The Proverbs 31 Quest || pt 8

  
Proverbs 31:17
"She girdeth her loins with strength,
and strengtheneth her arms."
                   

I'm going to be honest and admit that I am having a hard time writing about "strengthening my arms" instead of climbing onto my elliptical right now. I'm trying to work out regularly, get more toned and, hopefully, lose the last few "baby" pounds. Instead I am sitting at my desk reading about Miss 31. In my study of her, I can already see that she pursues a healthy lifestyle. Maybe she didn't go to the gym of her day, but I can imagine running after her kids and working from daylight to dusk, without the distraction of the wonderful world wide web, kept her in pretty good shape! But this verse, surprisingly, isn't just about physical strength. Let's dig into the next passage in our pursuit of Miss 31.

"She girdeth her loins with strength..."

* Gird - to put on as a belt or armor
* Loins - existence, form, human body
* Strength - might, boldness, power

In chapter 6 of Ephesians, Paul tells us a bit about the armor of God. He gives us five pieces of armor to put on: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation.

Ephesians 6:10-17
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

In Proverbs 31, we can see that Miss 31 girds her loins with strength. Now, obviously, they don't sell a belt of strength at Dillards or the local thrift store, so let's look at this spiritually.

Miss 31 adorns her existence with boldness; with might and power. Just like we wear a belt or some other accessory, she wraps strength around her body. That speaks to me because, in all honesty, some days I am very, very weak. As a wife, I get weary. As a mommy, I often grow lazy. As a Christian, I can be far too silent. In order to grow, I need to daily put on the armor of God and wrap myself in His power and strength. How do I do that? By taking time to study His word. The closer I draw to Jesus, the more of His strength I will have. I cannot wish to be strong any more than I can sit here wishing my body to get toned and lean. If I want to shape up, I have to get up and work at it....and my spiritual life is no different. In disciplining myself with prayer, fasting, study, and seeking the Lord's face, I am adorning myself in the strength and power of Christ.

"...and strengtheneth her arms."

* Strengtheneth - steadfastly minded, courageous, fortify
 
I LOVE what this word means. Fortify. Courageous. Miss 31 puts on the armor of God's strength and might with courageous and steadfast resolve. May I do the same...

Proverbs 31:17
"She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms."

What does this verse mean to you?



This post is linked to: Raising Mighty Arrows, Feminine Adventures, The Purposeful Mom, and Our Simple Country Life.

The Proverbs 31 Quest || pt 7

  
Proverbs 31:16
"She considereth a field, and buyeth it:
with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."
                  

Last time, after I posted about Miss 31 getting up "while it is yet night," I ended up being up and at 'em before the sun came up for a few days, too! Unfortunately, and to be honest, it was not because I set my alarm to go off. It was due to my 10 month old "baby alarm." But, hey, I was up! And I loved it. One step at a time....I'm getting there!

Today, I'm hitting the next verse.

"She considereth a field, and buyeth it..."

* Considereth - plan, purpose, devise, ponder.

We already know Miss 31 is organized. We also know that she is a godly woman. In this verse we see that she puts that organization into practice by studying a field, then making a wise purchase of that field. She doesn't do this rashly or on a sudden impulse. Being the godly woman that she is, she no doubt prayed over the matter and gave it careful thought and consideration. She had a plan for her family and she carefully thought about what she needed. Now, of course, this verse does not mean that we must go out and buy property. But I think it is inspiring that this lady put lots of planning and prayer into buying land that she can use to produce her own fruits and vegetables. Maybe wheat and cotton too! Who knows what all she planted and grew! But she considered it before she made the purchase.


Today, our decisions are often rushed and we rarely stop and pray over this-or-that before making decisions and commitments. She, however, pondered it. Maybe she asked herself:

Will this field bring honor to the Lord?
 
Have I consulted with my husband and sought his wisdom?
    
Am I financially able to purchase this field?
   
Am I committed to assume the responsibilities that this field will have for me?
   
Will this field be a blessing to my household or a burden?

