I doubt there are very few of us who wouldn't like to obtain this title.
The truth for me is that I very much want to become a wife of
excellence.
When Kyle and I got engaged, our pastor had us
counsel with him. Both of us had recently converted from Catholicism to
born again believers. He was a very wise man who has since gone on to be
with the Lord. His policy about husbands and wives was quite simple. To
me he read Proverbs 31, encouraging me to make this my life verse and
let it guide me all of the days of my life. To my husband he encouraged
loving his wife like Christ loves the church. On the surface it seemed that
this would be such an easy thing to do!
Then we got married and
the "fairy tale hit the fan"... so to speak. I cannot tell you how many
times we have had to revisit these verses and passages over the last 16
years!
Several years ago I made it a point to find any book that
would help me become who my husband needed me to be. I set about
collecting books, consuming them and trying to apply the principals I
learned. Some books fell short in a major way, while others remain on my
bookshelf, easily found and referred back to.
In the first oh,
say 10 years of my marriage there was a great deal of conflict in our
marriage. We both came into marriage with different concepts and
understandings. Especially when it came to roles we both play.
I
found a couple of books that really did help me. You see, it wasn't
until my eyes were completely opened to my own heart that I even
realized I was lacking. When I was preparing to speak at a Woman's
Conference in Paris our pastor called us together and asked what we
would be teaching on. Of course, I would be teaching on biblical
submission! Seriously, he almost fell over with laughter and called me
aside... and told me under no certain circumstances that, until I
mastered being submissive to my husband can I teach on it! At first I
was offended. But on my way home I had quite the talk with God, and then
I knew the truth. I was not ready to teach on this subject, instead God
would have me share my personal testimony of living through sexual
abuse for many years and God's healing powers.
I am so glad I
listened to my pastor and followed God's leading. My testimony of
this missions trip to France is amazing. But another story for a later time.
The
Excellent Wife by Martha Peace has been pulled again from my shelf. You
see... no matter how it appears on the outside, no matter how
"excellent" I feel I have become... there is always room for
improvement.
Upon reading the areas in the book I have
underlined, I see what a great and mighty work God has done in my life. I
also see many areas in which I still struggle and could do much better.
Over
these next few weeks I will be revisiting the attributes of an
Excellent Wife. I plan to make myself a Large blooming flower and tape
it on my front door. In the middle will be the words "An Excellent wife
is" and on each of the petals I will write the answers as God reveals
them to me. Some I know and practice, some will need better
clarification and application.
I hope to be able to show you and
share with you the awesome work I expect God to do in my life! And I
hope to be an encouragement to you as well, as we are all on this same
journey.
10 Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is more
precious than rubies.
11 Her husband can
trust her,
and she will
greatly enrich his life.
12 She brings him
good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She finds wool and flax
and
busily spins it.
14 She is
like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She
gets up before dawn to
prepare breakfast for her household
and
plan the day’s work for her servant girls.
16 She goes to
inspect a field and
buys it;
with her earnings
she plants a vineyard.
17 She is
energetic and
strong,
a
hard worker.
18 She makes sure
her dealings are profitable;
her lamp
burns late into the night.
19 Her
hands are busy spinning thread,
her fingers twisting fiber.
20 She
extends a helping hand to the poor
and
opens her arms to the needy.
21 She has
no fear of winter for her household,
for everyone has warm clothes.
22 She makes her own bedspreads.
She
dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
23 Her
husband is well known at the city gates,
where he sits with the other civic leaders.
24 She
makes belted linen garments
and sashes to
sell to the merchants.
25 She is clothed with
strength and dignity,
and
she laughs without fear of the future.
26 When she speaks,
her words are wise,
and
she gives instructions with kindness.
27 She
carefully watches everything in her household
and
suffers nothing from laziness.
28 Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her:
29 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but
you surpass them all!”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a
woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
31 Reward her for all she has done.
Let
her deeds publicly declare her praise.
* All of the underlining are mine! These are the points that touch my heart so much.
