If you’re looking for the Shrubyubs, they have a new home! From here on out you can keep up with all their adventures over at my homeschool blog, Grueling Homeschooling. Hurry on over and see the latest installment!
So I was reading Proverbs 31 the other day. Have you ever heard of it? It’s just an obscure little chapter in the Bible right after Proverbs 30. It doesn’t get much attention or anything. I’m not sure anyone has ever named a ministry after it, or written a sermon about it, or felt woefully inadequate after reading it.
Oh, how I kid.
So I was reading Proverbs 31 the other day, and I noticed something interesting right at the point where it says “An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above rubies” (cue self-flagellation). In the footnotes of my Bible was this note about the word “excellent”:
It said “literally ‘a wife of valor’”.
Now, that made me sit up and take notice. A wife of valor? Of course I had to inquire of the great and powerful Dictionary.com, and look up “valor”. Here’s what he had to say:
val·or (v?l’?r) n. Courage and boldness, as in battle; bravery.
Wow. Then I had to stop and look at the rest of the chapter. What are these things that make up a wife of valor?
- Working diligently
- Providing food
- Getting up early
- Spending wisely
- Exercising
- Helping the poor
- Clothing her family
- Teaching kindness
I am blown away by the goodness of my God right now, friends. The list above is humble. It is daily. It is even what the best of us might label drudgery on a really bad day. But God sees it for what it is: a battlefield. And it takes courage to face it. And He acknowledges that.
You’re not imagining it. It’s not just you. When you feel like you’re facing a battle each morning as you struggle up out of bed to tend to the needs of your young’uns, it’s because you are. When you feel like it’s a struggle to respond with kindness instead of harshness to the eleventy-millionth fracas of the hour, it’s because it is.
There are respites. There are shining moments of peace. There is so much to enjoy and be thankful for. But by and large, we ain’t called to take courage for nothing. Valor is what we need in order to face each and every day on this planet. And I am so grateful that I have a God who sees it for what it is.
You know, I’m gratified and comforted in knowing that God recognizes it for what it is, too. Society says raising children is an easy-peasy job ~ a cakewalk ~ and there is no real understanding/sympathy if a woman is struggling in any area of this undertaking.
God is so awesome to have made sure to send this word of encouragement to women… and I really appreciate you mentioning it today, Jenni. I, for one, needed the reminder! Thanks!
Thank you so much for that. I have been feeling exactly that – like I’m ‘battling’ lately. (battling my weight, battling depression, battling feelings of failure and guilt) and your thoughts for today really encouraged me and brought tears to my eyes. Bless you.
What a beautiful post – thanks for the encouragement!
thank you. i needed that. just to help put some perspective on the day…just to know that God sees it and knows its hard helps.
I think Proverbs 31 should have made a mention of “blogging to encourage others” – you do that so often for me. Thank you for this!
Ditto! Super encouraging. Thanks for that little insight. I am a warrior-bride-mom! Kinda like Xena, only better.
A. Freakin’ Men!
Thank You Father for using this woman to speak to my heart today with something I really needed to hear!
Amen, sister!!!
I’ve never read Proverbs 31 with so much encouragement! You’ve helped me turn it from a condemning list of my failures to a beautiful recognition that God realizes how hard this really is.
So are you saying that most of us moms do what Proverbs 31 says, just in our natural, daily lives?
OMG this is the best I’ve ever heard this proverb related to ANYWHERE. Most of the time it is preached as you should be…. But you have turned it around in such an awesome way. I want to use some of what you’ve said and then send others to your blog today from mine. You have helped us all to see how wonderful God is that He truly knows the daily struggles, battles, and hardships that eventually lead to the victories of the day. Thanks so much for showing us the true meaning of this proverb.
~Shelly~
wonderful perspective and truth…
whenever I read that verse, I hear a yiddish man saying, “An excellent wife, who can find one?”
hah, hah…snort, snort…
wow…..just wow.
Thanks for speaking the Truth that I needed to hear today.
Peace
*~Michelle~*
My name means “Battle Maid.” I’ve always thought that was inapplicable…until now.
There are sometimes when I also recognize the very real battle that I am fighting for the souls of my children. Every once in a while, I am reminded that someone else desperately wants them, but I will fight this daily battle; I will bring them home to our Father.
And, yes, it is hard. Thank you for sharing your insight.
This was a great Prov 31 post, Jenni. And now I must be content as a soldier in the battle. That has been the hard part for me lately – the contentment.
Wonderful! Thank you.
Jenni, thank you for this post. I linked to it because I want my friends to read it, too.
Thanks for pointing this out. What a wonderful explication of that scripture. I’ve always approached that one much like the Beatitudes and the passage in Galatians about the fruit of the Spirit, as prescriptive, not descriptive. As in, “you must be like this or else”. Thanks for a great insight!
Thank you! it is soooo comforting to see that not as a list of “things to try for” (and miss) but as a passage that shows it is acknowledged as hard by our Creator! and He understands! Your post was a HUGE blessing to me! THANKS! and yes, it will make patience in the craziness easier just knowing this!
I’m so much happier with this chapter now. Valor, I can do.
Thanks for this. It is just what I need. God bless.
Wow, thank you for sharing this- what an encouragement!
OH THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I had lost your feed from Google Reader and had to track your blog down. For some reason it was much harder than I thought it would be…I could only find references to the old wordpress site. Anywho, I finally found you and then thought, “Wait, why was it so urgent that I find this right now?” and THEN I READ THIS POST. And with tears streaming down my face, looked up at HIM and said, “OH, THANK YOU SWEET JESUS!” Um, so I guess you could say I really needed this today. He is so good. Thanks for letting Him speak through your beautiful and hilarious bloggy blog.