If she has time, she makes tapestry for herself; if she has the desire, her clothing is neat and as nice as can be afforded; if she feels like it, family needs are provided.” She makes time and she has the desire because God commands that we take time to handle the important things of life.
This verse speaks volumes to me. You may not struggle with the same things that I do, but I would imagine that all of us could become more dependable in some area of our lives. We may need to spend more time studying God’s Word or praying or allotting more time for our families’ needs and less for our own. Martha spent time cooking and serving when Jesus came over while Mary sat at His feet and listened to His words (Luke 10:38-42). Jesus wanted Martha to forget the things she could do while He was not there and enjoy His company as well as learn from His teachings while He was there. While it is true that Mary was commended for taking the time to worship and learn from Jesus, it is also important to note that Martha was not condemned for handling necessary things like cooking, serving and cleaning. Instead, it should be noted that because Jesus was in the house at the time, He was to be priority over cooking and serving. A neglect of handling these needed items when Jesus was not present was not the teaching He intended.
Christian women sometimes stress over the housework and cooking, but forget to take time to sit at the Master’s feet in personal Bible study during the day like Mary. On the other hand, we might study and make time for Bible study but neglect some of the necessary tasks like household chores, causing them to pile up and create a hectic environment when we cannot find what we need. It is difficult sometimes to maintain the healthiest balance: prioritizing our schedules so that all needs are met.
I am not a Martha, purely and simply. I have a creative mind and love to write, but unfortunately, I also have the tendency to be sidetracked by things that interest me. Perhaps you have been captivated by a sparkling crystal as you walked by a display. I am captivated by everything. If I begin a duty such as cleaning the living room and pass a magazine I have not read or a book I have been meaning to study or anything with words on it, basically, I can be sidetracked from my task. I am not militaristic by any means; instead, I am sporadic at best. This can be good for brainstorming sessions, writing poetry or devotionals and journaling but it is very detrimental to uninteresting chores like washing and folding laundry, organizing closets or keeping my side tables clutter-free. I seldom have one project going at one time; instead, I typically have no less than ten. A lack of concentration on the most important things first can quickly end in procrastination of the necessary tasks.
How can the study of the virtuous woman help me? I must prepare my mind so that I can act as God intends. “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled…” I Peter 1:13. I can learn the art of being dependable. If I start something, I should focus on completing it before going on to something new. Our key passage today states that the virtuous woman makes clothing and items for her home. Unless she completes these tasks in a timely manner, she has the intention to make these items without the final product. Therefore, when winter comes, her family is not prepared because they need completed items and not ideas to keep them warm. My good intentions will not change the world around me if they are not carried through to completion.
If my home is not ready for drop-in company, how can I invite someone over “on the fly” for Bible study? If I have not frozen cooked meals for unexpected emergencies, how can I take a meal to someone who I have just learned is sick and needs a meal that very day? There are many ways in which being prepared and being dependable can make a huge difference to a lost soul. I need to be ready to take opportunities to serve God and help my fellow man by preparing ahead of time. When God needed the Israelites to move forward and take the land of Canaan, Joshua was told to tell them, “Get your supplies ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own” (Joshua 1:11). God told Ezekiel, “Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them” (Ezekiel 38:7). I do not have God’s specific plan for my life spoken to me directly; therefore, my supplies must always be ready for a moment’s notice to do His work. As Joshua and Ezekiel prepared the people to be ready when God called for them to act, I also must be ready to act.
Furthermore, being prepared means that I can devote more time to the task at hand. I have often regretted not laying out my business suit or dress, shoes, jewelry and other important items the night before so that I would not be rushed to get ready for work or services. It’s amazing how jewelry, hosiery, keys and shoes can walk around and hide themselves when you need them. If I have my Bible and class book ready, my lesson already prepared (whether I am the teacher or the student) and clothing, keys and sunglasses in one place, I can leave a few minutes early for services, be calm when I arrive and greet others with a smile. The teacher will have an easier job if her students have prepared because we can discuss the things that we learned or answer questions. Peace is the order of the day if we are prepared as opposed to running around scatter-brained and frantic like the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland because we cannot locate our car keys or Bible or one of our child’s shoes.
In what ways should we be prepared? In addition to having our homes ready for drop-ins, we should be ready to teach others. The only way to be prepared to teach others is for us to have spent time in study and prayer, devoting ourselves to learning the gospel and memorizing where key verses are found. We must be ready because Christ depends on us to spread His gospel of love and salvation to those dying in sin around us. Opportunities can be lost if we are not prepared to answer questions from the Bible. Our opinions or hazy memories of a sermon on the subject do not count. It is far more convincing for us to read Romans 6:4 to someone, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life”, than to say that “somewhere in the Bible it says we’re supposed to be baptized” or “my preacher says to be baptized”. The power of the gospel is in the gospel itself and not our own argumentative style. Therefore, we must be prepared by knowing where this and other passages are located so that the other party in the discussion can read it for themselves.
We should also pray to God for wisdom to understand and apply the knowledge we uncover in our studies. God’s help through prayer is an often overlooked power, yet it should be our first thought when preparing for leading others to Christ and strengthening our weaknesses. It is not possible to be prepared for action if we have not prayed. Let us review the Scripture above that we must prepare our minds for action (I Peter 1:13). How can we prepare our minds for action without seeking God’s help? “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful" (Colossians 4:2) should cause us to consider how important it is to pray that our preparation is adequate, our motives are pure and our actions are in accordance with God’s will.
I have been working on a key Scripture bookmark that notes the passages regarding salvation and living a faithful life to have available at times when my memory fails me, but nothing can substitute for memorization and the ability to locate passages if my handy bookmark is not available. I wonder, how can I lead others to make the right decision to be saved if I have not taken the time to learn the passages myself? I spent many years in school preparing for degrees and taking tests to prove that I had gained knowledge of the courses. Am I as willing to spend as much and even more time studying and learning God’s Word so that I will be able to teach others and myself pass the greatest test on Judgment Day?
And finally, we must put into action our study. All of the preparation in the world will not help if we are not “ready to do whatever is good” Titus 3:1-3. This means being ready to step out of our comfort zone and being willing to change our schedules in order to take advantage of an opportunity to help someone. Preparation is necessary but action must follow. Christ prepared the apostles to carry on His work after He ascended into heaven. Jesus required them to be willing to stand up for the truth and put into action the things He had taught them. He put His trust in humans to spread the gospel. Can He put this same trust in me?
We were given the greatest gift we could ever receive: salvation through Jesus Christ. Our Savior stood up against the power of darkness, as it used its greatest weapons of betrayal and torment in an attempt to defeat Him, in order that He might save guilty mankind from eternal death. Am I willing to stand up for Him by learning His Word and speaking its truth to others?
Let us end with Paul’s instructions to Timothy. All Christians are required to do the same, whether it is publicly or privately to those with whom we come in contact. “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” II Timothy 4:1-3.
God bless us as we study His Word!
Saturday, September 5, 2009
The Virtuous Woman: Full of Faith and Peace
Today's Passage: “She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed with scarlet” (Proverbs 31:21).
Today’s passage in the description of a virtuous woman states that she is not afraid of the snow. Why? Because her household is prepared with warm clothing. There are several lessons that we can glean from this single statement.
First of all, a woman of God prepares for hardship. She is frugal, storing up food and saving money during the times that she is prosperous so that she and her family will be prepared if hard times hit. Even if she never experiences hard times financially, others around her may need assistance and she is ready to help them. My husband, mother and I learned firsthand how frightening hurricanes can be while living in Houston last year. We were unable to evacuate during hurricanes Gustav and Ike due to my need to be near the medical center as I recovered from a bone marrow transplant. Many homes were destroyed and residents were without electricity for several days. Residents with generators invited others into their homes and shared their food with them, church members joined together to assist with home repairs and volunteers served food at food banks set up around the city. Many families had hope restored to them through the love of neighbors and friends or even strangers.
A virtuous woman is prepared to help during these times because she has faith in God as well as the peace that comes from the fact that she has made provisions for hard times. God takes care of us and sees us through hard times, but we must strive to do our part by storing up for such circumstances. By being prepared, we can focus on the vital things during a catastrophe instead of worrying what we will eat or how we will manage without any savings. Just as the foolish virgins of Matthew 25 were not prepared with extra oil for their lamps and were thus left behind, so we too must be prepared if we are to expect to be assisted, if it is within our means to do so. This parable, while teaching us the necessity of being prepared for Jesus to return, also shows us that we must take care of our responsibilities. The ones who were prepared, in this case, did not have enough for themselves and the ones who had no extra oil and thus were unable to help. Because the people of Jesus’ day understood the importance of these women being prepared for a wedding banquet, the example could be used to teach them about spiritual preparation as well. This preparation is no less important in our day.
Certainly, a woman of God should not base her faith in the things that she has done to prepare. An example of self-praise is found in Luke 12 when the rich man trusted in his possessions and his own deeds instead of glorifying God. It is wise to remember God’s condemnation of him: “But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:20-21). It is God who gives us the ability to make provisions for ourselves and all praise is due Him; however, we must make the most of our opportunities to prepare for our own and others’ hard times. An interesting statement is made by Solomon to “sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.” (Ecclesiastes 11:6). This is a call to take action while we can and prepare for the reality that we may not always be successful in our endeavors.
A prepared and faithful woman has great peace because she knows that she has done what she could to please God and has taken care of her own. Romans 2:9-11 assures us that those who do evil will suffer trouble “but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good…” (Romans 2:9-10). Additionally, we are told in Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” If we are faithful in our walk and trust God to take care of those things beyond our control, we can have the joy and peace and hope that only the Spirit of God can give us.
Even those of us who may be short of means but who do the best with what we have been given will please God. God knows of our past and current capability to provide for ourselves and others and does not require more than He has given us the ability to do. We can find cases in which widows in the church needed food so the church assigned men such as Stephen to see that their needs were met (Acts 6:1-4). These widows were not denied help because they could not provide for themselves. Neither are we condemned if we are physically unable to care for ourselves. However, if we have been given the talent to provide for our family, we are required to use it.
Both the servant who was faithful with two talents and the one who was faithful with five were rewarded because they did what they could with their blessings. It will be said of us who are faithful with our blessings, “'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'” Matthew 25:14-30. On the other hand, for the servant who wasted the talents given to him, a serious punishment was dealt him and should cause us to ensure we are faithful, frugal and prepared.
May the study of faithfulness and peace in a woman of God encourage us to always be busy providing for our families in whatever talents the Lord has given us. Further, may you and yours find the peace that comes from doing God’s Will today and every day. Thank you for studying with me today. As always, this lesson has been a wake-up call to me as well to use my talents for God, my family and others.
Today’s passage in the description of a virtuous woman states that she is not afraid of the snow. Why? Because her household is prepared with warm clothing. There are several lessons that we can glean from this single statement.
First of all, a woman of God prepares for hardship. She is frugal, storing up food and saving money during the times that she is prosperous so that she and her family will be prepared if hard times hit. Even if she never experiences hard times financially, others around her may need assistance and she is ready to help them. My husband, mother and I learned firsthand how frightening hurricanes can be while living in Houston last year. We were unable to evacuate during hurricanes Gustav and Ike due to my need to be near the medical center as I recovered from a bone marrow transplant. Many homes were destroyed and residents were without electricity for several days. Residents with generators invited others into their homes and shared their food with them, church members joined together to assist with home repairs and volunteers served food at food banks set up around the city. Many families had hope restored to them through the love of neighbors and friends or even strangers.