As I have mentioned previously, I do not have a green thumb. I am proud of myself when I can keep flowers alive for longer than a month. For the past two years, I have wanted to plant a garden and, Lord willing, I intend on doing so this spring, regardless of my history. I want to plant my own vegetables and fruits, which will not only save money on fresh produce at the grocery store, but will be much healthier for us to eat. Of course, the pure satisfaction of simply growing something is an added bonus!
    

"...with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."

Maybe she didn't plant vegetables or wheat. It is quite probable that the purpose of the field was to provide a place for a vineyard so that the family and others could enjoy the fruit! Miss 31 is a business woman, we will later learn. We know she is wise and carefully considers things before making a decision. I believe this portion this tells us that she buys the field and plants a vineyard 1) with the funds from previous work she has done, or 2) with funds that her husband has allotted to her. It is "the fruit of her hands." She doesn't go into debt in order to purchase the field. Her whole goal is to bless her household, not add a strain or a burden. We need to take notes! We can all learn so much from her example.


Personally, I want to be wise. I want to carefully pray over every decision I make. I want to be wise with money. And I want to be a good keeper of my home. James 1 tells us that if we lack wisdom, He will give it to us - liberally! So let us ask....and then use that wisdom to further bless our family.

Proverbs 31:16
"She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."

The Proverbs 31 Quest || pt 6

  
Proverbs 31:15
"She rises also while it is yet night,
and giveth meat to her household,
and a portion to her maids."
                  

Today, I cleaned the kitchen, I finished the laundry, I cleaned out our guest room, I cleaned the study (finally!), I cleaned our bedroom and bathroom, I dusted, I swept, I mopped, and I vacuumed! Nathan was through with his bottle and his breakfast by 8 a.m. I have beans boiling on the stove and jello in the fridge. My emails are caught up and I have everything ready for dinner tonight - all before noon! Can we say, productive?! I feel like grabbing pom-poms and cheering, "Two-four-six-eight! Who do we appreciate? THIS GIRL! THIS WIFE! THIS MOM!"

----thank you for letting me pat myself on the back today----

Though I enjoy getting up early and accomplishing a lot, I have to make one thing crystal clear: I am not, nor have I ever been, a morning person. Or, let me rephrase... I am not a HAPPY morning person. Don't get me wrong, I'm no grouch, but I'm also not one to pop up at daybreak, throw back the curtains, and sing "GOOD MORNING, world!!" with a big smile on my face.

It's just not me...

If I have to get up early, I prefer to get up and get ready for the day quietly. I don't usually want to talk. I don't want to hear loud banging or what-not. Each morning, I think to myself, "Ugh...I'd rather not have to get up at ALL....ever." But I have been convicted in this area of my life, and here's why:

"She rises also while it is yet night and giveth meat to her household...."
   
In the last posts, we learned that Miss 31 works willingly with her hands and goes to great lengths to prepare healthy meals to feed her family. In this verse, we see that Miss 31 wakes before the first streaks of sunshine light the sky. She doesn't get out of bed at daybreak, she gets out of bed BEFORE daybreak.

Oh no...
    
For me, this is a big task. It takes a lot for me to wake up at 6:30 a.m. Somedays, it's all I can do to climb out of bed at 7:30! But Miss 31 has a job to do. She has a goal in mind. She has a To-Do list and she wants it done! One thing I have learned in getting up earlier and earlier is that I usually have more free time in the afternoon. The household chores are complete and I can settle on the couch and read a book, or play with Nathan, or tell him a story, or watch a movie, or write letters....or blog. :) I love that. But the thought of getting up before daybreak is still difficult for me to swallow....and I know why that is. Galatians 5:17 tells us that our flesh is at war with our spirit. They are against one another and that makes it hard to do the things that we should....like getting up early, for example. But I should not succumb to laziness. I should make it my priority and my privilege to willingly and joyfully greet the morning, and eagerly rise early - long before my family - and prepare for the day.

Now, one portion of this verse had me puzzled:

"...and a portion to her maids."

