As Christian women, I'm sure we've all heard about the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31. Many books have been written on this lady, and many Bible studies taught on her. In my own church, we even have a song we sing to these scriptures. When you read these 21 verses, she seems almost impossible to imitate, but I think the virtuous woman's attributes can be summed up in verse 27: She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.

She is not idle! She is not just a stay at home wife and mother, she is 'busy at home' (Titus 2:5). She is up before daylight, seeing to the needs of her household, and she is still working at this when the sun goes down. She is sewing, shopping, gardening, and reaching out to the poor. She is talented enough at her homemaking skills that she can even make some money. She is wise with a wisdom coming from a woman who knows the Lord, and seeks to know the heart of her family. She has concentrated enough and learned enough that she can help teach others. She is not concerned with her beauty, because she knows that is fleeting, and she knows her real value is in the time and effort she puts into her family. She is kind, and her children and her husband are proud enough and trusting enough of her to call her blessed.

What a life she has lived, and how worthy she is to be imitated. It would do all young wives and mothers good to study the Proverbs 31 woman, and seek to follow her example. If we can teach ourselves to be content in the role the Lord has given us as keepers of our homes, we will do much in and for this world, and the name of the Lord will not be blasphemed (Titus 2:5)

1 Timothy 2:9-10 even gives us the requirements a widow needs to be worthy of being cared for by the church: A widow is to be put on the list if she has been the wife of one man, having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work.

That seems like a lot, and yet it is not so much, if we will learn to put the important before the unimportant. What takes up our time that keeps us from doing these things? Television and movies? The telephone? The computer? Running around from house to house, something else we are warned against doing in this same chapter of 1 Timothy, verse 13: At the same time they also learn {to be} idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper {to mention.}

Let's study the virtuous woman, and strive to learn from her. No matter what season of life we are in, let's be sure we are not idle, that we are looking to the ways of our household, and not shaming the Lord by shirking our duties at home. Remember what the Lord tells us in Galatians 6:9: Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not grow weary.

Learn more about this author, Carla Raley.
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