A virtuous woman is prepared to help during these times because she has faith in God as well as the peace that comes from the fact that she has made provisions for hard times. God takes care of us and sees us through hard times, but we must strive to do our part by storing up for such circumstances. By being prepared, we can focus on the vital things during a catastrophe instead of worrying what we will eat or how we will manage without any savings. Just as the foolish virgins of Matthew 25 were not prepared with extra oil for their lamps and were thus left behind, so we too must be prepared if we are to expect to be assisted, if it is within our means to do so. This parable, while teaching us the necessity of being prepared for Jesus to return, also shows us that we must take care of our responsibilities. The ones who were prepared, in this case, did not have enough for themselves and the ones who had no extra oil and thus were unable to help. Because the people of Jesus’ day understood the importance of these women being prepared for a wedding banquet, the example could be used to teach them about spiritual preparation as well. This preparation is no less important in our day.
Certainly, a woman of God should not base her faith in the things that she has done to prepare. An example of self-praise is found in Luke 12 when the rich man trusted in his possessions and his own deeds instead of glorifying God. It is wise to remember God’s condemnation of him: “But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:20-21). It is God who gives us the ability to make provisions for ourselves and all praise is due Him; however, we must make the most of our opportunities to prepare for our own and others’ hard times. An interesting statement is made by Solomon to “sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well.” (Ecclesiastes 11:6). This is a call to take action while we can and prepare for the reality that we may not always be successful in our endeavors.
A prepared and faithful woman has great peace because she knows that she has done what she could to please God and has taken care of her own. Romans 2:9-11 assures us that those who do evil will suffer trouble “but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good…” (Romans 2:9-10). Additionally, we are told in Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” If we are faithful in our walk and trust God to take care of those things beyond our control, we can have the joy and peace and hope that only the Spirit of God can give us.
Even those of us who may be short of means but who do the best with what we have been given will please God. God knows of our past and current capability to provide for ourselves and others and does not require more than He has given us the ability to do. We can find cases in which widows in the church needed food so the church assigned men such as Stephen to see that their needs were met (Acts 6:1-4). These widows were not denied help because they could not provide for themselves. Neither are we condemned if we are physically unable to care for ourselves. However, if we have been given the talent to provide for our family, we are required to use it.
Both the servant who was faithful with two talents and the one who was faithful with five were rewarded because they did what they could with their blessings. It will be said of us who are faithful with our blessings, “'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'” Matthew 25:14-30. On the other hand, for the servant who wasted the talents given to him, a serious punishment was dealt him and should cause us to ensure we are faithful, frugal and prepared.
May the study of faithfulness and peace in a woman of God encourage us to always be busy providing for our families in whatever talents the Lord has given us. Further, may you and yours find the peace that comes from doing God’s Will today and every day. Thank you for studying with me today. As always, this lesson has been a wake-up call to me as well to use my talents for God, my family and others.
Monday, August 24, 2009
The Virtuous Woman - Hospitable and Charitable
Today’s Passage: “She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.” Proverbs 31:20
Isn’t it amazing how many lessons we can learn from the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31? We could work on all of these qualities for the rest of our lives and still have room for improvement. That’s what is so wonderful about God’s plan. We will always be useful to God as long as we study and seek to obey Him, because He keeps growing our hearts and molding us into His likeness.
Today’s study focuses on the virtuous woman and how she is hospitable and charitable. When I read that a godly woman helps the poor and needy, the first thing that comes to mind are Jesus’ words regarding how we are to reach out to others to serve Him: “Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 'The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'” Matthew 25:37-40.
By reaching out to those who are poor, we show Christ’s love to others. On the other hand, if we do not help the poor and we have opportunity to do so, we should be aware that this failure is listed in Matthew 25:46 among those things that will cause us to “go away to eternal punishment”. This is a very serious consequence for our failure to do good to those who are less fortunate than us.
We may be inclined to think that because we are not rich by America’s standards, we are not held to this commandment. Yet, even some of the poor in our nation are rich compared to many in other parts of the world. We can help others regardless of our financial circumstances. A wonderful example of the poor helping the poor is found in II Corinthians 8:1-3: “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.” What a wonderful testimony to be commended by an apostle for helping others even though the helpers themselves were in extreme poverty!
We should remember that Jesus knows our hearts and our pocketbooks, as He did when a widow placed a single coin into the temple treasury. Though some gave bags of money and made a great display of it, Jesus knew that a widow’s meager offering was all that she had to live on. He commended her for her act of selflessness: “"I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on." Even when we experience financial hardships, we can often find another in a worse plight than we are and offer assistance. It is important to note that giving to the work of the church can help support those in need through the benevolence program, but we should remember that Matthew 25 commands us to do this on an individual basis as well.
The poor are not the only ones who are needy. James 1:27 teaches us “to look after orphans and widows in their distress”. It is not enough to depend on the welfare system to care for those who are orphaned or widowed. We must also visit them and take care of them. We can support the good works of Christian children’s homes by offering to serve as tutors, assist houseparents or foster families or serve as mentors and tutors. Often, these children have had no positive role model in their lives before entering foster care as the majority of them have been removed from homes where they were abused physically or sexually or neglected. Jesus told His disciples to “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God”. Though He was teaching his followers to become as pure as children spiritually, He also was showing the great example of taking time to notice the children in the crowds and allow them to come to Him. We should notice the children around us as well and see to their needs.
Additionally, there are many who have suffered the loss of their spouse and are lonely. By taking time to visit them, we are reinforcing the fact that they are special to God and that they continue to serve a great purpose. The Bible teaches us to grow in wisdom and to teach the younger women; yet how can this teaching take place if the younger do not spend time with the elder? In a society where few of us remain in the same community as our extended family, we could benefit greatly by reaching out to the elderly where we live. Caring for the widows is not just a gift to the elder women but also a blessing to the younger, who can learn sound advice from God’s Word from those who have lived much longer and can teach others "a thing or two".
The Bible gives us many examples of ways that we can help others. Cornelius gave alms to the poor (Acts 10:2), Solomon taught that the righteous care about the justice of the poor (Proverbs 29:7), Paul was eager to help the poor (Galatians 2:10) and David condemned those who persecuted the needy and failed to show mercy (Psalm 109:16). On the other hand, Isaiah warned about seeking the destruction of the poor (Isaiah 32:7) while Amos spoke of the coming punishment for those who tried to do away with the poor (Amos 8:4).
We should especially notice the needs of other Christians and assist them (I John 3:17) but when we see opportunity, we should seek to help everyone, even if they are someone who has done us wrong. “…If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.” (Romans 15:26). This is not an easy task, to be sure, but God has commanded us to love others so we can be sure that loving even the most unlovable person is possible.
As a postscript to the above, I believe that we must be careful how we help those who we do not know personally. For example, those of us in metropolitan areas may see several beggars on the side of the highways on a daily basis or encounter poor people that come to the church building and ask for help. At times, I have heard Christians say that we should not help these people because they can go to the “soup kitchen”. Their basis for this belief is that welfare programs were not available in the past when the Jews were commanded to leave the outer areas of their fields unharvested. While this may be true, I believe that we should be careful to readily dismiss our responsibilities to the poor and needy. I do not believe that God’s commandments for us to look after the poor have been outdated and therefore are no longer necessary because the government has special programs. Our work in the kingdom is to reach out to others and share Christ’s love which involves us getting out in the trenches and working.
There may be cases in which a traveling Christian has a legitimate need and should be able to seek help from the church. I shudder to imagine a loved one, whose vehicle broke down on the highway, have her pleas ignored by the local congregation because there is a chance that she might be a scam artist. Certainly, we must be wise in our endeavors to help others but we should not refuse to assist based solely on our personal appraisal of the person’s appearance. Remember that God judges the heart and not the appearance of a person. We may turn away someone only to discover later that they were truly in need of help.
Additionally, we should not refuse assistance based on the condition of our world today and the evil that is within it. The world has been filled with evil since the first sin and was destroyed in Noah’s day due to the condition of human hearts. According to Solomon, there is “nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). No, our purpose is not to remove ourselves from the corrupt world around us but instead, we must shine as lights and give others hope through Christ Jesus our Savior. We must remember that Christians should be known for our love, as John so frequently wrote in his letters. Jesus stated, “The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Galatians 5:14.
There are many ways to extend our hands to the poor and needy. For example, if we are uncomfortable giving cash to someone for fear that they will use it for immoral purposes, perhaps we could buy lunch for someone who is hungry or fill up their car if they are out of gas. If we learn of a situation in which the parents are unable to purchase gifts for their child’s birthday or Christmas, we might buy some gifts and wrap them up to be given to the parents anonymously. We could give a grocery store gift card to a family who has little money for anything but the most basic of staples. We might adopt a family through the deacon in charge of benevolence or participate in Christian rescue efforts. Some suggestions of Christian rescue organizations are provided below with links to their websites. Your elders or deacons may know of local organizations for you to sponsor as well.
Christian Relief Fund www.christianrelieffund.org
Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort www.disasterreliefeffort.org
Healing Hands International http://www.hhi.org/
Pos Los Ninos http://www.familylifemissions.org/
May God bless you in your efforts to help others and may you always find help when you need it, as well. Let us strive to seek opportunities to give hope to a world that so desperately needs it. Many souls have been saved because a Christian first assisted them physically or financially. Who knows what seeds can be planted in others’ hearts because we reached out in love?
Isn’t it amazing how many lessons we can learn from the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31? We could work on all of these qualities for the rest of our lives and still have room for improvement. That’s what is so wonderful about God’s plan. We will always be useful to God as long as we study and seek to obey Him, because He keeps growing our hearts and molding us into His likeness.
Today’s study focuses on the virtuous woman and how she is hospitable and charitable. When I read that a godly woman helps the poor and needy, the first thing that comes to mind are Jesus’ words regarding how we are to reach out to others to serve Him: “Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 'The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'” Matthew 25:37-40.
By reaching out to those who are poor, we show Christ’s love to others. On the other hand, if we do not help the poor and we have opportunity to do so, we should be aware that this failure is listed in Matthew 25:46 among those things that will cause us to “go away to eternal punishment”. This is a very serious consequence for our failure to do good to those who are less fortunate than us.
We may be inclined to think that because we are not rich by America’s standards, we are not held to this commandment. Yet, even some of the poor in our nation are rich compared to many in other parts of the world. We can help others regardless of our financial circumstances. A wonderful example of the poor helping the poor is found in II Corinthians 8:1-3: “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.” What a wonderful testimony to be commended by an apostle for helping others even though the helpers themselves were in extreme poverty!
We should remember that Jesus knows our hearts and our pocketbooks, as He did when a widow placed a single coin into the temple treasury. Though some gave bags of money and made a great display of it, Jesus knew that a widow’s meager offering was all that she had to live on. He commended her for her act of selflessness: “"I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on." Even when we experience financial hardships, we can often find another in a worse plight than we are and offer assistance. It is important to note that giving to the work of the church can help support those in need through the benevolence program, but we should remember that Matthew 25 commands us to do this on an individual basis as well.