So, Miss 31 gets up early before daybreak. Got it. But what's this about her maids? I don't have a maid! Boy, wouldn't that be nice... I brought this verse to my husband and, after presenting my case that I need a maid in order to be like Miss 31 (fail), he gave me a new take on this phrase. He said, "I think this part tells us that she cares for everyone, not just her own family. She treats her help as family."

Mmmm.... so she's kind to her help. She's giving and servant-hearted to her guests. Wow.

As my little boy grows, I need to have a couple of hours under my belt before he wakes. I need to have breakfast prepared for my family and my child(ren). I need to have our home presentable. I need to utilize the hours God has given to us in the day to accomplish as much as I can because, let's face it, a woman's work is never done! We have our house to clean and maintain; we have laundry that must be washed, dried, ironed/folded; we have children to care for, disciple and teach; we have a family to nurture and feed; and we have our own personal goals and needs as well (such as studying and exercising). WE NEED every precious hour we can get!
           
As our quest for Proverbs 31-ability continues, keep ME in your prayers, for this is an area I want to cultivate in my life. I want to rise early and be a productive "Miss 31" myself. :)


Proverbs 31:15
"She rises also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maids."

The Proverbs 31 Quest || pt 5

  
Proverbs 31:14
"She is like the merchants' ships;
she bringeth her food from afar."
                  

Obviously, they did not have Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, or Kroger in Biblical times. Unfortunately, there was no Pizza Hut or Crackle Barrel either. :) As the woman of the home, Miss 31 did what all the other women did in those days - she grew her own food and she shopped at the market of her day.

Now, I will take a brief moment and say that I do not have a green thumb. At all. However, I still would love to have a garden. I am taking my sweet time in that endeavor, but it IS a goal I hope to achieve before I die. Until I master the art of keeping a plant alive longer than a week, I am perfecting my grocery-shopping skills. :)

In studying this verse, we see that Miss 31 travels about obtaining food for her family (and most likely their livestock as well). I'm sure she was frugal and wise, shopping for the best "deal" of the day. The last few words of this verse stumped me a little: She bringeth her food from afar?? How on earth did she do that? And how am I supposed to do that? Should I order a shipment of fish from Norway?

It's so easy for me to think like the above. But if I take a minute and be practical, I can usually understand things a little easier. :) In those days, people walked just about everywhere. Maybe she had to walk into the village which was two miles away. Or maybe she planned a trip once a month to the city market and rode her donkey. In a time when there were **ahem** no automobiles, I'm sure 2-5 miles was "afar." Who knows? But maybe our "afar" can be the grocery store 10 miles away. And - get this - we don't even have to walk! We can make it there in a few minutes as long as we know where we placed our car keys. :) We don't have it so bad.

One thing I did learn was that merchants' ships are used for transporting goods, especially perishables (aka - food). They are not fast like airplanes. They are rather slow. However, they can carry a much larger load than one, or even two airplanes, can. Interesting. So Miss 31 is like a merchant's ship. Okay. Now, how can we tie this together?

Have you ever stopped and looked at the amount of "instant everything" we have? When I first married, cooking for two was a totally new experience! I came from a family of eight and so there was always lots to prepare at every meal in order to feed - and fill! - everyone in our family. In the first month of my marriage, I cannot tell you how many times I made twenty biscuits for two people or found myself cracking 10-15 eggs to feed just me and my husband. After a short while, I thought to myself, Why do this? I can easily pick up a couple of frozen meals at the grocery store. That will be quicker, easier, and I won't find myself with too much food. In short, this was lazy of me. Later, I looked back and realized that I spent more money on various single dinners than I would have, had I chosen to learn to cook for two. So I began to put extra time and effort in learning how to 1) find good deals, 2) buy in bulk, 3) freeze leftovers, 4) reduce waste, and 5) cook healthy. Most all frozen meals are either overpriced or completely unhealthy (or both!). Would Miss 31 resort to that? I don't think so.

