Wisdom Wednesday #3

This week, we continue our study of Proverbs 31 with these verses:
       

ד ¹³ She procures a supply of wool and flax
        and works with willing hands.
ה ¹⁴ She is like those merchant vessels,
        bringing her food from far away.
ו ¹⁵ It’s still dark when she rises to give food to her household
        and orders to the young women serving her.

I have to laugh at the part about the servant girl.  We wish, right?  But their is still much to glean from these verses.

Verse thirteen teaches us that the virtuous woman is not lazy.  She works with willing hands.  I like that picture of a woman who desires something and works for it.  Sadly, we live in a day of hand-outs (entitlements).  Free phones, free food, free housing, free you name it.  This goes against the teaching of Torah.  The New Testament also teaches this with, "If a man will not work, don't let him eat."

The Torah teaches helping the poor, don't get me wrong.  It teaches us "to glean the fields and leave the corners for the poor."  It doesn't teach us to pick it up and hand deliver it to the poor.  They have to get off their couches and pick it up themselves.  In the process, they recognize the fact that they could have their own field if they work for it.  

The welfare state in America is wrong because it destroys initiative and character.  It causes dependency on others, and thus destroys self-esteem.  I believe it is a kind of slavary. 

Let's look at verse fourteen.  This verse teaches that a virtuous woman goes to great lengths to have a home that reflects Adonai.  She doesn't do the minimum.  She does the maximum.  She doesn't sweep the dirt under the rug, she vacuums and cleans in, around, and under the rug.  She takes pride in her home, because she know it is a reflection of her self, her husband, and of Adonai. 

Verse fifteen says she rises early.  No sleeping in for the accomplished woman.  This brings back such memories.  When I first learned about the Virtuous Woman, I was excited about everything but this verse.  I was quite the night owl back then.  I loved to stay up late after the children went to bed at around 9:00 pm, and of course I was dead tired in the morning.  With G-d's help, I started new patterns.  I went to bed by 11:00 pm, and got up an hour before my children, so that I could have quiet time with G-d to start my day.  I still had the same amount of time for myself, but it was re-arranged in a better way.  I also grew to love seeing the sun rise, and the quiet of early morning.  

Note that the Virtuous Woman prepares breakfast (verse fifteen).  G-d knows what is best for our lives, even about our bodies.  He knows that a good breakfast helps us throughout the whole day.  This is another area I had to change in my life.  I was more of a pop-tart/donut/cereal kind of girl, and led my children along that same path.  One reason I didn't cook was that I was too dead-tired to cook breakfast.

After taking this verse to heart, I changed to a protein-based breakfast, which helped all of us.  This was thirty years ago, and all nutritionists will advise adults and children to start the day with a protein-based breakfast.  They say a good breakfast revs your metabolism and also boosts brain function.  See how wise the Scriptures are?  

I hope you won't be intimidated by these insights on this passage.  I've been working to be a virtuous woman for about forty years now, and I'm certainly not perfect.  I am, however, a better woman, wife, mother, homemaker, and neighbor than when I started because of the mentor I found in this passage.

I'd love to hear how using this passage as a model has affected your life. 

I'm sharing this post with:

Let's Get Social Sunday

Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!

Teach Me Tuesday

Titus 2 Tuesday 
A Hope in Every Season Homemaking Link-Up

Domestically DivineTuesdays

Wordless Wednesdays 
Wisdom Wednesdays
Encourage One Another Wednesdays

Winsome Wednesday

A Wise Woman Builds

Thought Provoking Thursday
Hearts for Home
Favorite Things
 
Faith Filled Friday
Friendship Friday