The Week In Review

A woman that seeks – marks of a virtuous woman

A RIGHTEOUS WOMAN RISES EARLY AND SEEKS:
The scripture says, “She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, an portion to her maidens. – Proverbs 31:15

If we look at all the different things this virtuous woman is able to do, it hinges on the fact that she is obedient to God and also on the fact that she rises up early in the morning, when the sun has not even shown itself over the horizons and begins to prepare for her family. She provides food for her family. I’m not simply talking about physical food, but spiritual food as well.

When you think about rising early, I think about more than simply getting up early from bed. I also think about early in the process. This attitude is pleasing to God as scripture says,

I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall fine me. – Proverbs 8:17

A virtuous woman then is able to provide for her family because she consults God about her day. She doesn’t simply get up early in the morning and seek him, but she also seeks him early in the process of what she is doing as well. She does not do things her way first, and then after she has failed or things have become too hectic go seeking God to help her or bail her out of her problems. Instead the virtuous woman seeks God at the beginning of her day, and at the beginning of whatever her hands will undertake so that she can be equipped for the task. The only reason why this woman can run a business, take care of a family, know how to shop for a bargain, is because she is not depending on her own wisdom, but is seeking God’s wisdom.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. – Matthew 6:33

A virtuous woman will benefit from obedience to God. This woman in scripture was one that exhibited her trust in God and because she rose early to seek God, she was able to trust him for the provision for her family. It was his working through her that enabled her to be a smart businesswoman. So it is with us today, we have to go to God first to seek what is his will for us in our daily lives. When we do that, he promises to add all the other things we need. So while I may have a list of things I want for my family, health, wealth, success, that is my “b” list. My “A” list is, God may your perfect will be done in our lives so that if you have to drop anything off my b or c list to get it accomplished, then your will be done.

When we seek God first and his righteousness, we then have our lives in the right priority. When we are doing things God’s way, we can have success. This is the mystery of how the virtuous woman was able to accomplish all that she did, she sought God first and he added to her. We cannot try to add to ourselves and then try to throw a “little” God in for good measure. When you do, you are already on the road to destruction. In her rising early, she also was giving the word “early” to her family. Her children were seeing the written words lived out in her life.

This is most important to a successful family; it is more than telling your children what to do, but mirroring for them the words of God from their “early years”. This is the greatest thing we can do to help our children go in the right direction. We can exhibit Christ for them, and then pray and ask God to water and grow the seeds we planted, but if we are not planting the right seed, we cannot expect the right harvest. And maybe you didn’t have the opportunity to mirror early for your children, maybe you weren’t a Christian at the time, but that is the blessing of God, to start then right where you are. Start early in your walk with Christ, even if that start was not early in your children’s life. It can still make an impact. You will allow your children to see, you were one way, but I now there is something to being a Christian, because you are different. What a gift to give.