Have you ever set out on a pursuit to be the perfect Proverbs 31 wife? If you have been in church long, I am certain you have been referred to this chapter in the Bible to help guide you in your pursuit of being the “perfect woman/wife”.
I don’t often(if ever) include almost an entire chapter in my writing but I feel it is necessary to do today. It is a bit long but please take a moment to read about being a Proverbs 31 woman:
10A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Can I be real for a moment? When I read this passage my heart rate skips several beats. I read it and think “Well isn’t this awesome, I have a guideline for what I should look like but there is NO way I can live up to this on a daily basis!”. If you can relate to my thoughts on this, please read on. I want to let you off the hook on being the perfect wife. The perfect wife doesn’t do all of these things correctly on a daily basis but she does, however, have the same wisdom as this woman we read about in scripture.
I was intrigued more so by the what the writer has to say in Proverbs 30 just before he describes the wife of noble character in Proverbs 31. Let’s take a look at Proverbs 30:24-25:
Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: Ants are creatures of little strength,
yet they store up their food in the summer.
When I read this verse I feel off the hook yet still worthy of that strength and dignity mentioned about the wife of noble character in Proverbs 31:25. I can relate to the ant who may seem small in the world’s eyes yet they work night and day to carry out the orders they have been assigned from the Queen ant.
Mommas, wives, friends, daughters, the word I have for you today is this: YOU are enough. Your little, small steps you do on a daily basis to raise your kids, tend to your household and work(inside or outside the home) are making a difference. Your “Queen ant”(God) is so proud of you for working diligently. Your strength and dignity are a beauty that is unfading. He is proud of you and so am I.
I LOVE to wear shirts that remind me who I am and what I am called to when I would rather throw in the towel. I have posted about Simply Bliss Boutique before so you know that I am a huge fan of their mission and their adorable, yet modest clothes. I am in love with their “She is Clothed in Strength & Dignity” shirt and lace extender(as pictured below).
Would you like to grab your own shirt(or other cuteness) from their site? They were generous enough to give me a special discount code for my readers to get 20% OFF your first order!
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If you need a little more encouragement to keep going when you would like to give up, please watch this short, 2 minute live Facebook video I posted for First Fruit Friday. (Thank you facebook for that beautiful screenshot of me).
Xoxo,
Rachael Joy
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