Wednesday: She Works
The virtuous woman in Proverbs 31 is not lazy; she works hard and is very active. The poem insists on this quality (Prov. 31:27) , which characterizes the wise versus the fool (Prov. 6:6; Prov. 24:33-34) . The field of her activities is comprehensive and concrete. To be spiritual does not mean that we should be idle, all under the pretext that we are concerned with highly important religious issues, and thus do not have time to take care of trivial
matters. (See Luke 16:10.) The woman willingly works with her hands
(Prov. 31:13, NKJV).
Image © Ron Bell from GoodSalt.com
It is interesting that this very spiritual person is never depicted praying or meditating. She is shown as an efficient and productive woman, much like Martha of the Gospels (Luke 10:38–40) .
Read Proverbs 31:12, Prov. 31:15, Prov. 31:18. Why is the woman always working?
The woman works all the days of her life
(Prov. 31:12) , even during the night (Prov. 31:15, Prov. 31:18) . Her active and watchful presence is effective all the time. The reason for her constant attention is her responsibility.
Read Proverbs 31:20, Prov. 31:25. What is the temporal scope of her projects?
Here we touch on an important point regarding our work and effort: it will be tested by time. Only the future will testify to the quality of our deeds. To work wisely is to work with the future in mind, not just for an immediate reward.
Though not quite dealing with the same thing, the principle in the following text from Revelation is so important: Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them
(Rev. 14:13) .
If you have a special woman (a wife, mother, other family member, teacher, boss, or friend) in your life, what can you do to show your appreciation for her and for all she has done for you?
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may God bless women for their deligent labours. But does the woman in proverbs 31 find time to read the bible?
In order for someone to multi task like the woman in Proverbs 31 i think it is fair to say that theres gotta be a strong connection with God.
Her food that she prepares when she she rises and it is dark is the word of God, we shall not live by bread alone but by every that precedes out if the mouth if God.
Recognizing that this is from Proverbs, I feel that this post is somewhat unbalanced. Why is it that women get to rest when they are dead (Rev. 14:13)? What about a more balanced approach with the husband and the rest of the family involved in the home life. When this passage was written, women worked in the home and that was their job. Now women still seem to have this obligation as well as a 9-5 job outside the home as well. Not every woman has the luxury in this society of spending the day at home and fulfilling the roll suggested in Scripture. I think that society has unrealistic expectations of women these days. Men also used to work from sun up to sun down also but not anymore.
Geni,
I agree in total about your comment. Women are often working much more than men. Women get up in the morning, care for kids/grandkids, get meals together, do laundry, do shopping, keep house clean, take care of lots of details with church, volunteer work and their jobs, until they fall asleep at night. Men often can work 9 AM-5 PM and come home, and "play" on their phones or computers. Even in "retirement" this is often true for women. This testimony is straight out of my life. So when people use EGW quotes to support women working in the church field, it is not necessary. Women already are and personally, in our church, it's a woman who opens the doors. For the last seven years, we couldn't get any men to be cooperative, happy, deacons. This scene is repeated over and over in various churches I have visited. It's men that need to get going.
Material things are nothing to a person who has Jesus in their lives. I have my mother living with us for few years now. I can't express enough in words how I appreciated everything she does for me and my husband. But, I respect her, and pray with her. I thank the Lord everyday on my own ways for having her in our lives. Most of all for guiding me to look up to Jesus since I was born. Only Jesus would know how I appreciate her in giving her to me AND my Mom knows.
Isn't it wonderful that in a culture where men dominated we have this amazing poem praising this industrious, kind, caring and wise woman.
This poem could even be applied to women today, who get up early to make sure every one is up and dressed and fed and off to school and work, does a full days work and then comes home and tends to the household. See how she buys and sells property, how she creates material and clothes and sells them, she has a household and she manages all the people, her mouth is filled with wisdom - she gives advice to others, she in the caring business, she makes sure everything is in order.
Although it is not specified I believe there are other things we can deduce about this woman. If she is wise then she must spend time with the LORD in meditation and pray because true wisdom comes from the LORD, also she seems to be filled with the fruit of the Spirit.