The poor are not the only ones who are needy. James 1:27 teaches us “to look after orphans and widows in their distress”. It is not enough to depend on the welfare system to care for those who are orphaned or widowed. We must also visit them and take care of them. We can support the good works of Christian children’s homes by offering to serve as tutors, assist houseparents or foster families or serve as mentors and tutors. Often, these children have had no positive role model in their lives before entering foster care as the majority of them have been removed from homes where they were abused physically or sexually or neglected. Jesus told His disciples to “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God”. Though He was teaching his followers to become as pure as children spiritually, He also was showing the great example of taking time to notice the children in the crowds and allow them to come to Him. We should notice the children around us as well and see to their needs.
Additionally, there are many who have suffered the loss of their spouse and are lonely. By taking time to visit them, we are reinforcing the fact that they are special to God and that they continue to serve a great purpose. The Bible teaches us to grow in wisdom and to teach the younger women; yet how can this teaching take place if the younger do not spend time with the elder? In a society where few of us remain in the same community as our extended family, we could benefit greatly by reaching out to the elderly where we live. Caring for the widows is not just a gift to the elder women but also a blessing to the younger, who can learn sound advice from God’s Word from those who have lived much longer and can teach others "a thing or two".
The Bible gives us many examples of ways that we can help others. Cornelius gave alms to the poor (Acts 10:2), Solomon taught that the righteous care about the justice of the poor (Proverbs 29:7), Paul was eager to help the poor (Galatians 2:10) and David condemned those who persecuted the needy and failed to show mercy (Psalm 109:16). On the other hand, Isaiah warned about seeking the destruction of the poor (Isaiah 32:7) while Amos spoke of the coming punishment for those who tried to do away with the poor (Amos 8:4).
We should especially notice the needs of other Christians and assist them (I John 3:17) but when we see opportunity, we should seek to help everyone, even if they are someone who has done us wrong. “…If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.” (Romans 15:26). This is not an easy task, to be sure, but God has commanded us to love others so we can be sure that loving even the most unlovable person is possible.
As a postscript to the above, I believe that we must be careful how we help those who we do not know personally. For example, those of us in metropolitan areas may see several beggars on the side of the highways on a daily basis or encounter poor people that come to the church building and ask for help. At times, I have heard Christians say that we should not help these people because they can go to the “soup kitchen”. Their basis for this belief is that welfare programs were not available in the past when the Jews were commanded to leave the outer areas of their fields unharvested. While this may be true, I believe that we should be careful to readily dismiss our responsibilities to the poor and needy. I do not believe that God’s commandments for us to look after the poor have been outdated and therefore are no longer necessary because the government has special programs. Our work in the kingdom is to reach out to others and share Christ’s love which involves us getting out in the trenches and working.
There may be cases in which a traveling Christian has a legitimate need and should be able to seek help from the church. I shudder to imagine a loved one, whose vehicle broke down on the highway, have her pleas ignored by the local congregation because there is a chance that she might be a scam artist. Certainly, we must be wise in our endeavors to help others but we should not refuse to assist based solely on our personal appraisal of the person’s appearance. Remember that God judges the heart and not the appearance of a person. We may turn away someone only to discover later that they were truly in need of help.
Additionally, we should not refuse assistance based on the condition of our world today and the evil that is within it. The world has been filled with evil since the first sin and was destroyed in Noah’s day due to the condition of human hearts. According to Solomon, there is “nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). No, our purpose is not to remove ourselves from the corrupt world around us but instead, we must shine as lights and give others hope through Christ Jesus our Savior. We must remember that Christians should be known for our love, as John so frequently wrote in his letters. Jesus stated, “The entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Galatians 5:14.
There are many ways to extend our hands to the poor and needy. For example, if we are uncomfortable giving cash to someone for fear that they will use it for immoral purposes, perhaps we could buy lunch for someone who is hungry or fill up their car if they are out of gas. If we learn of a situation in which the parents are unable to purchase gifts for their child’s birthday or Christmas, we might buy some gifts and wrap them up to be given to the parents anonymously. We could give a grocery store gift card to a family who has little money for anything but the most basic of staples. We might adopt a family through the deacon in charge of benevolence or participate in Christian rescue efforts. Some suggestions of Christian rescue organizations are provided below with links to their websites. Your elders or deacons may know of local organizations for you to sponsor as well.
Christian Relief Fund www.christianrelieffund.org
Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort www.disasterreliefeffort.org
Healing Hands International http://www.hhi.org/
Pos Los Ninos http://www.familylifemissions.org/
May God bless you in your efforts to help others and may you always find help when you need it, as well. Let us strive to seek opportunities to give hope to a world that so desperately needs it. Many souls have been saved because a Christian first assisted them physically or financially. Who knows what seeds can be planted in others’ hearts because we reached out in love?
Monday, August 17, 2009
Daily Bible Reading Schedule
As a personal objective, I'd like to read the entire Bible this year. I have developed a schedule of the subjects that I'd like to study in a particular order. I send this link to you in hopes that you will find it beneficial. Two versions are available on the following website: a printable or an editable version. You may choose to rearrange your reading schedule to focus on particular topics or to alter the dates. God bless you in your studies!
http://www.pricelesspearlsdevotionals.com/biblereadingschedule.html
http://www.pricelesspearlsdevotionals.com/biblereadingschedule.html
The Virtuous Woman - Compassionate, Worthy in the Lord, Honest and Committed
Today’s Passage: “She perceives that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hand holds the spindle.” Proverbs 31:18-19
Today’s study of the virtuous woman focuses on Proverbs 31:18-19 and her devotion to God by being honest and committed. Again, this study is one that pertains to me as I write it because I can greatly improve on my commitment to God and make the work in his kingdom priority over everything else. I should always strive to place God first, my family second, others next and myself last. In order to properly do this, the tasks I should pour the most efforts into are the ones that will improve my own as well as my family’s relationships with our Savior and help grow the church by reaching out to others to take care of their needs and share the hope of the gospel with them.
“She perceives that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night.” Proverbs 31:18
This verse further instills in us the idea that the virtuous woman is dedicated and works earnestly because she works all night if the need arises. An image comes to mind of a mother who stays up all night with a sick baby, caring for it until the morning light. A good mother does not have to be asked to care for her baby. It should be something she does naturally out of great love for her children. Wise King Solomon called on the great bond between mother and child when he tested two women who claimed to be the mother of a baby in I Kings 3:26.
Similarly, we should have the same love for others who are in need. Compassion should arise in us when we look around and see the needs of those who are sick, injured, lonely, poor or grieving. It is written of our Lord Jesus that “when he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” Matthew 9:36. What hope it should give us to know that Jesus, who is Deity, looks upon His people with compassion and love.
A virtuous woman in the Lord is honest at all times. In order to perceive "that her merchandise is good", she must examine it and determine its worth. If there is an imperfection, she will correct it instead of attempting to sell an inferior product as if it were flawless. This characteristic is taught in Leviticus 19:36: “Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt.” It is a very sad thing that such a person could not be found in Jerusalem. God spoke through Jeremiah to tell the people of Judah: "Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.” I fear that the same could be said of our nation today.
Whether we tell “white lies” or exaggerate the details, are we seeking the truth and dealing honestly? If we are asked to do something on the job, are we honest to God and our principles? In the workforce, I have been instructed to tell callers that someone is “out of the office” or “in a meeting”. Even something as “simple” as this is a test of our honesty. A better answer would be that they are unable to take the call or, if they are dodging the caller, tell them that you can take a message or assist them with any problems, avoiding the mention of what your coworker is doing. I have known Christians whose consciences have been stricken by the things they are asked to do by management, and although they do not have another employer waiting in the wings, they have made the decision to trust God and do the right thing. In some cases, the employee has been terminated, in other cases the employee has chosen to willfully terminate. Such Christians show great faith in the Lord and are some of the greatest examples of using honest scales and seeking the truth.
This verse also teaches a great lesson in worthiness and is one that I must personally strive to learn. When a woman of God who has obeyed the gospel does her very best, examines her life against the Word, repents of all sin and strives to always live faithfully, she “perceives that her merchandise is good.” As humans, we will never live up to the perfect example of Christ and we will never attain salvation through our own works because no human is without sin. We must discipline our body daily (II Corinthians 9:27) to ensure that we are living for God and we must test ourselves by always comparing ourselves to the perfect model of Christ and the commandments of the Lord (II Corinthians 13:5, Galatians 6:4, I Thessalonians 5:21, James 1:3).
Having stated this, there is a sense in which we must know that mistakes will be made or else we would not need a Savior. It is a serious business to continually test our faith and actions to ensure they will stand but we must also feel the peace and comfort that we are saved through Christ. Paul had a healthy outlook in that he considered himself the “chief” of sinners (I Timothy 1:15) yet He boasted in the Lord (II Corinthians 10:17, Galatians 6:14). In other words, by himself, he was worthless but with Christ, he could “do all things” (Matthew 19:26, Philippians 4:13). That is a very uplifting example for us as women to have. We are of great worth when we are part of the body of Christ.
“She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hand holds the spindle” Proverbs 31:19. This passage further conveys the idea of diligence and dogged determination. It describes a woman completely committed to her task. True commitment and loyalty are values that are nearly nonexistent in today’s society. Gone are the days when everyone was committed to his job, such as the milkman and postman that delivered items to the front door and greeted each of their customers. The only way to understand such a notion today is to watch reruns of Andy Griffith or Leave it to Beaver. There are certainly kind and caring postal and delivery workers today, but more often than not, our mail marked “Do not bend” is shoved into the mailbox and folded in half to make it fit in order to save walking a few feet to our door or writing up a slip for us to pick up the package at the post office. A shipping employee leaves boxes at our door without knocking. (I think he’s afraid I’ll release the hounds at the front window!) Thankfully, no one has decided to steal the packages before we discover them later as we open the door and stumble over them.
At any rate, it seems that personal service is a thing of the past. Cashiers roll their eyes when there is a price check or completely fail to acknowledge their customers. Often, the only thing they say to us is the total price. It is interesting to note that at some businesses, the credit card swipe asks if the associate has been helpful that day. I wonder what the tally is for the average associate and whether most people who swipe their card are honest.
Commitment to marriage and family has decreased rapidly in our "me first" world. The idea of "falling out of love" is not a Biblical concept. In fact, the very word for the love we should have for God and fellow man is “agape”, an unconditional, sacrificial love. God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). “Eros”, or infatuation and sexual love, is not to be the driving force behind marriage. “Feeling love” or being “in love” is not the same as sacrificing for love and remaining committed, even in the dark times. God loved us (agape) when we were unlovable (I John 4:10, Romans 5:6-10). This is the same concept that we should have for our families, whether they act deservedly or not (Colossians 3:18, I Peter 3:1). It is extremely important for us to teach our children throughout their lives to choose wisely when they marry because marriage is for life. It is true when someone states that they just aren’t in love with their spouse anymore or don’t feel the same way about them. Because they have abandoned their duty to love sacrificially and thus have broken their commitment to spouse and God, they indeed do not love their spouse anymore. This attitude does not reflect Biblical teachings of what our love should be (agape) as marriage partners. Note that the only situation in which the marriage bond may be broken except by death is by the spouse who has been wronged by adultery, a sexual act outside of marriage (Matthew 5:32; 19:9, Mark 10:11, Luke 16:18, Romans 7:2-3). This does not change the fact that God hates divorce and we would do well to consider this very carefully before a decision is made in an adulterous relationship. Our spouse and children's souls may be at stake if the spouse later remarries or influences the children to make wrong decisions in their own marriages later. “Marriage should be honored by all” Hebrews 13:4.
