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
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