A Good Woman

Proverbs 31:10-31

"An Excellent wife, who can find?

For her worth is far above jewels.

The heart of her husband trusts in her,

And he will have no lack of gain.

She does him good and not evil

All the days of her life.

She looks for wool and flax,

And works with her hands in delight.

She is like merchant ships;

She brings her food from afar.

She rises while it is still night,

And gives food to her household,

And portions to her maidens.

She considers a field and buys it;

From her earnings she plants a vineyard.

She girds herself with strength,

And makes her arms strong.

She senses that her gain is good;

Her lamp does not go out at night.

She stretches out her hand to the distaff,

And her hands grasp the spindle.

She extends her hand to the poor;

And she stretches out her hand to the needy.

She is not afraid of the snow for her household,

For all her household are clothed in scarlet.

She makes coverings for herself;

Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Her husband is known in the gates,

When he sits with the elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them,

And supplies belts to the tradesmen.

Strength and dignity are her clothing,

And she smiles at the future.

She opens her mouth in wisdom,

And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

She looks well to the ways of her household,

And does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children rise up and bless her;

Her husband also, and he praises her saying:

"Many daughters have done nobly,

But you excel them all."

Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,

But a woman who fears the Lord,

She shall be praised.

Give her the product of her hands,

And let her works praise her in the gates."

   This woman was many things. A wife, a mother, a craftswoman, a shopper, a cook, a money manager, a gardener, a humanitarian, an organizer, a seamstress, a business woman and a teacher. I am most of those things too so that makes this chapter interesting to me. I imagine if you are reading this that you also are able to relate to her is some way. The fact that she is all those things however does not do a lot to motivate me, it is how she does them that is motivating. 

   Notice concerning her role as a wife- She is called excellent. Why? I think that can be figured out by all the ways she worked to make her home happy and well organized and comfortable. She was trustworthy (Her husband didn't have to worry about her saying things behind his back that would cause others to think ill of him). It is in part because of her that he does well in his work and has "no lack of gain". She was always doing him good- never evil.  

   Other character traits that she had also help to motivate me in my life. She was a happy worker (no complaining here- she worked with delight), She is an early riser, She is caring, (she tries to make sure every person in her household is well taken care of), She plans ahead (no rash decisions), She is content, She is generous, She has strength and dignity (people will respect her because her life commands it), She is not a worrier, She is joyful, She is wise and kind, She is industrious and most importantly of all -She fears the Lord! Without the fear of the Lord, all the rest of it is useless. Everything put together equals a woman who can be mightily used by Him. Now that motivates me because that is what I want to be too! How does it motivate you?