The virtuous woman does not fail to give herself wholeheartedly to the task at hand. We need hard workers in the kingdom as well. Wherever God can use us, we should do our best to fulfill the task with cheerfulness. Imagine walking into a business where everyone is truly happy to see you and says “Hello”. Whenever you look for someone to help you locate an item, they do not avoid your eyes and scurry away but instead smile and walk over to you to assist. When you check out at the cash register, the cashier smiles and asks how you are doing with genuine concern and the person bagging your groceries takes great care to ensure that your bread and eggs are not smashed. He or she then carries out your groceries to your car and wishes you well. Hard to imagine in a store that does not pay commission to their employees who do these things? It shouldn’t be, if we who are Christians live according to our names’ sake. “Christian” means a follower of Christ and one who professes belief in His teachings. We should think twice before telling people we are Christians if we are not willing to do what Christ says and live according to His example and teachings.
Honesty is not limited to working outside of the home. Our family members need for us to be completely honest with them. This does not mean that we should go around telling everyone that we wouldn’t be caught dead in their outfit or that we find what they said to be hurtful when it is something that is of little consequence. We are not perfect ourselves. Honesty also does not mean sharing every minor detail about ourselves with others, preventing us from listening to what others have to say. In fact, James wrote, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” James 1:19. This means that we should keep our mouth shut if our comments are not constructive and be active listeners.
On the other hand, if we are asked to tell the truth about something, we should answer truthfully with carefulness, striving to speak in love. We can temper the things that we say by placing ourselves in the other person’s shoes and thinking of how we would like to be told something. For example, if my hair is a mess and I ask someone, “Do you like my hair?”, I would rather be told that she preferred my former style as opposed to hearing, “No, it’s just downright horrible”. If I am acting in a way that is inappropriate as a Christian or state something that is incorrect, I would like to be told in honesty and love. It might be hurtful to hear, “You are a hypocrite” rather than, “I’m concerned about something you did”. While I may be acting hypocritically, there are better ways to teach me than by a critical demeanor. Personally, I'd rather be told unlovingly than not at all so that I can correct my mistakes, but these words could be quite devastating to a new Christian who has just begun to learn what is required of him. Our attitude is very important when correcting someone and our intent must be to save both of us: the one committing the sin and the one teaching.
Honesty does not mean that we should be judgmental and harsh but that we seek to help others, all the while remembering that we too are imperfect and can lose the race if we are not careful. “Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” I Corinthians 9:26-27.
I hope that this study has been helpful to you as it has been to me. I plan to be out of town for several days so the next devotional may be delayed. Thank you for studying with me and God bless you and your family today.
Today’s study of the virtuous woman focuses on Proverbs 31:18-19 and her devotion to God by being honest and committed. Again, this study is one that pertains to me as I write it because I can greatly improve on my commitment to God and make the work in his kingdom priority over everything else. I should always strive to place God first, my family second, others next and myself last. In order to properly do this, the tasks I should pour the most efforts into are the ones that will improve my own as well as my family’s relationships with our Savior and help grow the church by reaching out to others to take care of their needs and share the hope of the gospel with them.
“She perceives that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night.” Proverbs 31:18
This verse further instills in us the idea that the virtuous woman is dedicated and works earnestly because she works all night if the need arises. An image comes to mind of a mother who stays up all night with a sick baby, caring for it until the morning light. A good mother does not have to be asked to care for her baby. It should be something she does naturally out of great love for her children. Wise King Solomon called on the great bond between mother and child when he tested two women who claimed to be the mother of a baby in I Kings 3:26.
Similarly, we should have the same love for others who are in need. Compassion should arise in us when we look around and see the needs of those who are sick, injured, lonely, poor or grieving. It is written of our Lord Jesus that “when he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” Matthew 9:36. What hope it should give us to know that Jesus, who is Deity, looks upon His people with compassion and love.
A virtuous woman in the Lord is honest at all times. In order to perceive "that her merchandise is good", she must examine it and determine its worth. If there is an imperfection, she will correct it instead of attempting to sell an inferior product as if it were flawless. This characteristic is taught in Leviticus 19:36: “Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt.” It is a very sad thing that such a person could not be found in Jerusalem. God spoke through Jeremiah to tell the people of Judah: "Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city.” I fear that the same could be said of our nation today.
Whether we tell “white lies” or exaggerate the details, are we seeking the truth and dealing honestly? If we are asked to do something on the job, are we honest to God and our principles? In the workforce, I have been instructed to tell callers that someone is “out of the office” or “in a meeting”. Even something as “simple” as this is a test of our honesty. A better answer would be that they are unable to take the call or, if they are dodging the caller, tell them that you can take a message or assist them with any problems, avoiding the mention of what your coworker is doing. I have known Christians whose consciences have been stricken by the things they are asked to do by management, and although they do not have another employer waiting in the wings, they have made the decision to trust God and do the right thing. In some cases, the employee has been terminated, in other cases the employee has chosen to willfully terminate. Such Christians show great faith in the Lord and are some of the greatest examples of using honest scales and seeking the truth.
This verse also teaches a great lesson in worthiness and is one that I must personally strive to learn. When a woman of God who has obeyed the gospel does her very best, examines her life against the Word, repents of all sin and strives to always live faithfully, she “perceives that her merchandise is good.” As humans, we will never live up to the perfect example of Christ and we will never attain salvation through our own works because no human is without sin. We must discipline our body daily (II Corinthians 9:27) to ensure that we are living for God and we must test ourselves by always comparing ourselves to the perfect model of Christ and the commandments of the Lord (II Corinthians 13:5, Galatians 6:4, I Thessalonians 5:21, James 1:3).
Having stated this, there is a sense in which we must know that mistakes will be made or else we would not need a Savior. It is a serious business to continually test our faith and actions to ensure they will stand but we must also feel the peace and comfort that we are saved through Christ. Paul had a healthy outlook in that he considered himself the “chief” of sinners (I Timothy 1:15) yet He boasted in the Lord (II Corinthians 10:17, Galatians 6:14). In other words, by himself, he was worthless but with Christ, he could “do all things” (Matthew 19:26, Philippians 4:13). That is a very uplifting example for us as women to have. We are of great worth when we are part of the body of Christ.
“She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hand holds the spindle” Proverbs 31:19. This passage further conveys the idea of diligence and dogged determination. It describes a woman completely committed to her task. True commitment and loyalty are values that are nearly nonexistent in today’s society. Gone are the days when everyone was committed to his job, such as the milkman and postman that delivered items to the front door and greeted each of their customers. The only way to understand such a notion today is to watch reruns of Andy Griffith or Leave it to Beaver. There are certainly kind and caring postal and delivery workers today, but more often than not, our mail marked “Do not bend” is shoved into the mailbox and folded in half to make it fit in order to save walking a few feet to our door or writing up a slip for us to pick up the package at the post office. A shipping employee leaves boxes at our door without knocking. (I think he’s afraid I’ll release the hounds at the front window!) Thankfully, no one has decided to steal the packages before we discover them later as we open the door and stumble over them.
At any rate, it seems that personal service is a thing of the past. Cashiers roll their eyes when there is a price check or completely fail to acknowledge their customers. Often, the only thing they say to us is the total price. It is interesting to note that at some businesses, the credit card swipe asks if the associate has been helpful that day. I wonder what the tally is for the average associate and whether most people who swipe their card are honest.
Commitment to marriage and family has decreased rapidly in our "me first" world. The idea of "falling out of love" is not a Biblical concept. In fact, the very word for the love we should have for God and fellow man is “agape”, an unconditional, sacrificial love. God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). “Eros”, or infatuation and sexual love, is not to be the driving force behind marriage. “Feeling love” or being “in love” is not the same as sacrificing for love and remaining committed, even in the dark times. God loved us (agape) when we were unlovable (I John 4:10, Romans 5:6-10). This is the same concept that we should have for our families, whether they act deservedly or not (Colossians 3:18, I Peter 3:1). It is extremely important for us to teach our children throughout their lives to choose wisely when they marry because marriage is for life. It is true when someone states that they just aren’t in love with their spouse anymore or don’t feel the same way about them. Because they have abandoned their duty to love sacrificially and thus have broken their commitment to spouse and God, they indeed do not love their spouse anymore. This attitude does not reflect Biblical teachings of what our love should be (agape) as marriage partners. Note that the only situation in which the marriage bond may be broken except by death is by the spouse who has been wronged by adultery, a sexual act outside of marriage (Matthew 5:32; 19:9, Mark 10:11, Luke 16:18, Romans 7:2-3). This does not change the fact that God hates divorce and we would do well to consider this very carefully before a decision is made in an adulterous relationship. Our spouse and children's souls may be at stake if the spouse later remarries or influences the children to make wrong decisions in their own marriages later. “Marriage should be honored by all” Hebrews 13:4.
The virtuous woman does not fail to give herself wholeheartedly to the task at hand. We need hard workers in the kingdom as well. Wherever God can use us, we should do our best to fulfill the task with cheerfulness. Imagine walking into a business where everyone is truly happy to see you and says “Hello”. Whenever you look for someone to help you locate an item, they do not avoid your eyes and scurry away but instead smile and walk over to you to assist. When you check out at the cash register, the cashier smiles and asks how you are doing with genuine concern and the person bagging your groceries takes great care to ensure that your bread and eggs are not smashed. He or she then carries out your groceries to your car and wishes you well. Hard to imagine in a store that does not pay commission to their employees who do these things? It shouldn’t be, if we who are Christians live according to our names’ sake. “Christian” means a follower of Christ and one who professes belief in His teachings. We should think twice before telling people we are Christians if we are not willing to do what Christ says and live according to His example and teachings.
Honesty is not limited to working outside of the home. Our family members need for us to be completely honest with them. This does not mean that we should go around telling everyone that we wouldn’t be caught dead in their outfit or that we find what they said to be hurtful when it is something that is of little consequence. We are not perfect ourselves. Honesty also does not mean sharing every minor detail about ourselves with others, preventing us from listening to what others have to say. In fact, James wrote, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” James 1:19. This means that we should keep our mouth shut if our comments are not constructive and be active listeners.
On the other hand, if we are asked to tell the truth about something, we should answer truthfully with carefulness, striving to speak in love. We can temper the things that we say by placing ourselves in the other person’s shoes and thinking of how we would like to be told something. For example, if my hair is a mess and I ask someone, “Do you like my hair?”, I would rather be told that she preferred my former style as opposed to hearing, “No, it’s just downright horrible”. If I am acting in a way that is inappropriate as a Christian or state something that is incorrect, I would like to be told in honesty and love. It might be hurtful to hear, “You are a hypocrite” rather than, “I’m concerned about something you did”. While I may be acting hypocritically, there are better ways to teach me than by a critical demeanor. Personally, I'd rather be told unlovingly than not at all so that I can correct my mistakes, but these words could be quite devastating to a new Christian who has just begun to learn what is required of him. Our attitude is very important when correcting someone and our intent must be to save both of us: the one committing the sin and the one teaching.
