A few months ago, my family started something new. The Lord put this on my heart. I was curious, how could I pray more effectively for my family. What did they pray for? I wanted to pray deeper than, "Lord meet the needs I don't know." I was nervous to talk with my husband about it. I know that sounds strange, but my prayers are personal, and sharing them seemed intimidating almost embarrassing. This stirred in my heart for a few days when I heard a radio pastor talking about the book of Nehemiah and how it was instruction on how to build something. I felt as though God was saying read Nehemiah, and learn to build. It was the perfect Segway.
My husband has started a new career. He is now an insurance sales man. Not just any insurance, he is selling health insurance. When he came to me and said, "I want to sell health insurance." I am pretty sure my inner dialogue went something like this, "Are you crazy? Have you lost your mind? Do you watch the news? No one wants to be in health insurance right now, they don't even know what the health insurance laws are going to be!" Before I could open my mouth, he followed it up with, "I just feel like this is where God is calling me."
When God calls you to something; the point is to be obedient. Even when you can't possibly see the plan. So, I asked him to read Nehemiah with me, and to pray for our new business together every night for 30 days and lets see what God will do.
We called it the 30 day challenge. As a family we were going to read the Bible and pray together every day. (sidebar) This is where I found the verse that is the secret to life. Proverbs 20:24 " The Lord decides what a person will do; no one understands what his life is all about." It's almost like God is telling the kids, "Hey because I said so!"
As a family we started in the book of Nehemiah and learned about building. Then we moved to Job and on to Proverbs. Tonight was our last night in Proverbs.
I was dreading it. All Bible reading women know Proverbs 31. It is the book declared as the standard for the Godly wife. As we started to read, my hubby was ready. He and I often joke about being what we call P31. He was ready to give me a hard time and laugh, but something really interesting happened.
My women friends, do you read the Bible with your kids? Do you have a daughter? I do, and she is 11, and how she saw Proverbs 31 was a gift from God. God's word is written for kids too. I think we get caught up in thinking we need to create entertainment, or fill in with activities when we teach the word. The truth is, we don't. The bible says that the Bible is God breathed, and it is often called the living word, because the Holy Spirit can reveal in the same scripture different perspectives for different stages of life. I was comforted by an older wiser women once before that Proverbs 31 is not just a day in the life of a woman, but it is many seasons, and not meant to be lived out as an expectation of weekly duties.
Back to my point, Here is Proverbs 31:
31 These are the words of King Lemuel, the message his mother taught him:
2 “My son, I gave birth to you.
You are the son I prayed for.
3 Don’t waste your strength on women
or your time on those who ruin kings.
You are the son I prayed for.
3 Don’t waste your strength on women
or your time on those who ruin kings.
4 “Kings should not drink wine, Lemuel,
and rulers should not desire beer.
5 If they drink, they might forget the law
and keep the needy from getting their rights.
6 Give beer to people who are dying
and wine to those who are sad.
7 Let them drink and forget their need
and remember their misery no more.
and rulers should not desire beer.
5 If they drink, they might forget the law
and keep the needy from getting their rights.
6 Give beer to people who are dying
and wine to those who are sad.
7 Let them drink and forget their need
and remember their misery no more.
8 “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;
defend the rights of all those who have nothing.
9 Speak up and judge fairly,
and defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
defend the rights of all those who have nothing.
9 Speak up and judge fairly,
and defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
The Good Wife
10 It is hard to find a good wife,
because she is worth more than rubies.
11 Her husband trusts her completely.
With her, he has everything he needs.
12 She does him good and not harm
for as long as she lives.
13 She looks for wool and flax
and likes to work with her hands.
14 She is like a trader’s ship,
bringing food from far away.
15 She gets up while it is still dark
and prepares food for her family
and feeds her servant girls.
16 She inspects a field and buys it.
With money she earned, she plants a vineyard.
17 She does her work with energy,
and her arms are strong.
18 She knows that what she makes is good.
Her lamp burns late into the night.
19 She makes thread with her hands
and weaves her own cloth.
20 She welcomes the poor
and helps the needy.
21 She does not worry about her family when it snows,
because they all have fine clothes to keep them warm.
22 She makes coverings for herself;
her clothes are made of linen and other expensive material.
23 Her husband is known at the city meetings,
where he makes decisions as one of the leaders of the land.
24 She makes linen clothes and sells them
and provides belts to the merchants.
25 She is strong and is respected by the people.
She looks forward to the future with joy.
26 She speaks wise words
and teaches others to be kind.
27 She watches over her family
and never wastes her time.
28 Her children speak well of her.
Her husband also praises her,
29 saying, “There are many fine women,
but you are better than all of them.”
30 Charm can fool you, and beauty can trick you,
but a woman who respects the Lord should be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned;
she should be praised in public for what she has done.
because she is worth more than rubies.
11 Her husband trusts her completely.
With her, he has everything he needs.
12 She does him good and not harm
for as long as she lives.
13 She looks for wool and flax
and likes to work with her hands.
14 She is like a trader’s ship,
bringing food from far away.
15 She gets up while it is still dark
and prepares food for her family
and feeds her servant girls.
16 She inspects a field and buys it.
With money she earned, she plants a vineyard.
17 She does her work with energy,
and her arms are strong.
18 She knows that what she makes is good.
Her lamp burns late into the night.
19 She makes thread with her hands
and weaves her own cloth.
20 She welcomes the poor
and helps the needy.
21 She does not worry about her family when it snows,
because they all have fine clothes to keep them warm.
22 She makes coverings for herself;
her clothes are made of linen and other expensive material.
23 Her husband is known at the city meetings,
where he makes decisions as one of the leaders of the land.
24 She makes linen clothes and sells them
and provides belts to the merchants.
25 She is strong and is respected by the people.
She looks forward to the future with joy.
26 She speaks wise words
and teaches others to be kind.
27 She watches over her family
and never wastes her time.
28 Her children speak well of her.
Her husband also praises her,
29 saying, “There are many fine women,
but you are better than all of them.”
30 Charm can fool you, and beauty can trick you,
but a woman who respects the Lord should be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned;
she should be praised in public for what she has done.
While we continued talking, my husband had a few things to say about how he read it. Then my daughter asked a question that never occurred to me to ask. Y'know Proverbs 31 is the rules for a Godly wife, the book that we use to compare ourselves, and make judgements that are the results of a sinful world. I never thought to ask the question posed to me, "Mom what does it say about a husband?"
What an amazing revelation! We went back and found that this book has some great advice on the character you should look for in a man. What does Proverbs 31 say about the husband? A good man should:
8 “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves;
defend the rights of all those who have nothing.
9 Speak up and judge fairly,
and defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
Her husband trusts her completely.
With her, he has everything he needs
Her husband is known at the city meetings,
where he makes decisions as one of the leaders of the land.
Her husband also praises her,
29 saying, “There are many fine women,
but you are better than all of them.”
The 30 day challenge has long past the 30 days and become a daily routine we all look forward. As we grow a new business and approach the 6th grade and having a junior high student, I can't think of a better way to find our answers. The days ahead are going to be filled with comparison. They are going to be filled with questions about purpose and defining self. As we look for definition, should it not be defined by the creator?
I challenge you to open your bible, pick a book and read it with your family. You might find that the questions of your kids, will help you to see that what you thought looked like a fail, is really a win after all!
This is Miranda's Mindset, now let me hear yours!
