When I look at Proverbs 31, I think, wow, what an amazing woman. Am I ever going to get there? Last night for dinner I made my husband a tuna casserole and a cake. I cleaned house, and made our home nice and clean for him. But being a wife is so much more. It is making our home warm and inviting, its sitting down to dinner together and taking time to listen about his day, not all that aggravated mine. This month on the 14th it will be our 20th anniversary, and I gotta tell ya, I am still learning this wife thing. I think each day together we can learn so much, if we just take our focus off of ourselves and place it on God and others. I am blessed with a wonderful husband. This man that God brought to me changed my life forever. Each day my husband still tells me I am beautiful, even when I know I am pretty much looking my worse, but he sees my heart.
Listen to this verse: Proverbs 31:10-11 It is hard to find a good wife, because she is worth more than rubies. Her husband trusts her completely. With her, he has everything he needs."(ncv)
This woman in Proverbs seems to do everything effortlessly, as she seems to have it all together. But does this perfect woman exist? We are wise to understand this description of this woman is who God wants us to be. These are the qualities God wants us as wives to hold dear to our hearts.
I know I am never going to be perfect, but I can give my best, and give with a loving heart. It does me no good to stand in the kitchen and cook with a bad attitude. I am to do that with all love. It does me no good to do the laundry and complain about each load.
My life needs to show less of me and more of God. When I am serving God with a joyful heart, when I am doing everything for Him, then all else will fall into place.
When my husband walks through the door I need to meet him with a hug, with a smile and be inviting, welcoming him home. When we are going through trials, I need to lift him up and encourage him through all.
Too many times I can just see all that I have to do today, I see the mess at the front door, I see the dishes and laundry piled up waiting for me. But when I am seeing all those things, who am I really focused on? You got it, me. I simply need to take my focus off of me, and stop thinking about all I am doing. And begin each day with a new attitude filled with love, the love that Jesus has instilled in my heart.
I want to be that woman God has made me to be. I was to strive to be a virtuous woman, one that my husband looks upon with beauty and love. God doesn't ask for anything less, He wants us to be who He created us to be. We do not get there over night. It is a growth that happens over time, and one that I am so thrilled that I am blessed to share in with my husband. Praise Jesus for grace. For that same grace He gives, we too have to give to our husband, and to ourselves. As a wife I know I am going to struggle, I feel as though at times I am never going to make it, but in walking with Christ, He is showing me lessons to help me grow. Remember when we take three steps forward and two steps back we are still moving forward one step at a time.
I have realized not to look to the world for the example of a wife I am to be, not to the television, the news, or the magazines, or even my friends, I am to look to God and follow His instruction and His picture of the virtuous woman.
My husband needs to be able to trust me completely. I remember when I would go shopping and purchase a few things, maybe even a new purse, and what do you think I did? Do you think I pulled them out as soon as he walked through the door, and said,"Hey honey, look at all I bought today?" No, I would place them in the closet and after a few weeks pull them out and put them on. When he would ask me, "Hey, that's pretty is it new?" I would say,"No, its been hanging in the closet for a while!!!!!" Let me tell you, that is not being honest my sisters. That is not trust. That again is "I". My husband needs to know he can trust me with everything, from the words we share, from the love we feel, and down to the money we have. I should be trustworthy in every way.
I need to be all I can for my husband.(Far more than rubies!) I can not make him complete, only Jesus can do that. But as his wife I need to be knocking myself out bringing him joy and making him feel loved. Too many times I lack in that. We get tired, we get crabby after our day, but then again don't our husbands after a long day at work, out in the weather?
Let me tell you my marriage is far from perfect. We have our bad days just we have our good. I do not need to look to my husband and see what he is not, but look to him and see all that he is. When I begin with me, changing my attitude and my outlook on things, it helps him to see more clearly too. We can not change another, but we can change ourselves. If I am striving to look like Christ, then my husband will be blessed indeed, for he will see Christ through me.
Today Lord I thank You for blessing me with my husband. Help me to be the woman You have chosen me to be. Help me to be the best wife I can, the best mother, and friend, and most of all, may I be the best I can for You Father. Lead me in Your ways, and fill me with all You have.
