Isn’t it funny how when you are teaching about something in God’s Word, you are instantly thrown into testing on the subject?? MAN did I have a week last week! Can I just say that I adore my daughter, I LOVE my hubbie, but I just didn’t enjoy being the little wife and lovin’ mama so much last week! Please tell me you all have weeks like that?
The good news about my crummy week is that God totally prepared me to approach this weeks Prov. 31 teaching with a fresh perspective!
By the way, if you’ve missed the first five sections of our study, click on the categories tab to the left, scroll until you see “Becoming Proverbs 31″ and all the previous installments are waiting for you there.
This week we are looking at verse 13. “She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.“
Does this verse mean that you all need to go out and learn how to knit/crochet/whatever? YES! Just kidding… it totally doesn’t!! Remember Prov. 31 is NOT a to-do list. It is an outward showing of an inward growing; its our hearts behind what we do that makes us Prov. 31 women.
So far in our study, we’ve looked at more general teachings behind the life of the Proverbs 31 woman. In verse 13, we start to see more specifically what she does. In verse 12, we talked about how “she does her husband good and not harm,” she does stuff! She doesn’t sit around. In this verse, we get to see what she does:
“She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.”
She seeks and she works. This week, we will look at the first part.
She Seeks!
The word seeks gives us a glimpse into the intensity with which the Prov. 31 woman goes about her day. The Bible does not say she browsed, she bought, she looked at, but she SEEKS. Seeks means to pursue, to go in search of, to try to obtain. She was serious about her tasks and didn’t see her daily stuff as unimportant. (By the way, stay-at-home-moms, so often our culture tells us that what we do at home is unimportant and we would be better using our lives and talents outside the home, this verse is living proof that that is not true! We can serve our God, our family, and have good business, all from the home!)
I did some research on wool and flax. These were common materials used by weavers in her day. Wool was often used for outer garments due to the fact that the sheep often got bits of this and that stuck in their wool while grazing. The wool would be itchy and scratchy with bits of sticks or grasses poking out here and there. You could see why it would be important to seek out the good stuff, the better wool. Reading on in Proverbs 31, we know that she not only makes garments for herself and her family, but she also sells them as a business!
Vs. 18 and 19: “She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.”
Vs. 21 and 22: “She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.”
Vs. 24 “She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.”
Again, this doesn’t mean we should all go out and take a course in weaving. What we can learn here is that weaving was “her thing.” Her talent, her gift. She was serious about this gift that she had. She used it to bless her family, to prepare her home and her kids for times ahead (colder weather vs. 21), she believed in quality and gave them the best (scarlet and purple clothing indicated dignity and wealth vs 21,22). We also learn that she used her gifts and talents to extend the family income– she was profitable. She was a merchant supplier. (vs. 18,24).
So… what’s your “thing?” What’s your gift? Your passion? Your hobby? Do you know? Do you use it? How do you use it?
As you’re reflecting on that, it’s easy to turn to the to-do list and feel burdened by this teaching. “I don’t have time to use my gift like that! I can barely get in a shower and make dinner let alone make time for fill-in-the-blank!”
Let me say this, God does not give us gifts to burden us. He gives us gifts, as well, gifts! Remember, we are the body of Christ. As his bride, we can see in this passage the importance of taking our gifts from God and using them passionately for His glory.
With that said, I fully realize that we all go through seasons in our lives. When Molly was born, my focus was not getting back into blogging ASAP, it was on healing from my c-section and caring for my baby. When my mom was recovering from her surgery, her focus was on getting better, not on playing the piano again right away! So those of you who are kicking yourself repeatedly over this, please stop. Take a moment and look at your heart behind the usage of your gifts.
What is your heart behind not using/using your gift right now? Are you being obedient to where God has you in life? Or are you just setting it aside out of fear or out of laziness? Are your priorities in the right place? If your answer is yes, and you are continuing to be obedient to where God has you in life, there is no need to fret!
Lets take a look at our friend Martha. Luke 10:38-42
“Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
If we are anxious about whether or not we are doing enough, we totally miss out on the only necessary thing! The good portion, the aspect of life that cannot be taken away from us, time with Jesus. Sitting at his feet. We get so busy serving and doing that we miss out on Jesus. Or, we can even choose not to participate at all–missing the mark and the joy we could have with Jesus.
The greatest gift we have recieved from Christ is the gift of His salvation. He went to the cross in our place! We have been redeemed! My prayer is that we would not miss out on that glorious fact by burdening ourselves with all this stuff that we miss out on, HIM.
Yes, we have been given gifts and talents that we may use for His glory, and yes, it is good to use them and use them with great passion! BUT it is not good to be distracted by them.
I have gone through times in my life where I sat there and thought, “Am I doing enough? Is God pleased with my life? How can I be better? Is this good enough?” And what I think we need to realize is that we alone can never be good enough. Rom. 3:10 “As it is written: None is righteous, no, not one.” Not one! Only through Christ and God’s grace have we been redeemed because when God looks at us, he doesn’t see our many short comings, he sees JESUS. His good and perfect son who took our place.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” Rom. 3:23
Praise God for that!
Next week, we will dive into the second part of verse 13. “And works with willing hands.” We will talk more about the times when we face the opposite problem of not working for the Lord, or working for the Lord with the wrong heart behind it.
Father God,
I cannot imagine the immensity of your gift for me. Your life, for mine. Thank you for the cross. Thank you for the gift of your salvation. Thank you Lord that in your grace, you saw it as good to bless us with other gifts and talents as well. I pray Lord that over the next few weeks, you would reveal to the women reading this what your heart is for them regarding their gifts. Show us all your will for these blessings.
You are so good to us Lord and we praise for all you are working in our hearts and in our lives. Make us more like you. Teach what it means to be a woman of God who passionately uses her gifts for your glory.
Be in Haiti Jesus and with all your servants who are there giving to the needy in every way. Provide them abundantly with all the strength and supplies they need.
Thy will Lord, we love you, in Jesus’ name,
Amen!