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!
Friday, September 11, 2009
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.
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