The Virtuous Woman

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The Virtuous Woman

The Virtuous Woman

“Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised” (Proverbs 31:30).

Christmas Season

We are entering a month that has been traditionally busy. During the Christmas season, some of us are under strain to decorate our house, cook meals for guests, buy gifts for family and friends, and attend parties and parades. Resting is while driving or on the way to visit relatives. Where can we find joy in such a hectic schedule? What is our motive for doing all this work?

Blessing Her Home

Consider with me the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31. She got up early (31:15) and went to bed late (31:18).  Hard work did not frighten her (31:27), making her own clothes (31:13), including the thread itself from wool and flax (31:13,19). She was strong physically from her work (31:17).   Budgeting her time, she could go shopping for food (31:14). Anticipating future needs, she bought a field and planted a vineyard on it (31:16). A good manager, she supplied the materials for her household staff (31:15). 

Counting herself blessed at home, she reached out to do things for the poor and needy in the community (31:20). This lady was an entrepreneur, making fine linen and selling it. Some items she sold were girdles, or sashes, to be used like belts around the waist (31:24).

Wisdom

Speaking with wisdom using the law of kindness, she instilled in her children godly values (31:26-27). Taking care of the needs at the house freed her husband to be an elder, a leader in the community (31:23). Loving her family in practical ways so their needs were amply met, this lady’s husband and children praised her (31:28).

How could this virtuous woman live such a busy life? We wonder if she thought it a drudgery at times to do all that work. Was she overextended? 

Reverance of God

Her virtue did not come from herself but was sourced in God, whom she feared (31:30). Reverencing God, He gave her ideas she put into practice. That gave her moral backbone and physical strength.

As this lady took care of her family’s needs, she found ways to excel in being a woman clothed with strength and honor (31:25). This virtuous woman realized her ability and strength lay in being a channel for God to use for His glory.

These days everyone alive is being stretched. Like the proverbial moving target, the jobs we are tasked to do keep changing. This is the time when God is the most useful. He is not surprised when we encounter changes we did not anticipate. 

May we as imperfect people excel in leaning on God today. In this way, virtue will be found in us in the form of spiritual fruit that will remain. Fruit-bearing creates joy because God is fulfilling His purpose for our life on earth. The attainable goal for today is to let His light shine in us so others will see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). May God be praised!

https://youtu.be/XGnhBByRGjU

https://youtu.be/XGnhBByRGjU Who Is She? Proverbs 31

Shirley  Logsdon

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About Shirley Logsdon

I am the only child of Christian parents who wanted me to know God personally as they did. One night during church we watched a movie depicting a family in their home accepting Jesus as their personal Savior. I was nine and realized then my desire to make Jesus my personal Savior. With the full support of my parents, I met with the pastor and prayed to receive Christ. A few years later, several of us around the same age began classes for our confirmation to become church members. The privilege of taking communion was a special time for me. . During my teenage years I was outwardly complacent, but was inwardly rebellious. I developed the nasty habit of disrupting harmony in the household by nitpicking at anything and everything. A preacher came to hold revival services at my dad’s church and nailed me silently with looks. This helped me tremendously. I turned a corner and began to respect and obey my parents in attitude and actions. I survived these years through prayer (mine, my parents and friends). The love and tenacity of my parents and God’s grace got me through these years of upheaval. I readily identify with David the Psalmist when he said in Psalm 25:7, “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to Thy mercy remember Thou me for Thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.” Because my parents provided a stable home life for me, when I went to college my Christian values remained intact. After completing my education in 1979, I started working. For a while, I worked at temp agencies, then I did odd jobs. I settled down in a secretarial position in 1986 working for a firm specializing in retirement plan administration. In 2007, I started working for a law firm, eventually becoming a knowledge management assistant in their law library, helping to alert attorneys to new business opportunities. I am a productive citizen of my country in large part because my parents prayed for me and made clear by word and example what they expected of me. I am extremely grateful to God for them. John 15:5 is my life verse: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.” I am confronted with this realization every day I live, and it helps keep me on the straight and narrow path. I met my future husband at church. After a few years of our two families getting acquainted, he and I started courting. We married at the church where we met, in the presence of many relatives and friends. We have been married for 29 years. My hobbies are reading, cooking, and canning or freezing what my beloved husband grows in the garden. Also, I thoroughly enjoy writing. While my writing has included poems, most of my writing has been letters to family and friends. I like to share my faith when I write and am fond of adding a Bible verse or two to help focus on the source of our life. Since I am now retired after working 38 years, I can concentrate on keeping up with birthdays. Something else I enjoy is studying the Bible, often with others. Blogging is a new form of writing for me. I am getting my feet wet and I’m beginning to enjoy the experience.

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