Another thing I deduce is that she would train her children to be as industrious as herself, in those day of extended families I can imagine that this woman is the matriarch and she involves all relatives and even servants in her home industry.
I find this poem gives an elevated position to women and their contribution in the marriage partnership.
Praise the Lord for this lesson.
Now i understand what "...an help meet for him..." means in Genesis 2:20.
Surely a mans life can never be complete without a virtuous woman by his side. Even Adams life was not complete without Eve, so God provided that missing piece (bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh).
The Everlasting Gospel can never be fully understood without this husband and wife principle being understood.
"Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it." (Ephesian 5:25. KJV)
The everlasting gospel is the story of how a husband left all that He had and came down to show His wife that He truly loves her. He just did not tell her that, in-fact He showed her that unselfish love on the cross.
This LOVE, this everlasting Love (John 3:16) was enough to sanctify the wife (Ephesian 5:26) and win back her love and prepare her for the day He will come back and take her home (Revelation 19:7)
I believe that the virtuous woman in proverbs is doing all this work is because of the LOVE her husband has towards her.
Even-though her husband is in the most holy place away from her- she labors day and night trusting in the promise that her husband told her "...I am with you alway,even to the end of the world." (Matthew 28: 20. KJV)
"This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church."
Ephesian 5:32 (KJV)
Let me end with this passage from {Christ Object Lesson page 69.1}
"Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own."
The wonderful poem of the virtuous woman in proverbs 31 is the character that Christ is longing to see in our lives so He can come back and claim us as His own.
Praise the Lord.
Note:
Practically not every wife is blessed with a husband who loves them the way Christ loves the church- but here is a verse that can be helpful.
Colossian 3:23-24 (KJV)
"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ."
God Bless.
When my mother died we included Proverbs 31:10-31 in the obituary. However, I know that I fall very far short myself! Rev. 14:13 refers to resting from labors and works which follow them. I understand this to mean our 'labors' for others and the Works which follow are souls saved for the Kingdom by those labors.
Does that mean that I should neglect my wifely and motherly duties to spend all my time in prayer, bible study and good works to be saved?
NO! WHATEVER you do - do to the Glory of God" If you want to spend 24/7 serving God then become a nun or don't get married!
Women - we can glorify God by:
- cooking the meal as though Jesus was at table too;
- doing the laundry as though it was His robe you were washing;
- wash the dishes as though Jesus would eat from them;
- keep the house in order so that you would be proud to entertain the Lord at any time;
BETTER STILL - imagine Jesus not only as an OCCASIONAL GUEST but a PERMANENT RESIDENT.
- Would I should at the kids in His presence?
- Would I quarrel with my spouse with Him there?
- Would I sit for hours with my hands folded watching TV or checking FB when there is mending to do; knitting and sewing for the family or the needy?
- What kind of literature would I read?
The list is endless!!
In our day and age very few women can afford to be full-time mothers and housewives. The above applies to the workplace too. Look beyond your fellow-workers, clients and others - do you want to meet them in the Kingdom? So, what are you going to do about it?
The SECRET is to invite JESUS into my HEART and my HOME - even take Him to work with me - and to be conscious of His presence 24/7. He will be there for me when I need Him and give me the WISDOM to deal with LIFE in all its ups and downs.
I am far from perfect and just writing this makes me realize how far I still have to go .... I had better go and do the dishes!
In scripture a woman often refers to a church and a virtuous woman to God's church. How would Proverbs 31 be viewed if we related it to God's church?
I was thinking why the question form, "Who can find a virtuous woman?"
This seems to suggest that she is rare. Looking at some other "who can find?" passages:
Proverbs 20:6 "Many claim to have unfailing love, but a faithful person who can find?"
Ecclesiastes 7:24 "That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?"
So such a woman it not very common. She is as rare as precious treasure.
Also the Hebrew word translated "virtuous" (hayil) has a closer meaning to valiant, strong and is often associated with an army and men. So "virtuous" is a little softer than suggested by this word.
A woman symbolizes church therefore it should have those xtics of virtuous woman who works for christ never tires.