Wisdom for the Wife - 3

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

The Working Woman
(Proverbs 31:13-19)

Rather than being shunned, the Bible depicts hard work as one of the greatest blessings of life. In our luxury mad society, work has, for some, become a dirty word. In fact, some folks work at avoiding work! Such should never be the attitude of a Christian woman.

Consider, for example, the Proverbs 31 gal: She worked willingly with wool and flax, crafting material necessities for her household (13). She practiced sound principles of home economics when grocery shopping (14). She was not a “sleepy head,” but rather arose before dawn to prepare a hearty, country breakfast (15). (Can I get an “Amen,” guys?)

In addition to domestic duties, she had honed her skills as a sharp business negotiator, closing significant deals to the profit of her household (16). In other words, she could function effectively both in the home and in the “real world.” You must admit, she’s quite a gal!

“How,” you ask, “did she get so good?” The answer is simple, but in our day undesirable: she worked at it. It took work to learn to weave; it took discipline to get up early; it took effort to shop efficiently; and it took devotion to fix that hearty, country breakfast. She did it all—and more—by the simple, old-fashioned, oft-derided virtue known as work! Be a working woman!

Help for the Husband - 7

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Providing for Your Own
(I Timothy 5:1-8)

Scripture enjoins Christian men to many duties, not the least of which is providing for the needs of their households. Paul’s command to the male breadwinner is heightened by his warning that failure to provide is a denial of the faith and places the professed believer in a class “worse than an infidel” (8). Providing for our families is a fundamental of our faith and should be a top priority for every Christian man.

We live, however, in tough economic times. For some (through no fault of their own), providing basic needs has become a real challenge. Today, as never before, men must be careful and conscientious regarding financial matters.

Being careful involves establishing a workable budget and living by it. It also requires establishing an “emergency fund” for use on the proverbial “rainy day.” Dave Ramsey’s book The Total Money Makeover is an invaluable guide to financial issues.

Being conscientious involves keeping priorities right before God. No matter how tight things get, you should not neglect faithful tithing. In addition, you should willingly sacrifice any luxury item in order to afford life insurance—just in case. That way, you’re providing for your own even when you’re not there.

Careful and conscientious—these two words go a long way in protecting the integrity of your faith.