A merchants' ship may be slower, but it gets the job done and it carries more than any other mode of transportation. Making healthy, home-cooked meals make take more time out of my day, but it is time well-spent. And as the keeper of my home, it is time that should be of utmost importance. In being like a merchants' ship, the food I serve my family should not be whatever is most convenient for me. It should be what is best for my family. Miss 31 takes time to plan nutritious meals that bless her family. She grows and purchases volumes of groceries that are cost effective, healthy, and go further than any "instant" meal found at the supermarket! I want to be like her. I want to manage my time well and make a point to wisely create well-balanced and home-cooked meals for my children and my husband. Kind of an odd thing to aspire to, but I'll say it anyway: I want to be a merchants' ship! Don't you? :)


Proverbs 31:14
"She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar."

The Proverbs 31 Quest || pt 4

It has been a while since I have posted about my quest to be like the Proverbs 31 woman. I will admit that I have not done so well at being like Miss 31. But that is what grace is for, right? :) When we are weak, then we are strong because we realize that it isn't US achieving great things in our own strength, it's God working IN us. One step at a time. So let's plunge into part four!

  
Proverbs 31:13
"She seeketh wool, and flax,
and worketh willingly with her hands."
                  

                   

"She seeketh wool, and flax...."

Pretty much everyone knows what wool is. It is obtained from sheep and other animals and is a soft material that does a very good job at keeping one warm! It is elastic, and it holds in moisture. Flax is something I had never heard of prior to Proverbs 31. After looking it up, I discovered that Flax is an annual plant native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India. Flax is grown both for its seeds and for its fiber. Various parts of the plant have been used to make fabric, dye, paper, medicines, fishing nets, hair gels, and soap! It is also used as an edible oil, as a nutritional supplement.

Hmmm.... That is interesting.

So Miss 31 seeks after wool and flax. What does that mean to us? Well, to me, I see Miss 31 out in the yard shearing sheep, then taking the wool and making coats, blankets, and soft, warm mats for their cold floors. I can see her working to make sure her home and family are clothed and cozy. Then I see her out in the garden gathering up the flax and using it make fabric and medicines and also using its nutrition to feed her family in a healthy way.

I know as a mommy, I want my home and family clothed and warm. I want to make sure my son has a coat when we go out into the winter weather. Every night before I climb in bed, I check on him and make sure he is covered up in his crib. Though we have no sheep to shear and live in a different time, we can still do as Miss 31 and seek after "wool." We can tirelessly work to clothe our children, our husbands, and ourselves.

Also as a wife and mother, I want my son healthy. I want my husband healthy. I want myself to be healthy! Several years ago, before I married, my family and I ate rather unhealthy. It was no big deal to have chips and sodas and candy in the house. As a result, though I'm sure none of us put two and two together at the time, several of us were prone to catching every little illness that came around. I was one of them. It didn't take much for me to get sick. I had several colds a year. I would feel sluggish easily. I was tired all the time and was a victim of any passing stomach virus that came through our community. Then my parents began heavily researching health and nutrition. After that, they bought a juicer and began juicing fruits and vegetables. Before, I would turn my nose at pretty much any veggie. I hated them! Fruits were great, but I would usually pursue chocolate over an apple any day. But we began to juice vegetables and fruits and I began to feel better. Then I started craving veggie-fruit concoctions. I would throw a banana, a strawberry, spinach, carrots, and kale into a juicer and blender and drink to my hearts' content. I would research healthy herbs and foods and find a way to ingest them into my body. As a result, I began to feel better. Now, I rarely get sick and when I eat the amount of junk food or candy that I used to, I feel ill! As the keeper of my home, I want to pursue healthy habits and, I believe, that is one of the many things Proverbs 31:13 is referring to.

"...and worketh willingly with her hands." 

Oh dear. Must I? :)

* Worketh - maintain; accomplish

* Willingly - joy; earnest

If you will be completely honest with yourself and the Lord, you will most likely admit to having plenty of days when you just want to be lazy. Especially any of you women who have been pregnant and who have small children. You just want a day when you can to sprawl out on the couch and not do a thing. Miss 31 doesn't do that. (Isn't that intimidating?) Though I'm sure she wouldn't object to sitting down with a nice cup of coffee and a book from time to time, she is not idle with her time. She is productive. She is a hard worker. She prioritizes. She accomplishes things. She gets her "To Do" list done. She doesn't dilly-dally or dawdle. And she does those things WILLINGLY. She works earnestly and with joy. She doesn't complain or whine about her work, she enjoys serving her home and family. How inspiring! I'm sure she does what Snow White sang about, and "whistles" as she works!

