A Woman of the Lord

Two readings today seemed to speak on a similiar topic.

Proverbs 31

10 An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
11The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
15She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
22She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29"Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all."
30Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.

and 1 Timothy 2

8I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; 9likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10but with what is proper for women who profess godliness--with good works. 11Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15Yet she will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

Proverbs 31 seems to be a favourite of many women (and some men), pointing to just who and what we should be as women. Quite frankly, I look at this passage and I think...um... right...FAILURE! It holds to such an ideal it seems unrealistic to try to meet it. And at times it seems...hmmm.....why should I even try? If I'm doomed to failure then there's not much point in reaching for it is there? Of course, that is taking a rather fatalistic approach though isn't it? :) And God calls me to more than I know I can reach anyways. He calls me to live a life of holiness and perfection. He has actually already declared me to be holy and perfect. (but then again, he sees me through his son) So if I continue to strive for holiness and perfection, though I don't see myself as anywhere close to the goal, should I not also strive to be the best wife that I can be, even if I see myself as doomed to failure?

When after reading the Proverbs passage, I read the Timothy passage, I see the theme continuing in a way. Women are to dress properly - to have modesty and self-control, to do good works, to be quietly submissive as she learns, to not teach men, to be saved through child-bearing IF she continues in faith, love and holiness while maintaining self-control.

How are these passages related?
Both show proper relationship between men and women.
They show how women can help men be what they are meant to be.

A while back The Rebelution did a series of posts on Modesty. They even put together a Modesty Survey. One of the things I found interesting in reading the results was how a woman dresses helps or hinders a man. Which of course makes me think, if women come to services with an eye to dressing to pleasing God and worshiping God (rather than throwing on whatever she feels like) it will help men in their worship and service and pleasing of God.

Likewise, if women help men to assume the roles in church and life witness that they are supposed to, then the church will be the better for it. Yes, we can talk...but the more we talk the less men do. Haven't you ever noticed that? Words can often come so easy to us, that it is easy for women to overwhelm conversation with our talking. So if we say to ourselves, for the sake of the men in the church, I will keep my mouth shut, then we are doing a God-pleasing thing. We are giving men the space and time they need to teach, edify, correct and therefore to DO what God wants them to do.

The Proverbs 31 lady does the same thing. She keeps her household running, she focuses on the physical things of life, raises her children, keeps food on the table, and lets her man be respected in the gates of the city. That's what a good woman does. She didn't run around trying to build respect for herself and her family. She ran around doing what needed to be done so her family and her husband could be respected.

If I see things from that perspective.....then perhaps I'm not as a complete a failure as I often think I am. Do I have room for improvement? For sure. But when I focus on doing what I need to do.... things in this household sure go a lot better! Makes it easier for my man to be the man that God has called him to be. And the side-benefit of it, is I LIKE IT!
I like my man being respected.
I like my man being able to get his work done.
I like my man being pleased with what he gets done.

It's just rather cool how it all works together. :)

The verse about child-bearing I do find interesting. :) Since having Justin my eyes have been further opened to the love that God has for us. How very patient he is with his wandering children, who do love him, but continually get side-tracked by the things they see and hear and feel around them. God loves us anyways. He continues calls us back on track to loving him and wanting him and pleasing him. Now mind you, if I don't see my parenting through the eyes of God and salvation then it does me no good. But parenting has changed my relationship to God for the better, which is something I totally did not expect. :) Should have read my bible better I guess! :)

I have to try not to be sidetracked here...but I do wonder about this line sometimes.

13For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.

Adam was there when Eve was tempted, so why does it always seem that Eve takes the greater blame. Is not the man to take an active role in how his wife is learning and perceiving things? Did not Adam have a role in the deception that Eve faced? Why is Eve seen as the transgressor and not Adam? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, to me, both should be see equally as transgressor's and not just the fingering seeming to point at one.

But then again, Eve did do all the talking...... :)