Honesty does not mean that we should be judgmental and harsh but that we seek to help others, all the while remembering that we too are imperfect and can lose the race if we are not careful. “Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” I Corinthians 9:26-27.
I hope that this study has been helpful to you as it has been to me. I plan to be out of town for several days so the next devotional may be delayed. Thank you for studying with me and God bless you and your family today.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
The Virtuous Woman – Earnest and Diligent
Today’s Passage: “She considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms.” Proverbs 31:16-17
Today’s lesson from The Virtuous Woman focuses on our responsibility to be earnest and diligent. This study will benefit me personally because I often do not complete a good work that I have begun. I plan to further study procrastination in a future study. At this time, we will focus on the Christian woman’s duty to be earnest and diligent as modeled by the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31.
The definition of “earnest” according to Merriam-Webster is a) a serious and intent mental state or b) a considerable or impressive degree or amount. Solomon taught, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might...” Ecclesiastes 9:10. Whether we are working inside or outside of the home (or both), we are commanded to work earnestly to fulfill our obligations. This virtue grows more and more difficult as the distractions around us increase. Because of this, I periodically introduce new ideas into my life to help me combat these constant interferences. Some examples are listed below. Please note that this is not a list of what I accomplish each day but is a list of goals and ideals. In no way do I perfectly complete all of these things every day and am always in need of repentance for allowing myself to be distracted from my tasks. I can assure you, I need this study as much as or more than you.
1. Keeping a task list complete with a box to check off each thing that I have accomplished that day
2. Working up a schedule by 15 minute intervals detailing my responsibilities for the day
Turning off the TV and radio during the day. I find these to be major distractions because I always hear snippets of interesting news that I want to know more about. At the close of the day, did I really need to know what every Saints player felt about the pre-season game they just played? Did it improve my life to know that there were a large number of horribly violent acts committed in the United States today and to hear every detail?
3. Saving a prayer request spreadsheet on my PC so that it is easy to update and reprint and will ensure I don’t forget anyone. It’s a great way to see how God answers prayer as various people heal or situations are resolved.
4. Checking off the prayer requests, new members and other important items in our weekly church bulletin as I’ve sent a card or called.
5. Unplugging the Internet connection to my PC or laptop in order to ensure I don’t allow myself to wander on a different tangent as I research a devotional topic.
6. Keeping a spreadsheet of medical bills and items our family is responsible for paying as well as the amount we have decided to give to God to ensure we are frugal, productive and ethical in our payment agreements.
7. Striving to spend as much time as I can with God in study and with my family.
8. Studying to keep foremost on my mind the reason I am here and my duty to my fellow man.
The strength described in Proverbs 31 is related to earnestness. It is the perseverance and diligence with which we face our tasks. We are to work hard in the Lord and not “grow weary” (Revelation 2:3). Also, we read in Galatians 6:9: “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Our reward is worth any amount of hard work we put forth on this earth.
There are many Scriptures regarding Christians’ duty to work earnestly and diligently in the Lord. Below are a few examples.
“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.” Proverbs 27:23
“Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.” Proverbs 10:4
“If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks.” Ecclesiastes 10:18
"We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” Hebrews 6:12
“Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God”. Titus 2:3-5
“Besides, they (younger widows) get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to. So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander." I Timothy 5:13-14
"For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘If a man will not work, he shall not eat.’ We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12
Being busy without regard to being busy in the work of the Lord: “ ‘You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?’ declares the LORD Almighty. ‘Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.’” Haggai 1:9
“I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” Philemon 1:6
May this study remind us to be diligent, hard working and always looking forward to our sweet haven of rest. If we are willing to work earnestly in God’s kingdom in this life, we will receive the rest that He has promised in the next life.
God bless you for studying with me!
Today’s lesson from The Virtuous Woman focuses on our responsibility to be earnest and diligent. This study will benefit me personally because I often do not complete a good work that I have begun. I plan to further study procrastination in a future study. At this time, we will focus on the Christian woman’s duty to be earnest and diligent as modeled by the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31.
The definition of “earnest” according to Merriam-Webster is a) a serious and intent mental state or b) a considerable or impressive degree or amount. Solomon taught, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might...” Ecclesiastes 9:10. Whether we are working inside or outside of the home (or both), we are commanded to work earnestly to fulfill our obligations. This virtue grows more and more difficult as the distractions around us increase. Because of this, I periodically introduce new ideas into my life to help me combat these constant interferences. Some examples are listed below. Please note that this is not a list of what I accomplish each day but is a list of goals and ideals. In no way do I perfectly complete all of these things every day and am always in need of repentance for allowing myself to be distracted from my tasks. I can assure you, I need this study as much as or more than you.
1. Keeping a task list complete with a box to check off each thing that I have accomplished that day
2. Working up a schedule by 15 minute intervals detailing my responsibilities for the day
Turning off the TV and radio during the day. I find these to be major distractions because I always hear snippets of interesting news that I want to know more about. At the close of the day, did I really need to know what every Saints player felt about the pre-season game they just played? Did it improve my life to know that there were a large number of horribly violent acts committed in the United States today and to hear every detail?
3. Saving a prayer request spreadsheet on my PC so that it is easy to update and reprint and will ensure I don’t forget anyone. It’s a great way to see how God answers prayer as various people heal or situations are resolved.
4. Checking off the prayer requests, new members and other important items in our weekly church bulletin as I’ve sent a card or called.
5. Unplugging the Internet connection to my PC or laptop in order to ensure I don’t allow myself to wander on a different tangent as I research a devotional topic.
6. Keeping a spreadsheet of medical bills and items our family is responsible for paying as well as the amount we have decided to give to God to ensure we are frugal, productive and ethical in our payment agreements.
7. Striving to spend as much time as I can with God in study and with my family.
8. Studying to keep foremost on my mind the reason I am here and my duty to my fellow man.
The strength described in Proverbs 31 is related to earnestness. It is the perseverance and diligence with which we face our tasks. We are to work hard in the Lord and not “grow weary” (Revelation 2:3). Also, we read in Galatians 6:9: “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Our reward is worth any amount of hard work we put forth on this earth.
There are many Scriptures regarding Christians’ duty to work earnestly and diligently in the Lord. Below are a few examples.
“Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.” Proverbs 27:23
“Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.” Proverbs 10:4
“If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks.” Ecclesiastes 10:18
"We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” Hebrews 6:12
“Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God”. Titus 2:3-5
“Besides, they (younger widows) get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to. So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander." I Timothy 5:13-14
"For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘If a man will not work, he shall not eat.’ We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12
Being busy without regard to being busy in the work of the Lord: “ ‘You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?’ declares the LORD Almighty. ‘Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.’” Haggai 1:9
“I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” Philemon 1:6
May this study remind us to be diligent, hard working and always looking forward to our sweet haven of rest. If we are willing to work earnestly in God’s kingdom in this life, we will receive the rest that He has promised in the next life.
God bless you for studying with me!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
The Virtuous Woman: Hardworking and Organized
Today’s Passage: “She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands. She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar. She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservants” Proverbs 31:13-15.
Last week, we began our study of the virtuous woman from Proverbs 31. The previous study focused on the style of poetry and considered that trustworthiness is a necessary quality in order for us to be pleasing to God. Today’s study is centered on verses 13-15. It is important that when reading this passage, we do not focus so much on the specific things that the virtuous woman does but the manner in which she does them. In other words, it might be tempting for us to think, “These descriptions do not apply to me today because I buy my groceries and clothing in stores.” God’s purpose for this example is to teach us the spirit of a virtuous woman and her willingness to go to great lengths in order to provide for her family, so indeed it is very applicable.
On the other hand, we may read these verses and think, “This standard of perfection is unattainable”. We may disregard the entire passage because we feel that the standard is set much higher than today’s woman can possibly achieve. Again, this is not a checklist so much as a description of how we are to behave as women of God. As we study each passage, I will seek to apply it to today’s society through the writings of the New Testament. I believe that this study is very valuable to us because it is detailed and therefore very useful for us to understand our roles as women. Also, we will see in the final lesson that there is great reward for our service as women of God.
“She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands.”
A woman of great worth and value to God and to her family is a woman who will work with her hands. We may not be the greatest seamstresses in the world and because of the ease at which we can buy clothing today, there may be little need for us to be able to spin and weave; however, we should have a spirit that seeks to work and not be idle. We should make the most of the talents that God has given us and use them in His service. Additionally, if we find ourselves in a predicament in which we are unable to purchase clothes and coverings for our family, we should be willing to make use of what we do have in order to care for them.
Unfortunately, in this age of uncertainty regarding employment, Social Security and 401(k) worth, some women are finding themselves in situations that they have never before experienced. They are unable to afford the items that they once purchased for their family and some have had to improvise by selling treasured items and cooking more meals at home. While credit card usage has decreased, “coupon use is increasing after 15 years of decline”.1 Women are finding new ways to stretch their dollars while providing for their families’ needs.
A Christian should be ready to sacrifice her own desires for those of her family. God commands us to “consider others better than yourselves” in Philippians 2:3. In fact, the primary way that we show others of our relationship with Jesus was revealed by Christ in John 13:35: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." True love is willing to sacrifice our own needs for those of others. By working hard for our family, we exhibit the characteristic of the virtuous woman who “willingly works with her hands”.
She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar” Proverbs 31:13.
In Old Testament times, there were no 24-hour Wal-Mart Supercenters to pick up necessary items. The woman of God made sure that she took care of her family’s needs by traveling to the marketplace or wherever necessary to buy supplies. Some of you are familiar with this today because you live in remote areas and plan your trips into town carefully. Others of us can go all hours of the night just around the corner for depleted household goods. Regardless of the method in which we provide, this verse reminds us that we are to work for our families and be willing to take care of their needs.
She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservant” Proverbs 31:14-15.
If we are women of God, we will get up at night to care for a sick child. If our family arrives home at various times of the day, we should ensure that food is available for them. Thankfully, we have refrigerators and microwaves today, but in Old Testament times, preparing meals and keeping food on hand required a bit more planning. Although not everyone could afford to hire maidservants, the idea of taking care of every person for whom we are responsible was applicable then and it is still applicable today. Some care for elderly parents while others provide for handicapped children. Some women serve as foster parents for orphaned children and still others provide food for the sick and the shut-ins. God expects us to take care of others and provide for them when the need arises.
An interesting observation by Matthew Henry is that the virtuous (or excellent) woman “rises early, while it is yet night, to give her servants their breakfast, that they may be ready to go cheerfully about their work as soon as the day breaks. She is none of those who sit up playing at cards, or dancing, till midnight, till morning, and then lie in bed till noon. No; the virtuous woman loves her business better than her ease or her pleasure, is in care to be found in the way of her duty every hour of the day, and has more true satisfaction in having given meat to her household betimes in the morning than those can have in the money they have won, much more in what they have lost, who sat up all night at play. Those that have a family to take care of should not love their bed too well in a morning.”2
I must say that his words cause me to think inward of myself. I have indeed stayed up too late doing or watching things that did not mean a thing to me the next day. It is easy to get caught up in worldly hobbies and interests so much that it interferes with the amount of prayer and study our souls actually need. Though Matthew Henry’s words were not inspired like the writings of Proverbs, they are indeed thought provoking. I especially like the comments that she “loves her business better than her ease or her pleasure” and that women “should not love their bed too well in a morning”. I am not sure if Henry had in mind a particular woman who was fond of cards, money and dancing all night, but indeed it makes for an interesting take on the Scripture. At any rate, the virtuous woman is certainly more concerned with the needs of her family than playing all day or neglecting her chores.