MY prayer as I continue to study the attributes of Miss 31, is that I won't think so much about perfection (which is what I tend to lean toward when reading Proverbs 31), but that I will dwell on Miss 31 as a whole. I don't need to consume myself with every little detail of Miss 31 (i.e. She seeketh wool? Okay, I need go buy some sheep, right now! Where's the checkbook? Dear husband, can you put a fense in the backyard?). Rather, I need to dwell on her goals and her character and do my best to accomplish the same things in MY life (i.e. She seeketh flax? Okay, I'm tossing that bag of Doritos in the pantry and I should probably go buy some carrots...). Think how YOU can best apply her traits to YOUR life. And above all, work willingly. Don't bemoan your wonderful calling as a wife and mother. Rejoice as you scrub that pile of dishes. Hum a hymn or praise song as you fold the mountain of laundry. Smile at your baby as you change that smelly diaper and wipe the snot from their nose. Be kind to your husband as you pick up his dirty socks....again....and clean his facial hairs from the sink. Rest assured, I'm in training along with you. But, through His grace, we can do the impossible. :)
           

Proverbs 31:13
"She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands."

The Proverbs 31 Quest || pt 3

Miss 31's role as a wife continues with verse twelve in Proverbs chapter 31....

Proverbs 31:12
"She will do him good and not evil
all the days of her life."
                  

                   

"She will do him good and not evil...."

* Good - kindly; delight; cheerful; favor

* Evil - mischief; trouble; sorrow

I am guilty of this. In only a year and half of marriage, I have failed many times, choosing to do my husband "evil" instead of "good." When his attitude has not been to my liking, many times, I have opted to bring him sorrow as a sort of payback for his frustrated snap or shortness. Instead of submitting my emotions to the Lord and choosing to be kind and cheerful to bless my husband, I have chosen to take matters into my own hands which always leads to more evil than good. Miss 31 doesn't do that. She brings her husband delight. She brings her husband favor. She is a delight to be around and refuses to bring him harm with irritability.

Now, again, we all know that Miss 31 was not perfect. And we all know that we can never be perfect. However, the knowledge that perfection is unobtainable while we live in a sinful world, should never warrant our refusal to pursue the attributes and lifestyle of the Proverbs 31 woman. It is in our Bible for a reason. Jesus Himself said to be holy as HE is holy. Though we will never "arrive," Christ calls us to walk in the direction of holiness. In like manner, we should walk in the footsteps of Miss 31 and follow her example as a godly wife and mother.

"...all the days of her life." 

Wow. All the days of her life??

A few years ago, I read that portion and it took on a whole new meaning. ALL the days of her life. Notice that it does not say "all the days of her married life." Could it be that this speaks of purity? In our culture, there is the belief that we can live however we'd like, having fun in the dating world, stacking up dozens of past flights and relationships. Then when we marry, we suddenly have the assumption that commitment will come easily; that honor is a given; that loyalty and faithfulness are natural products of marriage. Far from it. If we, as singles, do not develop a lifestyle of honor and purity before marriage, then we should not assume that those things will come easily once our marriage vows are spoken. Miss 31 does her husband good and not evil all the days of her life. She brings him honor before their wedding day ever arrives. She brings him favor and joy, both prior to marriage and throughout their marriage. If you are reading and you are single, I challenge you to take this season of singleness to do your future husband good and not evil. In this season, I challenge you to honor him NOW in your actions and lifestyle. When you are in the company of men, I pray you will think of your future husband and imagine him beside you, then act accordingly. When you are tempted to flirt or seductively reveal parts of your body in immodest dress, I pray you will chose to bring your future husband favor by bringing dignity to his future wife - you! Begin a lifestyle of doing him good right now! And if you are reading this and you are married, then I challenge you to bring your husband kindness and cheerfulness and delight. I hope and pray that I will learn to opt for a more good approach when my flesh is tempted to react in mischief and evil. When he leaves his socks on the floor or makes a mess in the kitchen, instead of reacting with impatience and deciding to "tell him how it should be," let us chose to serve our husbands and develop a kind attitude. When he comes home frustrated and short, instead of letting it get to us and reacting with irritability, let us chose to act with grace and goodness. If you are anything like me, I'm sure you have a lot to learn too.

