Monday, April 25, 2016

Day 4 of Thanksgiving ~ Thankful for 'Maids'

Thankful for 'Maids' Proverbs 31: 13-15 I'm probably not the first woman to read Proverbs 31 and say, "Well, she had servants and that's how she got all that work done". It's true that many biblical women had maid-servants and the woman portrayed in Proverbs 31 was of high social position, but what many people might not realize, is that Proverbs 31 may be describing more than one woman. The Life Application Bible states "that she may be a composite portrait of ideal womanhood". None of us can do everything listed in Proverbs 31. For instance, I enjoy writing and organizing (two things not directly stated in Proverbs 31), but I am not a good seamstress, nor can I knit. I think a good premise to stand on, is the belief that we become Proverbs 31 women, when we do the best we can with our time, talents, and the gifts that God gives us. The verses I want to take a look at seem very ordinary, but if you stop to put a modern spin on them, you will see that you work just as hard as she does and you have a lot to be thankful for. Here is a very small portion of Proverbs 31 to look at: "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 also while it is still night And gives food to her household And portions to her maidens." (Proverbs 31:13-15 NASB) Have you ever been clothes shopping with your children? It's insane. Just as this woman looked for wool and flax to make yarn with, we get everyone ready to go (just this in itself can be crazy), get through traffic, change a diaper, nurse an infant, head into the store, try to find stuff on sale (that's never on sale, on the day that you're there), find the correct sizes, deal with boys hiding in clothes racks and groaning in the bra section, take the potty-training toddler to the bathroom where he is afraid of the toilet and won't pee, wish your oldest child was old enough to babysit as you look longingly at the shoe and handbag racks but pass them as quickly as possible to avoid temptation, checkout and usually spend more than you wanted to (but your heart was good and in the right place; it just didn't work out), head home completely exhausted, and realize that what used to be fun is seriously A LOT of work, now! But if you think about it, we have modern-day servants (called vehicles, shopping carts, and conveyor belts) that make shopping much easier than in biblical times when they went to the market on a daily basis. This woman worked with her hands in delight. I love that phrase. It's one of my favorites in Proverbs 31. Do you do your laundry, dishes, and chores with delight? Because just like those women had maidservants in biblical times, so do we. They are called the washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, vacuum, etc. They make our lives easier. So while we may not have household servants making the workload easier, these modern day appliances are essentially, "extra hands", that we need to be thankful for. I don't always take delight in my household chores. I'm usually worried about the next thing that needs done. I'm writing this for myself, as much as anyone else. I want to work with my hands in delight, just like she did. This lady was compared to a ship who brought her food from afar. I definitely feel like I'm in a ship when I go grocery shopping. It is an all day affair for us, and then we usually have to do schoolwork along the way, and when we get home. It's another day that makes me exhausted but I'm thankful again that I have a vehicle that's big enough to enable me to only have to shop every two weeks. We have a refrigerator, as well, that enables us to go longer between shopping, than the Proverbs 31 lady, could. She rises while it is still night and prepares food for her household. If Proverbs 31 is about one woman, I doubt she had an infant that kept her up during the night, and if she did, most biblical women of high social status had nursemaids, which actually breastfed the babies. When I don't have a nursing baby I do get up while it's still night, and make breakfast, and pack lunches. Not all of us can do that, but I think in the heart of every woman is the desire to do so. Our motive and heart's desire is what God sees; not if we sleep while the toddler (who is normally up at 6am) and the infant sleep a little later than usual. The point of that statement in verse 15, I think, is that we not be lazy, but instead work diligently to provide for our household. We can thank God for the seasons when we are up a lot during the night, with babies. We can thank him for ANY sleep we do get, during these seasons. We can thank God and bless his name when we don't have any babies, we sleep more during the night, and we are able to get up earlier. How my heart longs for the days when I can return to my early mornings, again. I miss that time with my husband and with the Lord. The last sentence in verse 15 states that the Proverbs 31 woman gives portions to her maidens. We don't have any maidservants. Some of us have daughters but I would hate for you to view any of your children in this light. Children should help around the house; they are a vital part of any household that functions well, but never should they be seen as your servant. How can we view this last portion of the verse, in a modern yet biblical way, then? I'll tell you how I view it. You remember that our vehicle, our appliances, and our modern inventions are essentially 'extra hands'? They are almost like maids, for us. Thus, I think that providing care and stewardship for them, should be a part of any modern-day Proverbs 31 woman. We are called to steward all gifts from God wisely. We need to treat these gifts as if we are thankful for them. We can keep them clean, sparkling, and in good working order. We can budget for oil changes, car washes, filters, etc. We can teach our children to care about things and not destroy them. This, if anything, grows gratitude in children, for property of their own and others. I need some help in this area. I see going to the car wash as "driving in the rain"! If something has wheels or a motor, or both, I will find a way to ruin it. Thankfully, (and I am seriously thankful) I met and married an engine mechanic who can fix literally anything! :) At least God knows I am thankful for my husband, and that my motives are pure when it comes to things with motors. He knows I just lack sense. In conclusion, can you begin to see modern inventions comparable to biblical servants? Can you begin to be thankful for these "extra hands"? Nothing fosters this more, than doing without for awhile, which we have done a time or two. If you have never done without, try to imagine what it would be like. Today, let's be grateful for the modern things we take for granted! God bless!

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