Proverbs 31:10-31 ... We're all familiar with this passage admonishing us as women to be busy about service to our Lord and family.  I've been guilty of reading this passage and of thinking all her activities happened in one day.  I've sort of looked at this passage as an account of "one day in the life of a godly wife", and thought I fall so short because I don't make my own clothes out of the finest materials, buy and sell land, physically feed the poor, and function joyfully in sleeplessness ... all on a daily basis.  I think to read this passage this way would be likened to pulling one detail out of one of Jesus' parables and building a doctrine upon it.  Parables are intended to teach an overall lesson, not to be plucked apart and have whole doctrines based on single points.  This story of the "excellent wife" is intended the same way, I believe.  There are many nuggets for us here, but one overall teaching.  We'll hit the nuggets first, and then the beautiful overall encourgement for us as wives and as Christians.  By God's grace, and for His glory alone, may we be excellent!

"An excellent wife, who can find?  For her worth is far above jewels.  The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.  She does him good and not evil all the days of her life."  (31:10-12)

This introduction is very important and shows the main thrust of what King Lemuel is teaching here.  He's not teaching about one day's work, but a life of service.  After v. 12, he proceeds to give a list of examples of the various ways this woman proves her excellency in joyful service to her Lord, husband, children, servant girls, and the poor.  The list is by no means exhaustive, nor is it prescriptive for us.  It is descriptive, giving a few details about her heart for servitude. 

"She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight." (31:13)

We make the mistake of focusing too much on the things she did and miss her attitude.  Here, Lemuel puts in a jewel for us, ladies.  Work with delight!  Do you scrub your toilet with delight?  Do you wash and fold the laundry for the 5,466,798,901st time with delight in your soul?  Do you wash those mud prints off the tile floor with joy in your mind?  Do you prepare food for your family day after day with pleasure? 

"She is like merchant ships; she brings her food from afar. She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household and portions to her maidens."  (31:14-15)

Okay, so my grocery store is not exactly considered to be "from afar".  The point is that she makes sure her family has food.  She goes to whatever lengths necessary, all things considered, to put food in the mouths of her family and all those under her care.  She gets up before daybreak -- that's not really that early, ladies.  The sun comes up here around 6:30 a.m. (Of course, that changes in different parts of the year with Daylight Savings and all).  Now, don't go setting your clock for 6:29 and think you're okay.  The point is, get up early enough to be able to have things in order to feed your family in the morning.  That will depend upon your family, when everyone has to be ready for the day's work.  For my family, it's 5:00 a.m.  For yours, it may be different.

"She considers a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.  She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong."  (31:16-17)

I must confess, I'm not a Real Estate agent nor a body builder.  I don't have enough money at my disposal to buy an acre of land, much less a field. (Just for curiosity's sake, I checked the price for a field on a road between home and church last night.  It was $700,000 for 50 acres!  This lady won't be buying that field!)  And, I don't lift weights enough to have any noticeable biceps.  So, what's the teaching here for me?  I believe it is to have in mind ways you can benefit your family financially and to work diligently.  It may be helping out with a family business, cutting coupons, planting a garden, mending clothes to get a few extra miles out of those play pants, sacrificing expensive toys for yourself, planning trips so that you may reduce mileage and save gas money, and the list could go on.  Strength comes from a working life, as opposed to softness that results from a life of leisure.  There's definitely a broad teaching here that we are to work hard and not to be caught up in worldly, leisurely laying around on the couch watching TV and eating the proverbial "Bon-Bon's". 

"She senses that her gain is good; her lamp does not go out at night." (31:18)

Does this lady ever go to bed?  We already read earlier that she gets up before daybreak to feed her family.  I believe this teaches that she is not anxious for physical rest because her heart finds so much joy in service.  She's busy past dark.  Darkness comes at different times of the evening, depending upon the time of year and your location.  So, again, don't get too hung up on an exact time.  This is a matter of avoiding slothfulness, not a prescription for sleep deprivation. 

"She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hands grasp the spindle.  She extends her hands to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the needy."  (31:19-21)

Here, we can learn to be just as mindful of stretching our hands to the poor as we are of stretching our hands to our work.  Both are a part of our nature in Christ.  We give ourselves to our work and to the needy -- pouring ourselves out for the benefit of others.  Isn't this the Christian life?

"She is not afraid of the snow for her household.  For all her household are clothed with scarlet.  She makes coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies belts to the tradesmen.  Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future."  (31:21-25)

Do we have to wear the finest clothes made of the finest materials in order to be godly?  Certainly not! (James 2:1-5) The broad teaching here is that we take the measures necessary to care for our family, clothing them.  We clothe them and ourselves as God provides.  But, most importantly, we, by God's grace and the work of the Spirit, are clothed in godly character, strength and dignity, smiling at the future because we trust a sovereign and good God to provide for our every need.

"She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue."  (31:26)

We are to think before we speak, making sure the words we say are edifying to others and glorifying to God.  (Ephesians 4:29,  Colossians 4:5-6, Proverbs 16:24) We are also to study hard so that we may teach well. (2 Timothy 3:14-17)

"She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her saying, 'Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.' Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." (31:27-30)

Here's the overall message, ladies ... Take care of what God has given you.  Work hard with joy in Christ.  Pour out yourself to the service of others to the glory of God, who has called you to do so.  As women, the most important ministry we've been given is our families.  We are our husbands' helpers and our children's caretakers and teachers.  Remember though, this call to work hard with joy in Christ is not just the call to wives, but the call to all Christians.  We all fall desperately short, so may we pray for strength from the Lord! May we be granted energetic hearts for service and abundant joy in Christ that overflows and extends to all those in our care.

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."  (Ephesians 2:10) 

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for  men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.  It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." (Colossians 3:23-24) 

"Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father."  (Colossians 3:17)