Another characteristic that is brought to light in the study of these passages is that a woman of God should be organized. If her day is not prioritized, it will be difficult to fulfill the commands that are required of her. God wants us to be industrious and efficient, but He does expect us to enjoy ourselves while seeing to our tasks. Work done in drudgery and without cheerfulness may provide for our families' needs, but it will not help them feel loved. As we just read in John, we must love one another.
The next lesson will continue our study of Proverbs 31. I hope that you have gained insight that perhaps you had not considered before or that the study has called to mind things that you had forgotten. I believe that this passage is very applicable to today and should cause us to reflect on our own words and actions and repent of anything amiss in our lives. I have benefited from the study and have learned some things that I missed during former readings of this passage.
God bless you as women seeking to serve the Lord. May you and your families find peace and comfort through God’s Word today.
1 http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/basics/2008-11-16-thrift-saving-frugal_N.htm
2 Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Electronic Edition STEP Files, 2000, findex.com
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Priceless Pearls are daily devotionals for women to remind us of Christ's love for us and how we can grow as Christian women in today's society.
To receive these daily devotionals, please choose one of the following options:
Via BLOG (Atom/RSS Feed): Click on your Feed button or the Atom link at http://pricelesspearlsdevotionals.blogspot.com/
Via EMAIL: Visit our Yahoo group site to receive via email http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pricelesspearls/
Via Website: Bookmark our devotionals page to read the devotionals online http://pricelesspearlsdevotionals.blogspot.com/.
Visit us online for Bible study and teaching resources:
http://www.pricelesspearlsdevotionals.com
If you have any comments, suggestions or requests, please contact the author at contact@pricelesspearlsdevotionals.com
Thank you for joining our new community. God bless you as you seek to follow His will.
Last week, we began our study of the virtuous woman from Proverbs 31. The previous study focused on the style of poetry and considered that trustworthiness is a necessary quality in order for us to be pleasing to God. Today’s study is centered on verses 13-15. It is important that when reading this passage, we do not focus so much on the specific things that the virtuous woman does but the manner in which she does them. In other words, it might be tempting for us to think, “These descriptions do not apply to me today because I buy my groceries and clothing in stores.” God’s purpose for this example is to teach us the spirit of a virtuous woman and her willingness to go to great lengths in order to provide for her family, so indeed it is very applicable.
On the other hand, we may read these verses and think, “This standard of perfection is unattainable”. We may disregard the entire passage because we feel that the standard is set much higher than today’s woman can possibly achieve. Again, this is not a checklist so much as a description of how we are to behave as women of God. As we study each passage, I will seek to apply it to today’s society through the writings of the New Testament. I believe that this study is very valuable to us because it is detailed and therefore very useful for us to understand our roles as women. Also, we will see in the final lesson that there is great reward for our service as women of God.
“She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands.”
A woman of great worth and value to God and to her family is a woman who will work with her hands. We may not be the greatest seamstresses in the world and because of the ease at which we can buy clothing today, there may be little need for us to be able to spin and weave; however, we should have a spirit that seeks to work and not be idle. We should make the most of the talents that God has given us and use them in His service. Additionally, if we find ourselves in a predicament in which we are unable to purchase clothes and coverings for our family, we should be willing to make use of what we do have in order to care for them.
Unfortunately, in this age of uncertainty regarding employment, Social Security and 401(k) worth, some women are finding themselves in situations that they have never before experienced. They are unable to afford the items that they once purchased for their family and some have had to improvise by selling treasured items and cooking more meals at home. While credit card usage has decreased, “coupon use is increasing after 15 years of decline”.1 Women are finding new ways to stretch their dollars while providing for their families’ needs.
A Christian should be ready to sacrifice her own desires for those of her family. God commands us to “consider others better than yourselves” in Philippians 2:3. In fact, the primary way that we show others of our relationship with Jesus was revealed by Christ in John 13:35: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." True love is willing to sacrifice our own needs for those of others. By working hard for our family, we exhibit the characteristic of the virtuous woman who “willingly works with her hands”.
She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar” Proverbs 31:13.
In Old Testament times, there were no 24-hour Wal-Mart Supercenters to pick up necessary items. The woman of God made sure that she took care of her family’s needs by traveling to the marketplace or wherever necessary to buy supplies. Some of you are familiar with this today because you live in remote areas and plan your trips into town carefully. Others of us can go all hours of the night just around the corner for depleted household goods. Regardless of the method in which we provide, this verse reminds us that we are to work for our families and be willing to take care of their needs.
She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservant” Proverbs 31:14-15.
If we are women of God, we will get up at night to care for a sick child. If our family arrives home at various times of the day, we should ensure that food is available for them. Thankfully, we have refrigerators and microwaves today, but in Old Testament times, preparing meals and keeping food on hand required a bit more planning. Although not everyone could afford to hire maidservants, the idea of taking care of every person for whom we are responsible was applicable then and it is still applicable today. Some care for elderly parents while others provide for handicapped children. Some women serve as foster parents for orphaned children and still others provide food for the sick and the shut-ins. God expects us to take care of others and provide for them when the need arises.
An interesting observation by Matthew Henry is that the virtuous (or excellent) woman “rises early, while it is yet night, to give her servants their breakfast, that they may be ready to go cheerfully about their work as soon as the day breaks. She is none of those who sit up playing at cards, or dancing, till midnight, till morning, and then lie in bed till noon. No; the virtuous woman loves her business better than her ease or her pleasure, is in care to be found in the way of her duty every hour of the day, and has more true satisfaction in having given meat to her household betimes in the morning than those can have in the money they have won, much more in what they have lost, who sat up all night at play. Those that have a family to take care of should not love their bed too well in a morning.”2
I must say that his words cause me to think inward of myself. I have indeed stayed up too late doing or watching things that did not mean a thing to me the next day. It is easy to get caught up in worldly hobbies and interests so much that it interferes with the amount of prayer and study our souls actually need. Though Matthew Henry’s words were not inspired like the writings of Proverbs, they are indeed thought provoking. I especially like the comments that she “loves her business better than her ease or her pleasure” and that women “should not love their bed too well in a morning”. I am not sure if Henry had in mind a particular woman who was fond of cards, money and dancing all night, but indeed it makes for an interesting take on the Scripture. At any rate, the virtuous woman is certainly more concerned with the needs of her family than playing all day or neglecting her chores.
Another characteristic that is brought to light in the study of these passages is that a woman of God should be organized. If her day is not prioritized, it will be difficult to fulfill the commands that are required of her. God wants us to be industrious and efficient, but He does expect us to enjoy ourselves while seeing to our tasks. Work done in drudgery and without cheerfulness may provide for our families' needs, but it will not help them feel loved. As we just read in John, we must love one another.
The next lesson will continue our study of Proverbs 31. I hope that you have gained insight that perhaps you had not considered before or that the study has called to mind things that you had forgotten. I believe that this passage is very applicable to today and should cause us to reflect on our own words and actions and repent of anything amiss in our lives. I have benefited from the study and have learned some things that I missed during former readings of this passage.
God bless you as women seeking to serve the Lord. May you and your families find peace and comfort through God’s Word today.
1 http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/basics/2008-11-16-thrift-saving-frugal_N.htm
2 Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Old Testament, Electronic Edition STEP Files, 2000, findex.com
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Priceless Pearls are daily devotionals for women to remind us of Christ's love for us and how we can grow as Christian women in today's society.
To receive these daily devotionals, please choose one of the following options:
Via BLOG (Atom/RSS Feed): Click on your Feed button or the Atom link at http://pricelesspearlsdevotionals.blogspot.com/
Via EMAIL: Visit our Yahoo group site to receive via email http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pricelesspearls/
Via Website: Bookmark our devotionals page to read the devotionals online http://pricelesspearlsdevotionals.blogspot.com/.
Visit us online for Bible study and teaching resources:
http://www.pricelesspearlsdevotionals.com
If you have any comments, suggestions or requests, please contact the author at contact@pricelesspearlsdevotionals.com
Thank you for joining our new community. God bless you as you seek to follow His will.
Monday, July 27, 2009
The Virtuous Woman: Trustworthy and Good
Today’s Passage: “Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.” Proverbs 31:10-12
Most of us are familiar with Proverbs 31:10-31 and the qualities that God values in a woman. I ask you to travel with me through this well-known passage as we study the qualities of a virtuous woman in depth throughout the next couple of weeks if the Lord wills. Perhaps new insight will be gained along the journey. At the very least, it does no harm in reviewing familiar passages to ensure that they are fresh on our minds as we travel through our daily lives seeking to please God as Christian women. Please note that although this passage refers to a virtuous wife and mother, the lesson is applicable to every Christian woman, regardless of marital or family status.
The “Virtuous Woman” text beginning in verse 10 was written as an alphabetic acrostic in which the verses of each stanza begin with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in order. Below is a very simplistic example of the same idea in English. Please forgive me as this is my first venture into acrostic poetry!
Always am I honored
By your willingness to study and your
Concern for God’s will in your lives.
Deeply and humbly I feel towards
Every woman who reads these devotionals…
As you can see, the first letter of each line begins with a letter of the alphabet (A-E) and would continue on until the letter Z. In the Hebrew alphabet, there are 22 letters, hence 22 lines from Proverbs 31:10-31. Acrostic poetry is used often in the Bible, especially in the Psalms. For example, Psalm 119 begins each stanza with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet from beginning to end (Aleph, Beth, and so on through Tav).
Although some of the beauty of the Hebrew poetry in its original language has been lost in translation, we know that God’s “divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” II Peter 1:3. Since this knowledge comes through the study of His Word, we know that the things He revealed have been kept intact throughout the various languages in which the Bible is available today, though we should take caution to ensure that the translation we study is as close to the original as it can be. In fact, comparison of various texts is generally a good way to develop a better understanding of the meaning. The translation used in the study today is the New King James version unless otherwise specified.
Before we begin, a definition of “virtuous” is in order. The American Heritage dictionary defines virtuous as “having or showing virtue, especially moral excellence” and “possessing or characterized by chastity; pure”. Moral excellence and purity are key thoughts throughout the twenty verses describing a virtuous woman in Proverbs 31.
Proverbs 31:10 - “Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.”
This verse shows how difficult it was to find a virtuous wife in the days of old and indeed this question can apply today. Matthew Henry wrote in his Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume III, “This intimates that good women are very scarce, and many that seem to be so do not prove so.” How true that statement is! Those of you who are raising teenagers surely know how difficult it is to keep them pure and godly though they face immorality, promiscuity and indecency wherever they turn. Having written that, I should mention that it is sometimes no less difficult to keep ourselves from being conformed to the lusts of the world.
Yet we know that such a woman can be found if she is striving to be a woman approved by God. When she is found, she is worth more than costly jewels or all of the money in the world; for she is a Christian woman who will bring honor to her husband and raise her children to follow the Lord. How wonderful to be labeled a virtuous woman and to be considered a rare gem!
