Proverbs 31 Woman

Thinking back over my prayer journals, one thought comes up a lot. I want to be a better wife and mother. There is a description of a woman that begins in Proverbs 31:10 that is THE woman. I've decided to go through it one verse a week and look into what makes her tick. I can work on the same traits in my own life and maybe feel like I'm getting somewhere. Join me on Thursdays when I'll share this week's verse.

P.S. please forgive all the funky fonts -- blogger and word apparently do not get along. i try to fix it as I catch it but sometimes it jumps right back to the weird stuff.

See verse 10 here.

See verse 11 here.

See verse 12 here.

See verse 13 here.

See verse 14 here.

See verse 15 here.

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Proverbs 31:16
She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.

Character Traits:
What sticks out here is that in the first line she researches and makes a wise purchase. In the second line, she brings an increase from it.

Character Trait 1:
Making an informed purchase

Definition:
Research--careful study and investigation for the purpose of discovering and explaining new knowledge; the collecting of information about a subject

Purchase -- to get by paying money for

Verses in the Bible about it:
Proverbs 27:23

Know the state of your flocks,
and put your heart into caring for your herds,

Ecclesiastes 9:10

Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.

Luke 14:28-30

But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’

Summary:
The kinds of purchases made by the woman of a home can make or break that home. She should be well informed about the quality and pricing of any purchase. When she makes a purchase it should be of benefit to her home and family.

Character Trait 2:
Bringing an increase

Definition:
Profit -- the gain or benefit from something; the gain after all the expenses are subtracted from the amount received

Verses in the Bible about it:
Proverbs 3:14

For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold.

Isaiah 23:13

But in the end her profits will be given to the Lord. Her wealth will not be hoarded but will provide good food and fine clothing for the Lord’s priests.

James 4:13-14

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.

Ecclesiastes 5:9

Even the king milks the land for his own profit!
Ecclesiastes 11:1

Send your grain across the seas,and in time, profits will flow back to you.

Summary:
The verses above seem to be what she is about. She uses wisdom in her business dealings. She is working to bring an increase from her investments of money and time – whether that increase is in her earnings or providing good things for her family.

Conclusion for this verse:
This woman is industrious as I’ve mentioned before but, more than that, she is always looking for ways to put her family in a better, more stable position. She looks beyond her own little world and makes informed, researched decisions about how to invest and how to reap benefits from those investments.

Comments:
I sometimes forget just how much of an impact my own financial decisions and industriousness can have on our family. I often forget that what I do with the resources (including my time and energy) that are entrusted to me can have lasting repercussions on my entire family. My own discipline (or lack of) affects more than just me.

What’s more, this woman isn’t afraid to try something that may not necessarily be open to her. She doesn’t seem to say to herself, ‘Oh, I’m just a housewife.” She is willing to try things that may be ‘beyond’ her, particularly in a society where women were just things to be looked after and protected. Again, I’m seeing that purposeful action in what she does. I’m beginning to think this may become a theme for me.