As we continue on our Proverbs 31 quest, let us seek the face of God and allow Him to reshape us into a woman who will do her husband good and not evil. Let us allow Him to mold our hearts and make us more soft and sweet, acting with cheerfulness and kindness instead of reacting with trouble and sorrow.
           

Proverbs 31:12
"She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life."

The Proverbs 31 Quest || pt 2

In the last post, we learned that Miss 31 is a rare find. She is valiant and strong and worth more than precious gems. Verse eleven explores another area of Miss 31's life; her role as a wife.

Proverbs 31:11
"The heart of her husband doth
safely trust in her, so that he shall
have no need for spoil."
                  

                   

"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her...."

* Heart - thoughts; the whole inner man

* Trust - refuge; secure

What an interesting thought. The whole entirety of this husband and who he is can be safely deposited in Miss 31. His innermost thoughts are kept under lock and key. In her, he can find refuge. In our society, it is very normal for wives to spill out secrets of their marital life and literally bring their husband shame. I have heard more than one wife reveal to her friends personal issues that her husband is dealing with. I have listened as wives have put down their husbands, mocking them, and even making fun of their shortcomings. After reading Proverbs 31:11, I saw that not only did Miss 31 refuse to gossip with her friends about her husband's private affairs, she literally protected her husband as a whole. Every fear he had that she knew, she kept to herself. Every sin he struggled with, every hurt he had, and every personal issue that he dealt with was safely trusted in her. As a wife, that is both convicting and inspiring! 

"...so that he shall have no need for spoil." 

* Spoil - the goods of others

Mmmm. So we have seen that the Proverbs 31 woman is a refuge for her husband. Now we see that because she keeps her husband's private matters under lock and key, he has no need for the goods of others; he has no need for anyone else.

Thinking on this, I can recal numerous times when a wife has drug her husband and his name through the mud and as a result, he has left her for another woman who, instead, is kind and trustworthy. Because he was not safe with his wife, he had a need for "the goods of others." What a troubling thought! If we, as wives, are careless and inconsiderate of our husband's privacy, we might very well lose our marriage altogether! God, grant us wisdom.

I don't know about you, but I want to be virtuous and valiant. I want to live as a royal, redeemed gem of God should. And I want to be a secure fortress that my husband can trust and rest in, having no need of anyone or anything else.

May it be so.
           

Proverbs 31:11
"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need for spoil."

The Proverbs 31 Quest || pt 1

We have all read about her. We all envy her. We all LONG to be like her. She is the ultimate role model for any Christian wife and mother.

For myself personally, she is the one who inspires me like no other.....and intimidates me beyond all reason.

For quite a while now, I have been studying Miss 31, as I will call her. As I read and reread every verse, I keep finding myself both in awe AND skeptical.

"She can't be perfect. She wasn't perfect!"

"She had to have snapped at her children or gave her husband the cold shoulder every now and then. Surely!"

"Up before dawn every day? Why right now, that would be close to 5:30 a.m.! Isn't 7 a.m. early enough?"

"She sewed too? I can't sew. I mean, I'm trying but let's face it...I don't see myself selling self-made clothes any time soon."

I have caught myself making some ridiculous remarks on how "unrealistic" such a lifestyle is. Forgetting that not so long ago, people made the same statements on my personal convictions and commitments, particularly how I chose to save my first kiss for my wedding day. Hmmm. That wasn't unrealistic. It was quite real. Could it be that THIS lifestyle - the life of Miss 31 - is attainable?? That it's real??

Yes. It's real. Yes, it is attainable. I say that NOT because I have reached the end of the rainbow. Far from it! I say it because I believe the Bible. And I believe in a God who makes the impossible....well...possible.

