For years Proverbs 31 has been a favorite of mine, particularly while preparing for my marriage. Often throughout our engagement, I would read the scripture and reflect on the example the Lord provided for me in this chapter – how to be wife, a friend, and a mother.
Recently, a friend reminded me of the significance of Proverbs 31 and how the Lord uses this chapter specifically to show me how to be a wife for the Lord. In fact, the Lord provides a detailed description of a worthy woman and how to become an excellent wife. It’s my job to follow His instruction.
I wasn’t going to type out the entire chapter, but I couldn’t weed out verses either. So, here it goes –
Proverbs 31 10. An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. 11. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. 12. She does him good and not evil, all the days of her life. 13. She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight. 14. She is like merchant ships; she brings her food from afar. 15. She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household, and portions to her maidens. 16. She considers a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard. 17. She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong. 18. She senses that her gain is good; her lamp does not go out at night. 19. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hands grasp the spindle. 20. She extends her hand to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the needy. 21. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22. She makes coverings for herself; her clothing is find linen and purple. 23. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land. 24. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies belts to the tradesmen. 25. Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future. 26. She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. 27. She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28. Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her, saying: 29. “Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.” 30. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. 31. Give her the product of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
Although a few virtues are embedded into my heart, there are several that my nature fights… daily! For instance verse 15, She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household. Stop. Do I rise early? No. Do I rise early and prepare breakfast, lunch, or dinner for my husband? No. Okay, maybe on occasion. Or more like, once or twice in the first week or two we were married. But, the answer is no.
The truth is, I’m not a morning person. In fact, I’m the one known to pull the covers over my head and beg for another 10 minutes of rest. After hitting the snooze button at least 4 times, I’m the last to crawl out of bed. I stumble around until it’s crunch time and I’ve got exactly 20 minutes to shower, dry my hair, and get dressed – with no time to spare and I’ll probably still be late to wherever I’m going. And if I’m on time, my hair is probably still damp. It’s pretty much inevitable.
Is this okay? Absolutely not. The scripture clearly tells me, as a wife – my responsibilities include rising early. Rising early, while it is still night and providing food (breakfast, lunch, and dinner!) for my husband and one day, our family.
Obviously (from my description above), I struggle with this virtue. It’s always been a bad habit of mine. In fact, during our engagement – I prayed that Justin’s nature of rising early would rub off on me. Instead, I’m a bad influence. Like I said before, I beg for 10 more minutes of laziness – which includes begging him to stay with me.
As this reality settles in once again, I pray for the desire to rise early, the strength to resist the snooze button, and the dedication to make it a new habit.
Of course, there are lots of other virtues I need to work on. But for now, this is my challenge for the week. And the week after that, and the next one too. Maybe, just maybe rising early can become a routine and my husband will have a happy belly heart.
I don’t know about you, but often I find myself pleading with the Lord to give me a big, red flashing sign with directions. I don’t like to guess; I want a straight forward answer or request. I want the Lord to say, “Brianne, do this, say that, be there, stay here…” – you get the point. Well, guess what? In this case, He did just that. He gave me an entire chapter and examples of how to be a worthy wife. A book on how to be the woman He created me to be. So here it is, that big, red flashing sign with all the instructions I need.
The question is, what will I do with those flashing instructions? With I live them out? Will I become an excellent wife?
As our journey continues as newlyweds, I hope to share with you the things I struggle with, strive for, and of course, the joys of marriage! For now, I ask you to pray. Pray that I can truly become a Proverbs 31 wife, friend, daughter, and one day mother. Of course, you can pray specifically that I learn to wake-up early and (at least) prepare lunch for my sweet husband.
Hope you have a wonderful Monday and a fabulous week! Thank you in advance for your prayers.
a Heape of love, Brianne
