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Tea Time for Ladies
thoughts from the pastor's wife
"She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens." Proverbs 31:15
When we travelled I was amazed at the amount of people that would consider themselves "not a morning person." I think in some ways it is becoming more and more popular - more and more acceptable. Many of us stay up late working on projects, watching TV, working or playing on the computer...we stay up way past the time that we should be getting good sleep and thus are unaware that there is such a thing as a sunrise, or we've never experienced the deep tranquility and stillness of the early morning hours. Often, we get up at the last possible moment, and if we are lucky, we rush through the couple of chapters in our "devotions," race the kids through the necessities before they enter their swirling world, and lose next to every ounce of dignity as we scream them into motivation.
This is not the scene in this verse. There is a serenity about it. The Virtuous woman had a staff - she not only had a home but servants as well. You would think that she would let them wake up and do the hard work while she got a little extra sleep. Not so! Instead, she got up ahead of everybody else - while it was still night. Why? Was it because she was a "morning person"? The Bible does not say this. Instead it gives us what motivated her to rise ahead of everyone else.
1.To give nourishment to her household. She took personal responsibility to make sure that everyone had the fuel that they needed to perform their tasks well. No one went without - not even the servants. She did not abuse those under her care by working them without nourishing them (the laborer is worthy of his hire)and she did not abuse them through careless neglect - "oops!! Didn't wake up in time - guess everyone is going to have to start the work and activities of the day with no food !"
2.To give the assignments of the day to her staff and family so that everything ran efficiently. "...a portion to her maidens."does not mean that she gave them a portion of food, but rather a portion of the work. She had thought out and delegated their assignments. She had thought through all of her duties and harmonized the many priorities in life so that she would not fail in any area of responsibility or influence.
This begs a few questions of us. What gets me out of bed in the morning? Is it because I need to have that QUIET time of waiting on the Lord and getting His perspective on my life and responsibilities - or is it because I have to or I'll be fired or the kids will miss the bus? Is it because I have duties to perform, people under my care, and I must be diligent over the execution of our time and energies - or is it because I'm hungry and need some breakfast? Do I have a day by day game plan for myself and those under my sphere of responsibility - or do I fritter away my "free time" and fall from one activity to the next hoping that somehow somewhere my kids will figure it all out? Do I LIVE ON PURPOSE or does the TV, Computer/Internet, or shopping eat up my life? We are the only one, ladies, who can choose who we will be and what legacy we will set for our children and grandchildren. If we fail, it is our fault. If we waste and squander, it is our fault. If we are careless and forgetful, it is our fault. If we have chaos and no place to rest it is our fault. Life is exactly what you let God make out of it in your life - it is a choice not an accident - and the virtuous woman chose well.
Thought for the week: What motivates you? What gets the bulk of your time, energy, and focus? Are you embracing the responsibilities God has assigned to you and made the most of them, or are you making excuses?
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