Good Morning! Welcome to Monday! We're continuing to get to know the woman of Proverbs 31 a little better as we journey phrase by phrase through this chapter of Proverbs. Today we have arrived at verse 11 and are attempting to understand this phrase and how it applies to us in the 21st century.
Let's begin by thinking about what it meant in the culture of the Old Testament. I did a little research and discovered that in those days, when one army went to battle and defeated another, the victorious army carried off the "spoils of war"......people, livestock, jewels, clothing, and treasures of silver and gold. There were other ways as well that people obtained wealth without going to war. These included hiring oneself out as a servant, borrowing, or the same pattern we often see in our culture.......lie, cheat, steal!
What does that have to do with being a woman of God, with being beautiful in His sight? Maybe it has to do with determining that it will not be necessary for our spouse to lie, cheat or steal to gain wealth! (Or, if you are single, to determine that you will not do that yourself!!) Maybe it has to do with making a contribution to the household income. Or maybe it has to do with being a good steward, a good manager, of whatever wealth or assets the household has. It seems to me that this last point fits well into the overall context of the chapter. This is a woman who is committed to the well-being of her household.
It's not my intent to make this a post about money or money management. In fact, I'm probably the last person you want to take advice from when it comes to money! My advice is......if you need help in this area, you should get it!! My other advice is this (a quote I heard a couple of days ago from a well-known financial "guru" on a television news show)......"pay attention to the details"! And I think that fits well into the context of today's Scripture passage. I think this Proverbs 31 woman is one who paid attention! And her household benefitted from it!
Without sharing any horror stories, let me just say that the lesson here is this......pay attention! Be a good steward, a good manager, of what has been entrusted to you, whether it's a lot or a little. In this way, God is honored and your family benefits as well.
This might be a good day to do some research on the topic of biblical stewardship. What does the Bible have to say? Use your word study tools, such as http://www.blueletterbible.org/ and see what you can learn. Here are a few verses from Proverbs to get you started:
- Proverbs 14:1
- Proverbs 21:6, 17
- Proverbs 24:3-4
- Proverbs 27:23-24
- Proverbs 28:19
And that's what I want for us as well.....
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