A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
One of the things I love about this passage is the little details you can pick out. Today I want to pick out the detail of hands. Verse 13 says she works with her hands. Verse 17 says her arms are strong for their tasks, and verse 20 says she extends her hands to the needy. Wow! So many things to do with hands, and while this verse is talking about a wife of noble character, this so easily applies to any woman. Let's think about all the things we do with our hands throughout the day. They select and prepare food, they guide smaller hands across the street, they wash dishes, babies, and windows. Hands fold laundry and puts it away, hands type e-mails and write letters to old friends. Hands knead dough for bread or sprinkle salt for seasoning. Hands comfort the sick and can have the power to heal. Hands turn the pages on a 2000 year old manuscript, and it's our hands that we lift to Heaven when our hands need assistance.
When was the last time we stopped to appreciate all the things our hands are able to do? I know I don't realize how much I use my hands every day until I have a cut or a blister and it hurts with every activity. And yes, there are days where I find myself wishing God have given us two pairs of hands, but I think those feelings are meant for us to avoid pride and ask for help. It is truly amazing when I think about everything that God gave us the ability to do with our hands. Today as I go about my daily business, I am going to be more conscious of my hands and what they are doing. And I'll appreciate them a little more. I am so blessed because of the talents I can do with my hands, I thank God for providing the most useful tools- and they are always at the ready! I also thank God today for the desire to be more like the Noble Wife written above. I pray that he would have me use my hands today for his glory.
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