“…he will not lack anything good. She rewards him with good…” Proverbs 31:11-12.
I’ll never forget the day when I read about the Proverbs 31 lady’s behaviors, (that we find in verses 13-24), and a light bulb moment with God occurred. For years, I read the account of her behaviors as an impossible list to be carried out in my life. The tasks, the hours she’d invest into each day’s work, the daily goals and the mind-set she demonstrated only made me feel exceptionally weak and so “less than” as a woman. I knew the Scripture was a beautiful description of the excellent wife and was there to inspire and direct me into living as the “ideal woman,” full of virtue and strength. But honestly I was looking at it from the wrong perspective, seeing it through the lens of legalism. I read the verses like I would a “Punch list.” (Haven’t we all?) But then that moment came….I read this admirable woman’s behaviors afresh and saw what I was missing.
Priority.
I’m not talking about a mental priority, but a spiritual one. A priority that originates in my heart – in my place of “will & want-to.” In that place where we find desire and longing and passion. We can know all day long what needs to be done and all the needs that need to met. And yes, we can go about it all rather diligently and consistently. But being the woman your man needs is being a woman driven by priorities that find their fuel from the heart, not the mind. He will not lack anything good and she rewards him with good because her behaviors, her day-to-day actions, are deeply rooted in the priorities of God’s own heart being carried out in and through her.
The Proverbs 31 woman is driven by priorities that have their beginning in her surrender.
So what does this look like practically?
Heart-priorities drive us to keep a before-sunrise-until-after-dark schedule, go here and there in order to be thrifty, being resourceful and entrepreneurial in investing and reinvesting. To keep providing food, clothing and adequate care for our household and those in need. And by virtue of rigorous work staying strong, making efforts to honor others, only to have blessings returned to us by grace. This woman made a significant contribution to her man’s reputation and his success. Through her “driven priorities” in doing all she could toward his own “good“, promoted his own advancement in public honor. (vs. 13-24)
Practical Tip: Being driven by heart-priorities results in multiple fruitfulness, and your man will not lack anything good. It’s a promise. Do a heart check today. Ask the Lord to help you live driven by priority because as we see in our Proverbs 31 woman, the results are well worth it!