Proverbs 31:11 - “The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.”
The first quality that we should have as Christian women is trustworthiness. If our spouses, friends or family (as applicable to your situation) cannot trust us because we are dishonest, we will be unable to develop any virtuous qualities in our relationship. Note that “lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal truthfully are His delight” (Proverbs 12:22) and “an honest answer is like a kiss on the lips” (Proverbs 24:26 NIV). No friendship or marriage can be happily sustained if its foundation is not built on truth.
Not only can the husband in this verse trust his wife to be honest, he can trust her with his money. Reading further, we see that “he will have no lack of gain”. Several commentators describe this to mean that his wife can be trusted with his earnings so that he does not have to make a living in underhanded ways. The seriousness of our ability to use our money wisely is indicated by the suggestion of the husband turning to dishonest gain. Certainly, the husband would be accountable for his own actions, but how many men’s lives have been ruined by the unchaste behavior or lack of good stewardship exhibited by their wives?
The next sentence states that “she does him good and not evil all the days of her life”. It is a shame to see couples who are at odds with each other belittle their spouse to others. I have been privy to conversations that should have been kept behind closed doors. Certainly, this does not mean that couples should not seek the counsel of other Christians or a marriage counselor, but it is not Christ-like to publicly air one’s “dirty laundry”. Doing so can only bring shame to the other party and will seek to further drive a wedge into the relationship.
No matter how unhappy we are with our marriage, we should seek to show Christ’s love by doing good to our husband instead of seeking to tear him down. The same can be said of children who demean their parents or parents who continually criticize their children in front of others. It is paramount for us to remember Jesus’ sacrifice as Paul reminds us in Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” When Christ was being spit upon, He remained silent. When He was nailed to the cross, He prayed for man’s forgiveness. How then can we feel justified in speaking ill of our loved ones because they are “mean to us” if Christ looked upon those who were crucifying with compassion?
We should read Proverbs 31 on a regular basis to remind ourselves of God’s standard for His children. We are instructed to do our husbands good and not evil every day of our lives. That is indeed quite a high standard, but one which we should all strive to meet.
Thankfully, if we find ourselves as Christians having fallen short of this standard (and who could claim to have never failed to do good to her spouse throughout her marriage or to her parents throughout her childhood?), we are given the opportunity to learn of God’s will through the Word, consider our attitudes and actions, confess our sins to the Lord and make adjustments to our lives as necessary. Every day should be spent seeking to do good to others.
Let us end with another very simple acrostic: JOY.
Jesus
Others
Yourself
By putting God first and others second, we have much less time to worry about our own selfish desires. By finding the true joy that comes being women of great worth, valuable more than rubies, we may soon realize that our husband or family member’s attitude toward us has changed and that their heart can indeed safely trust us.
God bless you in your unique journey as you seek to be a virtuous woman, morally excellent and pure. May we all benefit from daily study in His Word and discover the great riches that He has promised us if we are obedient to the gospel and remain faithful until the end.
Most of us are familiar with Proverbs 31:10-31 and the qualities that God values in a woman. I ask you to travel with me through this well-known passage as we study the qualities of a virtuous woman in depth throughout the next couple of weeks if the Lord wills. Perhaps new insight will be gained along the journey. At the very least, it does no harm in reviewing familiar passages to ensure that they are fresh on our minds as we travel through our daily lives seeking to please God as Christian women. Please note that although this passage refers to a virtuous wife and mother, the lesson is applicable to every Christian woman, regardless of marital or family status.
The “Virtuous Woman” text beginning in verse 10 was written as an alphabetic acrostic in which the verses of each stanza begin with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in order. Below is a very simplistic example of the same idea in English. Please forgive me as this is my first venture into acrostic poetry!
Always am I honored
By your willingness to study and your
Concern for God’s will in your lives.
Deeply and humbly I feel towards
Every woman who reads these devotionals…
As you can see, the first letter of each line begins with a letter of the alphabet (A-E) and would continue on until the letter Z. In the Hebrew alphabet, there are 22 letters, hence 22 lines from Proverbs 31:10-31. Acrostic poetry is used often in the Bible, especially in the Psalms. For example, Psalm 119 begins each stanza with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet from beginning to end (Aleph, Beth, and so on through Tav).
Although some of the beauty of the Hebrew poetry in its original language has been lost in translation, we know that God’s “divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” II Peter 1:3. Since this knowledge comes through the study of His Word, we know that the things He revealed have been kept intact throughout the various languages in which the Bible is available today, though we should take caution to ensure that the translation we study is as close to the original as it can be. In fact, comparison of various texts is generally a good way to develop a better understanding of the meaning. The translation used in the study today is the New King James version unless otherwise specified.
Before we begin, a definition of “virtuous” is in order. The American Heritage dictionary defines virtuous as “having or showing virtue, especially moral excellence” and “possessing or characterized by chastity; pure”. Moral excellence and purity are key thoughts throughout the twenty verses describing a virtuous woman in Proverbs 31.
Proverbs 31:10 - “Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.”
This verse shows how difficult it was to find a virtuous wife in the days of old and indeed this question can apply today. Matthew Henry wrote in his Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume III, “This intimates that good women are very scarce, and many that seem to be so do not prove so.” How true that statement is! Those of you who are raising teenagers surely know how difficult it is to keep them pure and godly though they face immorality, promiscuity and indecency wherever they turn. Having written that, I should mention that it is sometimes no less difficult to keep ourselves from being conformed to the lusts of the world.
Yet we know that such a woman can be found if she is striving to be a woman approved by God. When she is found, she is worth more than costly jewels or all of the money in the world; for she is a Christian woman who will bring honor to her husband and raise her children to follow the Lord. How wonderful to be labeled a virtuous woman and to be considered a rare gem!
Proverbs 31:11 - “The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.”
The first quality that we should have as Christian women is trustworthiness. If our spouses, friends or family (as applicable to your situation) cannot trust us because we are dishonest, we will be unable to develop any virtuous qualities in our relationship. Note that “lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal truthfully are His delight” (Proverbs 12:22) and “an honest answer is like a kiss on the lips” (Proverbs 24:26 NIV). No friendship or marriage can be happily sustained if its foundation is not built on truth.
Not only can the husband in this verse trust his wife to be honest, he can trust her with his money. Reading further, we see that “he will have no lack of gain”. Several commentators describe this to mean that his wife can be trusted with his earnings so that he does not have to make a living in underhanded ways. The seriousness of our ability to use our money wisely is indicated by the suggestion of the husband turning to dishonest gain. Certainly, the husband would be accountable for his own actions, but how many men’s lives have been ruined by the unchaste behavior or lack of good stewardship exhibited by their wives?
The next sentence states that “she does him good and not evil all the days of her life”. It is a shame to see couples who are at odds with each other belittle their spouse to others. I have been privy to conversations that should have been kept behind closed doors. Certainly, this does not mean that couples should not seek the counsel of other Christians or a marriage counselor, but it is not Christ-like to publicly air one’s “dirty laundry”. Doing so can only bring shame to the other party and will seek to further drive a wedge into the relationship.
No matter how unhappy we are with our marriage, we should seek to show Christ’s love by doing good to our husband instead of seeking to tear him down. The same can be said of children who demean their parents or parents who continually criticize their children in front of others. It is paramount for us to remember Jesus’ sacrifice as Paul reminds us in Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” When Christ was being spit upon, He remained silent. When He was nailed to the cross, He prayed for man’s forgiveness. How then can we feel justified in speaking ill of our loved ones because they are “mean to us” if Christ looked upon those who were crucifying with compassion?
We should read Proverbs 31 on a regular basis to remind ourselves of God’s standard for His children. We are instructed to do our husbands good and not evil every day of our lives. That is indeed quite a high standard, but one which we should all strive to meet.
Thankfully, if we find ourselves as Christians having fallen short of this standard (and who could claim to have never failed to do good to her spouse throughout her marriage or to her parents throughout her childhood?), we are given the opportunity to learn of God’s will through the Word, consider our attitudes and actions, confess our sins to the Lord and make adjustments to our lives as necessary. Every day should be spent seeking to do good to others.
Let us end with another very simple acrostic: JOY.
Jesus
Others
Yourself
By putting God first and others second, we have much less time to worry about our own selfish desires. By finding the true joy that comes being women of great worth, valuable more than rubies, we may soon realize that our husband or family member’s attitude toward us has changed and that their heart can indeed safely trust us.
God bless you in your unique journey as you seek to be a virtuous woman, morally excellent and pure. May we all benefit from daily study in His Word and discover the great riches that He has promised us if we are obedient to the gospel and remain faithful until the end.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
The Trials of Life and the Joys Therein
Today’s Passage: “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12
Oftentimes, I have a devotional planned but then life happens and something else is foremost on my mind. This week, as I have witnessed friends struggling with adversity, health issues or other trials, I have been reminded of a few passages in the Scriptures that have helped us make it past the darkness and back into the light. I share these thoughts with you in the hopes that they will comfort you when you are faced with difficulty. You may consider printing it and sharing it with someone who is undergoing trials so that they may review the passages contained herein and be encouraged by God’s Word and your concern for their situation.
1. Trials are temporary.
It may seem that we are facing a trial that is neverending, but we can take comfort in the fact that there will be an end to our pain if we trust in the Lord. An end to suffering may come in our earthly lives as it did to Job when children were born and possessions were restored to him. No doubt he missed the children that he had lost and thought of them for his entire earthly existence, though he was blessed with more children and greater possessions than he had owned previously. Job was a very special man who kept his faith in God and never gave up even in the direst of circumstances, even though at times he felt the human emotions of fear and loneliness. Job stated, “Terrors overwhelm me; my dignity is driven away as by the wind, my safety vanishes like a cloud. And now my life ebbs away; days of suffering grip me.” Job 30:15-17. This was surely a man with whom we can relate when overwhelming trials seem to be all we know for a time and I find the reading of Job to be comforting during troubling times.
James also advised that our life of earthly struggles is not forever in James 4:14: “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away”. The trials of this life, though difficult to bear sometimes, are only temporary if we have been saved and follow the Lord’s commandments faithfully.
2. Every child of God faces difficulties.
This statement is very key to answering the question of, “Why me?” The first century Christians faced death in terrible ways such as in the Roman coliseum, in prison, by the hand of soldiers or by an angry mob. The Bible tells us that James was put to death by Herod likely beheaded as was John the Baptist. Various historical accounts detail the death of the other apostles and if they are correct, Peter and Andrew were crucified (Peter possibly head downward), Thomas was speared and James Alpheus thrown from the temple, stoned and then bludgeoned to death. It is suggested that Bartholomew was flayed with a whip. Though we cannot know for sure what happened to the apostles other than James and Judas Iscariot, we can be sure that many of them suffered and were killed for preaching the gospel as James and John were told in Matthew 20:23 (“You will indeed drink from my cup”). Jesus also told his disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" John 16:33. One thing that we do not see in Jesus’ life is the question, “Why me?” Though He did not desire to be persecuted, Jesus prayed to God, “May your will be done” Matthew 26:42.
