If you're a wife, I'm sure you've read this passage many times and marveled at the woman described. And then slowly beaten yourself up about how much you so do not resemble the woman the Bible talks about.
I used to feel that way, then I did Laurie Cole's Beauty By the Book Bible study and learned a thing or two about this passage in scripture.
The first is that this woman is impossible to measure up to because she is not all of these things at one time. Maybe you go through seasons where you do get up "while it is still night" to get your husband out the door for work. Other times, you may need to sleep in because your wife role calls you to be up late at night. I used to pride myself on getting up early to take care of my husband. But then quickly realized that my wife role made it hard to stay up late and get up incredibly early the next day. I was moody, unhappy, and sleep deprived.
Our solution: I sleep in on the days I need to (which is probably two days out of the month) and my husband gets himself ready for work. If his lunch isn't made, I take it up to him after I get up.
The takeaway: Don't beat yourself up; this woman can do many things, but she also recognizes her limitations and works with her husband to set aside time to rejuvenate herself.
The second thing I learned is that this woman looks nothing like the world. I have a difficult time watching any type of reality TV that involve husbands and wives (unless it's 19 Kids and Counting!). Mainly because I cannot stand how worldly wives treat their husbands. I'm always shocked at how these women boss around their husbands and act as though their men should just be happy they come home at night.
Recently, I was looking through wife articles online and found one devoted entirely to the Real Housewives franchise divorces. THEIR DIVORCES. It saddened me greatly because these women are missing what their true calling in life is: to be a helpmeet to their husbands. It grieves my heart that our society attacks the submissive housewife and instead holds up these women who value popularity, careers and money over their marriages.
Society assumes the submissive wife is weak and frail. They assume she is controlled by her husband and cannot stand on her own two feet. They could not be more wrong. The Proverbs 31 woman described is strong and independent. She is a hard worker. She uses her talents to provide for her family. Perhaps she earns money working from home or cuts coupons to save money. She serves others selflessly and is prepared for all seasons of life. She is also wise and focused on her home. This woman is not concerned with the world; she's concerned about her family.
The takeaway: The Proverbs 31 woman is the type of woman we should try to emulate. She is a blessing to her husband and knows that being married to him fulfills her God-given role in this life. She considers herself lucky and happily busies herself with her wifely duties.
The Proverbs 31 woman can be intimidating, but she stands for a beautiful truth: wives are the backbone to the family unit. If you are a wife, don't wear yourself out trying to be everything at once. Change priorities as seasons change.
Your Wife-Friend in Christ,
Jessica
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