So I am about to embark on a quest; a Proverbs 31 study. I will go through each verse and dive as deep into it as I can. Then I will... *gulp* ...try to apply it to my life. Why? Because as much as Miss 31 intimidates me, I so desire to be like her!!

So, let's begin, shall we?

Proverbs 31:10
"Who can find a virtuous woman?
for her price is far above rubies."

That first question stands out to me.
    
"Who can find a virtuous woman?"
 

Who CAN find her, anyway? Is she lost in history? Is she hiding some place? And what does virtuous really mean?
  

* Virtuous - valiant, mighty in battle, strength, valour
  
Now, that's interesting. I used to think that virtuous meant pure and holy and modest. In most cases, it does mean just that. But here....valiant?? Mighty in battle? Strength? Valour?

This is a time when most feminists would jump up and begin to rally about girl power. But not so fast! Being a valiant woman does not mean that we are feministic in our beliefs. It does not mean that we can do everything on our own. Applying this spiritually we can see that this is how a woman of God should be: A woman of the most high God should be courageous and noble. She should not be cowardly or afraid because SHE is an ambassador of the King of Kings. She serves God as a soldier in the army of the Lord being God-fearing and reverent. As a wife, she is her husband's support and a tower of strength that he can lean on. As a mother, she oversees and carries her children's affairs. As a friend and neighbour, she is an extended hand. And yet her strength does not compromise any area of her femininity. She is strong but she is in every way a woman. In the battle of life, she should be mighty and strong. Not sitting on the sidelines, but boldly, with a spiritual backbone, fighting Satan our enemy. WOW! What a woman! Who CAN find a woman like that? A rarity she is, in these days.

Usually, we see extremes of womanhood. We either see a silent woman who keeps her head down and challenges nothing. Or we see a loud, obnoxious woman who pushes her opinions and her agenda on everyone she is around. Neither is a picture of a virtuous woman. Miss 31 is a passionate, noble woman who is a lady-warrior with honor, internal strength, and stamina.

"for her price is far above rubies."

What does price mean?

* Price - value, worth

The most precious stones have to be dug deep to be found. Reading the above description of a virtuous woman, I think I can speak for all of us when I say - it's hard to find a woman like that! It's rare. The rarity of a virtuous woman adds more value to her! Here we see that the woman described above has a worth that is above the value of rubies! What lady doesn't love jewels? And rubies? Did you know that a ruby is the most valuable member of the corundum family? Large gem quality rubies are rarer than comparably sized diamonds and are often more valuable. Did you know that rubies are a symbol of riches?

Did you know that rubies are a picture of the blood shed on the cross?

So, here we see that a virtuous woman is worth great riches and great wealth. She is rare. She is valuable. And her value is the blood of Jesus in the sight of God. What a beautiful picture!
   

1 Peter 1:18-19
"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:"

Jesus had no fault. He was perfect....like a perfectly cut gem. Clear. A "carat" if you will. His blood was the perfect atonement, the perfect payment for our sin. And we, as His redeemed, have that same value!

2 Chronicles 16:9 says "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him."

The Lord is searching for the righteous. Might I say that He is searching for the virtuous women; the valiant women who are worth far more than the most rare and precious jewels? In the beginning, He asked, "Who can find...?"  Meaning..."Where are they?!"

As women of God, we should be found! No more sitting silently in the corner. No more hiding in the shadows, full of fear and trepidation. It is time to rise up, as noble and honorable woman, and be His mouthpiece. It is time to fight and to defend our Savior. As ladies, yes. But as ladies of the King. As women of God, we should embrace our value. We mustn't hide under clothing that displays the wrong message. We are not a piece of cheap costume jewelry – but priceless, precious rubies. And Jesus - God the Son - came and shed His perfect, saving blood on the cross....for us! We should run to His feet, thank Him, and cling to such an honor with all humility and gratitude.

I don't know about you, but I want to be a strong, valiant, virtuous woman who glories in her identity as a redeemed gem.

Proverbs 31:10
"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies."