Here we are, we finally reached chapter 31. Not sure who is still following along as I have had no responses for a week or so... I SO hope you got something out of it. If you are like me there were definitely days that were harder than others to get out of bed and read AND write... i realized how much of BUSY i created myself that i let get in the way from my quiet time with Jesus... not good. I have learned so much doing this! :) |
"She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life." (V12)
It can be hard sometimes to not get angry when something doesn't go our way we want it to. We have these unrealistic expectations that we set in our marriage. We get married and all of a sudden our world can feel like it's falling apart... when usually it's just those expectations breaking away to bring us REAL LIFE.
We will never be perfect, not even close! We will never do everything right and let's face it we all have those mornings where, well, we have looked better ;) But we find ourselves getting frustrated at all the little things... garbage not being taken out, forgetting to pick up an item from the store etc... we all have times our poor wee hubbies forget these things (or else you may have found a perfect man...) haha! Why does it bother us so much? Is it really that big of a deal? We fail constantly... they don't point out our mistakes all the time? We find our patience and gentleness disappearing very quickly!
Be a wife who encourages her husband, not someone who tears him down. A wife who is beside her husband faithfully everyday until death.
I mentioned before that it's important to speak up in marriage. Your job is to speak words that encourage, that help, words that show life and not death. Proverbs 18:21 says, "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit."
I was watching a video on 'The life-giving marriage' by Michael and Laura Fletcher (amazing couple and they have really great things to say). They were talking about making sure the words we spoke were of life and not death. If someone like our spouse is doing something you know does not bring life but instead can lead to bad things, it needs to be confronted. If there is something that is not pleasing to God, we need to be able to come to them in love and tell them in kindness, reminding them you want them to grow and mature. You will be helping them seek life and not death. How they choose to handle your advice is nothing to do with you... it is not your fault if they choose to ignore it and view it has hurtful and insulting. If you want your spouse to grow, changes will need to happen, confrontations will have to take place. We need to stop sugar-coating everything people do and say... stand firm for what is right and pure and honest.
Be approachable. The tables may turn, there may be things in your life that are not right and distasteful to God or maybe even your husband... respect your spouse's input and remember that it is intended to help you and lead you to growth...not to hurt you or attack you.
"She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks." (V17)
A wife who works hard and has much strength. She is not lazy.
I love what the last few verses say, they depict the character of a woman who fears the Lord.
"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." (V25)
She places her trust fully in God and seeks to please HIM, seeks his wisdom for the future, not others and not her own. She has no fear of what is to come.
"She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." (V26) She teaches wisdom and love, she shows mercy to others. She does not gossip but her words are to guide and help.
"She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also and he praises her. Many women do noble things but you surpass them all."
(V27, 28 & 29)
What a beautiful picture of what the family can and should look like!
"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring works bring her praise at the city gate." (V30 & 31)
We get to be the wife who seeks God before everything else, the friend who loves and cares no matter how busy life gets, the friend who shows wisdom. We get to be the wife who selflessly chooses to serve our husband by putting his needs before our own.
We can be the Mother who speaks wisely and teaches her children they way of the Lord, who shows her children how to love and have compassion.
The Mother who cherishes her family and lives her life IN Christ, who is wise in what she supports, encourages and involves herself in.
Be THAT woman!
Bethany Joy xo