Paul also suffered for the gospel. God said of Paul, “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name" Acts 9:16. Paul gave a long list of things he had suffered for the gospel (II Corinthians 11:23-33) but he gives us hope when he summarizes by stating, “…That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
3. Suffering does not necessarily mean that we are more sinful than someone else.
Some feel that certain people’s struggles (i.e., natural disasters) are a result of their sins, and certainly sin can lead to consequences; however, the presence of suffering does not in itself indicate the presence of sinfulness. Christ and his disciples’ suffering in the examples above should quickly clear up any doubt on that issue. Furthermore, Jesus responded to the people who believed that Galileans who were persecuted must have been sinful, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
We should be careful to follow God’s will but we should be just as careful to ensure that we do not judge a person’s soul by the suffering that he or she undergoes. We should look upon others’ plights with compassion, in a spirit of love and concern. When undergoing trials ourselves, we should take comfort in the fact that God sees our suffering and will answer in His time and that we are not being punished for being “bad” because we were stricken with a disease or lost a beloved family member.
4. Only through suffering can we mature.
There are many passages that discuss sufferings as a means of purification and growth in the Lord. A very meaningful passage for Christians who are experiencing trials is Romans 5:3-5: "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope." The patience we learn from undergoing trials will help us build character and this gives us hope through Christ’s sufferings and His example of hope. Further, those around us can be inspired to endure their own trials as several of my fellow cancer patients have served as models of perseverance in my life and have reminded me of spiritual blessings during my own journey. Never doubt the incredible example that you can be to others as indeed many of you have been for me.
5. Our sufferings for Christ will be rewarded.
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” James 1:12. What an amazing message to us! No matter how difficult our test, we shall be filled with peace and comfort when we receive God’s crown of life and what a beloved thought that God will reward us for our perseverance, though we are weak and fail him so often. This verse encourages me to get up off of my seat of pity and remember what God has in store for me if I endure. I could never deserve such a gift as this.
The beloved disciple of Christ, James, continues this thought in James 5:11: “As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” Blessed be the Lord God whom we serve! He does not leave us alone in our sufferings but instead guides us along our journey. We are reminded in this passage of Job’s patience as we discussed earlier.
6. Jesus empathizes with us.
We serve a Christ who is not unable to relate to us, but instead who was persecuted and was tempted just as we are. Luke 17:25 states, “But first he (Christ) must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.” Christ was subjected to more sufferings than we can imagine and by His example and His willingness to serve as a mediator for us, we can overcome our sufferings as well.
7. Our fear can be overcome through Christ.
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” I John 4:18. Perfect love is that which God showed for us when He sent Christ to die for us that we might be saved and live forever in heaven with Him. This perfect love should cast away doubt and fear from our minds, even when facing an enormous battle, for we know that God is on our side. And “if God is for us, who can be against us”? Romans 8:31.
Again we can know freedom from fear even while suffering for good: “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear what they fear’; do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.” 1 Peter 3:13-15
8. God cares for us.
Paul encourages the Christians in Corinth that, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” I Corinthians 10:13. God cares for us and does not want us to fail!
This thought is presented further in I Peter 5:7: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” God does not want us to suffer but due to the sin that came into the world through mankind as a result of ignoring God’s commandments, we live in an imperfect and troublesome world. Yet He does not intend for us to stay in this present state forever because He cares for us. What a joyful thought indeed!
9. The Spirit intercedes for us as we pray to God.
God also has not left us alone in our prayers. Jesus serves to mediate between God and man in our prayers and the Spirit of God intercedes on our behalf if we are living in the light. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.” God has is always with us!
10. Bad situations can lead to good outcomes.
One of the most quoted passages in the Bible is very fitting as we think of our present sufferings. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” Romans 8:28. Even though we may suffer now, we can know that good can come of the situation. The death of a child may bring about the salvation of a parent. Disease can lead to the repentance of a wayward Christian. Regardless of the circumstance and how hopeless it may seem at the time, God is in control and knows how to rescue us from eternal harm if we trust and obey.
11. Heaven will be worth it all.
Our study cannot end without the consideration that heaven will be worth any trouble we encounter on this earth. Romans 8:18 is a powerful passage: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us”.
And finally, let us consider Revelation 14:13 and the fruition of our faith and trust in our beloved Jehovah. “Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.’” Revelation 14:13. Praise God and Hallelujah for our future home in heaven with the saved of the earth and the Lord God Almighty!
May you find peace and comfort in these passages. If you have a special need, I would be honored to add you to my prayer list. Contact me at saintschic@comcast.net. God be with you!
Amy
Oftentimes, I have a devotional planned but then life happens and something else is foremost on my mind. This week, as I have witnessed friends struggling with adversity, health issues or other trials, I have been reminded of a few passages in the Scriptures that have helped us make it past the darkness and back into the light. I share these thoughts with you in the hopes that they will comfort you when you are faced with difficulty. You may consider printing it and sharing it with someone who is undergoing trials so that they may review the passages contained herein and be encouraged by God’s Word and your concern for their situation.
1. Trials are temporary.
It may seem that we are facing a trial that is neverending, but we can take comfort in the fact that there will be an end to our pain if we trust in the Lord. An end to suffering may come in our earthly lives as it did to Job when children were born and possessions were restored to him. No doubt he missed the children that he had lost and thought of them for his entire earthly existence, though he was blessed with more children and greater possessions than he had owned previously. Job was a very special man who kept his faith in God and never gave up even in the direst of circumstances, even though at times he felt the human emotions of fear and loneliness. Job stated, “Terrors overwhelm me; my dignity is driven away as by the wind, my safety vanishes like a cloud. And now my life ebbs away; days of suffering grip me.” Job 30:15-17. This was surely a man with whom we can relate when overwhelming trials seem to be all we know for a time and I find the reading of Job to be comforting during troubling times.
James also advised that our life of earthly struggles is not forever in James 4:14: “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away”. The trials of this life, though difficult to bear sometimes, are only temporary if we have been saved and follow the Lord’s commandments faithfully.
2. Every child of God faces difficulties.
This statement is very key to answering the question of, “Why me?” The first century Christians faced death in terrible ways such as in the Roman coliseum, in prison, by the hand of soldiers or by an angry mob. The Bible tells us that James was put to death by Herod likely beheaded as was John the Baptist. Various historical accounts detail the death of the other apostles and if they are correct, Peter and Andrew were crucified (Peter possibly head downward), Thomas was speared and James Alpheus thrown from the temple, stoned and then bludgeoned to death. It is suggested that Bartholomew was flayed with a whip. Though we cannot know for sure what happened to the apostles other than James and Judas Iscariot, we can be sure that many of them suffered and were killed for preaching the gospel as James and John were told in Matthew 20:23 (“You will indeed drink from my cup”). Jesus also told his disciples, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" John 16:33. One thing that we do not see in Jesus’ life is the question, “Why me?” Though He did not desire to be persecuted, Jesus prayed to God, “May your will be done” Matthew 26:42.
Paul also suffered for the gospel. God said of Paul, “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name" Acts 9:16. Paul gave a long list of things he had suffered for the gospel (II Corinthians 11:23-33) but he gives us hope when he summarizes by stating, “…That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
3. Suffering does not necessarily mean that we are more sinful than someone else.
Some feel that certain people’s struggles (i.e., natural disasters) are a result of their sins, and certainly sin can lead to consequences; however, the presence of suffering does not in itself indicate the presence of sinfulness. Christ and his disciples’ suffering in the examples above should quickly clear up any doubt on that issue. Furthermore, Jesus responded to the people who believed that Galileans who were persecuted must have been sinful, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
We should be careful to follow God’s will but we should be just as careful to ensure that we do not judge a person’s soul by the suffering that he or she undergoes. We should look upon others’ plights with compassion, in a spirit of love and concern. When undergoing trials ourselves, we should take comfort in the fact that God sees our suffering and will answer in His time and that we are not being punished for being “bad” because we were stricken with a disease or lost a beloved family member.
4. Only through suffering can we mature.
There are many passages that discuss sufferings as a means of purification and growth in the Lord. A very meaningful passage for Christians who are experiencing trials is Romans 5:3-5: "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character, and character, hope." The patience we learn from undergoing trials will help us build character and this gives us hope through Christ’s sufferings and His example of hope. Further, those around us can be inspired to endure their own trials as several of my fellow cancer patients have served as models of perseverance in my life and have reminded me of spiritual blessings during my own journey. Never doubt the incredible example that you can be to others as indeed many of you have been for me.
5. Our sufferings for Christ will be rewarded.
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” James 1:12. What an amazing message to us! No matter how difficult our test, we shall be filled with peace and comfort when we receive God’s crown of life and what a beloved thought that God will reward us for our perseverance, though we are weak and fail him so often. This verse encourages me to get up off of my seat of pity and remember what God has in store for me if I endure. I could never deserve such a gift as this.
The beloved disciple of Christ, James, continues this thought in James 5:11: “As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” Blessed be the Lord God whom we serve! He does not leave us alone in our sufferings but instead guides us along our journey. We are reminded in this passage of Job’s patience as we discussed earlier.
6. Jesus empathizes with us.
We serve a Christ who is not unable to relate to us, but instead who was persecuted and was tempted just as we are. Luke 17:25 states, “But first he (Christ) must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.” Christ was subjected to more sufferings than we can imagine and by His example and His willingness to serve as a mediator for us, we can overcome our sufferings as well.
7. Our fear can be overcome through Christ.
“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” I John 4:18. Perfect love is that which God showed for us when He sent Christ to die for us that we might be saved and live forever in heaven with Him. This perfect love should cast away doubt and fear from our minds, even when facing an enormous battle, for we know that God is on our side. And “if God is for us, who can be against us”? Romans 8:31.
Again we can know freedom from fear even while suffering for good: “Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear what they fear’; do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.” 1 Peter 3:13-15
8. God cares for us.
Paul encourages the Christians in Corinth that, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” I Corinthians 10:13. God cares for us and does not want us to fail!
This thought is presented further in I Peter 5:7: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” God does not want us to suffer but due to the sin that came into the world through mankind as a result of ignoring God’s commandments, we live in an imperfect and troublesome world. Yet He does not intend for us to stay in this present state forever because He cares for us. What a joyful thought indeed!
9. The Spirit intercedes for us as we pray to God.
God also has not left us alone in our prayers. Jesus serves to mediate between God and man in our prayers and the Spirit of God intercedes on our behalf if we are living in the light. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.” God has is always with us!
10. Bad situations can lead to good outcomes.
One of the most quoted passages in the Bible is very fitting as we think of our present sufferings. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” Romans 8:28. Even though we may suffer now, we can know that good can come of the situation. The death of a child may bring about the salvation of a parent. Disease can lead to the repentance of a wayward Christian. Regardless of the circumstance and how hopeless it may seem at the time, God is in control and knows how to rescue us from eternal harm if we trust and obey.
11. Heaven will be worth it all.
Our study cannot end without the consideration that heaven will be worth any trouble we encounter on this earth. Romans 8:18 is a powerful passage: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us”.
And finally, let us consider Revelation 14:13 and the fruition of our faith and trust in our beloved Jehovah. “Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.’” Revelation 14:13. Praise God and Hallelujah for our future home in heaven with the saved of the earth and the Lord God Almighty!
May you find peace and comfort in these passages. If you have a special need, I would be honored to add you to my prayer list. Contact me at saintschic@comcast.net. God be with you!
Amy
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