She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Proverbs 31: 25-27, NIV.
Holy Father, today as we enter Your presence, we ask that You come divinely close to us and bless us as we study Your Word, in the matchless name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
The traits mentioned in our Scripture today comprise an aspect of womanhood that we do not take enough time to consider: A woman’s strength and dignity, her wisdom, and the good advice that she is capable of giving; her ability to oversee the family, and the fact that she does not have the time to be idle. Her every waking hour is filled to capacity with important things to do! As always, I must repeat, that there are exceptions to the rule.
Many of these attributes are considered manly – strength, wisdom, overseer. But the truth of the matter is that many wives and mothers carry these attributes around in their genes! We need to. In a world that is considered a man’s world, we find ourselves face to face with situations that call for us to use our initiative, and make some hard decisions, on the spur of a moment. This calls for wisdom, strength, and the ability to “take over,” and oversee a situation, on our own, until the problem is solved. Oftentimes, there is no “arm of flesh” to help us. So we lean heavily on the, “everlasting arms!”
An item of interest on this list of wifely, and motherly duties, is the “faithful instruction [that] is on her tongue.” Perhaps this is the work of greatest importance on every wife and, or, mother’s, “to do” list. Moms and wives, if we do not already know this, let me inform, or remind us, that, in our words are life and death! We cannot afford to say just anything that occur to us.
Seek Godly wisdom to be able to give sound advice to the members of your family. Do not nag them (I am speaking to myself)! Talk with them. Learn the art of listening to their side of the story. There are times that you will have to admit that what you were wrong. Be big enough to do so, and be willing to offer an apology to your spouse or child. There are also times that you will not be the most popular person in your family because of a message you may have to deliver. But if you believe that it is the Lord, who has given you a message for one, or all, be faithful in delivering it, in love!
There are family members hanging on to our words for dear life! Our spouses care more about our opinion than even they themselves are aware! They want to know, from us, that they are “okay.” Also our children – they need to hear, from us, that they are special, and that we thank God for them. They must never, ever, hear us say, that they “are,” or “were”, “an accident.” God forbid that we should even think this way about a child, or anyone, for that matter. And please, don’t ever say to your spouse, that your marriage was a mistake. Do not entertain the thought (E. G. White).
Nevertheless, remember that you owe it to God, to yourself, and to your family, to take the best care possible, of yourself; because, “A virtuous woman” is one of a kind!
NOTE: These counsels are shared from a Biblical, not a clinical, perspective.