Archive for June, 2008

She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. (Proverbs 31:19-20)

Before she could weave her cloth, she had to spin it. And before the spinning wheel there was the distaff and spindle. Anyway, her hands are busy, but what interests me about these verses are the two pictures of her hands.

She holds her work. But she opens her hand and reaches out her hands to the poor and needy.

That word open literally means spreads out her palm. Picture it. She has her hands wide open and palm up and reaching out.

It’s a picture of openness, compassion.and caring.

But it’s also a picture of trust and thankfulness. She was deeply involved in caring for her family. But ultimately God provided – and she must be trusting that he would continue.

It’s thankfulness and trust that makes caring for the poor possible. As long as I’m afraid about tomorrow and what will happen, I can’t part with anything. I might need it. But she doesn’t hold on for dear life – she opens her hand.

This woman takes her responsibility seriously and shares her blessings. Sounds like a great life balance to me!

She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She senses that her gain is good; Her lamp does not go out at night. (Proverbs 31:17-18)

Other translations say: she girds herself with strength … she gathers her strength around her.

The word dresses is also translated arms or girds on. Words used of an army. And “makes her arms strong” is literally makes strong, bold or alert. Again, the picture of an army.

What a picture! There she is, feet a little apart so she won’t be knocked over. Long skirt tied up out of the way. Sleeves rolled up – alert and ready.

That’s not the picture I usually think of when I think of an excellent wife. This lady is strong. She is prepared. She provides and protects. She is confident that what she does is good (beautiful and beneficial). And she’s prepared – her lamp doesn’t run out of oil during the night.

I look at her and then look at the women’s movement. They work for women’s rights – the right to do the same work as men and get the same pay. They have accomplished things. But at a cost. It’s created a lot of women who tend to screech. They demand and they push. They murder the next generation for convenience sake.

An excellant woman/wife is armed with quiet strength, knowing what she does is beneficial.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control … (Galatians 5:22-23)

The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. (Proverbs 31:11-12)

The heart of her husband trusts her … that’s an interesting way to say it. Not just he trusts her, but his heart trusts her. Not just his mind, but all the way down to his core. The King James version says he “safely trusts” in her and the NIV says he has “full confidence” in her.

Where does that kind of trust come from? Probably from what comes next. She does him good and not harm.

So many marriages are more like sibling rivalries after the honeymoon is over. “He did …” “She did …” They end up with a list of hurts that builds so that every new hurt doesn’t stand on it’s own anymore – it’s added to the others and becomes much more painful than it needs to. And even when they try to deal with one hurt it’s complicated by all the others added to it. One huge hurt.

“She does him good” has a lot to do with a state of mind. She wants to do him good. She looks for ways to do him good.

That word good can also be translated benefit. To safely trust – to trust at all – requires keeping short accounts. Dealing with things quickly so they don’t build. And (remember the army idea) standing together against all enemies (allies, not rivals). It also requires a mind set on his benefit. Looking for ways to help him succeed. Looking for ways to do him good.

Trust doesn’t just happen, it’s built.

She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. (Proverbs 31:13-16)

Busy lady! It looks intimidating, but let’s look at it in modern terms. We don’t make our clothing from scratch anymore – I mean scratch – the wool and flax had to be made into cloth first. And who wants to be compared to an 18 wheeler!

She works with willing hands. She brings food from afar. She provides for those in her home. She considers a field – she’s in business. And I assume that the fruit of her hands means that she sells some of the clothing she makes to buy the plants for the vineyard.

Whether you work at home or have a second job outside, like she did, it’s all work. And we all bring our food from afar. We may make lunches at night instead of getting up early, but we still provide for our family. So, we’re not so different after all.

I think the important thing is attitude. It seems to me that the key word in this passage is willing. That word can also be translated delight or pleasure. It matters how the work is done.

Again, Lemuel’s mom wanted her son to know that that excellent wife is a team player. Involved. Active. Taking initiative and being creative. And taking delight in it all.

What would it mean to take delight in it? I know it doesn’t mean blindly grinning through every job. But taking delight in the whole – in building a home that works well. In building a family that works well, too.

That’s something to take delight in!

The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him: … An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. (Proverbs 31:1,10)

This is a king. A king reciting what his mother told him. There’s stuff about wine and strong drink. There’s stuff about defending the rights of the afflicted and needy And then we get to the Proverbs 31 woman. She makes all of us feel uncomfortable – even guilty.

But this isn’t just something a mother told a son because God made sure that it became part of his Word. His Word can make us uncomfortable sure, but it does more than that. It encourages and it shows us another way to live.

So, what does this passage say?

An excellent wife. That word excellent carries with it the meaning of strength, majestic (like mountains) and efficiency – but also army. That’s right – if this word was used for a man it might be translated differently.

What makes an army excellent? And how does that apply to a wife?

Lets begin to find out …

He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name! The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! (Psalm 111:9-10)

He sent redemption to his people – a ransom for the release of captives. Release of captives. Ever been in a closed in space for a length of time? Think about coming out – seeing the sunshine – taking that first big breath of fresh air.

Jesus came and lived the sinless life I couldn’t and then he took my punishment – all to release me from my captivity. Believing takes me out into the Sonshine and that first big breath of really fresh air. The ransom has been paid. I’m free!

But that’s not the end. I’ve been freed to something – not just from something. God sends his ransom – and then comes the fear of the Lord.

Fear means respect or reverence – seeing him as holy and awesome. Awe. Deep respect. Humility. Things like that are the beginning of wisdom.

Then there’s “those who practice it.” Practice what?

It goes back to fearing the Lord. Those who practice fearing the Lord will go beyond the beginning of wisdom into good understanding.

In other words, as I practice focusing on God, I grow more like him. I make better choices. I build living skills. I understand.