Working willingly

Here we go... this is the verse that starts talking about some of the specific ways the virtuous woman demonstrates that virtue. Now, obviously, everything listed in this passage isn't something that she did every single day; but even considering that, it's still a daunting list!

Proverbs 31:13
She seeketh wool and flax,
And worketh willingly with her hands

This esteemed lady sought the materials that she needed for both providing for the needs of her family as well as contributing to the family's wealth... This verse shows her starting with raw materials, and later we see what she presumably does with these materials. Verse 19 speaks of her spinning, verses 21 and 22 mention her making coverings of tapestry as well as clothing for herself and her household, and verse 24 mentions her selling garments (Perhaps the order is inconsequential, but I find it interesting that it shows her working hard to make sure her immediate family is cared for properly before it mentions selling "extra" garments for some profit).

The part of this verse that especially stands out to me is that little word "willingly."

willing |ˈwili ng |
adjective [often with infinitive ]
ready, eager, or prepared to do something : he was quite willing to compromise.
• given or done readily : willing and prompt obedience.

This is Strong's - 2656 chephets khay'-fets from 2654; pleasure; hence (abstractly) desire; concretely, a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a matter (as something in mind):--acceptable, delight(-some), desire, things desired, matter, pleasant(-ure), purpose, willingly. see HEBREW for 02654

The idea here is not that she is resigned to working with her hands, or somehow just gets through it because she has no other choice. This passage does not paint a picture of a lady who is in the lower class, but one who almost certainly has servants (verse 15) and whose husband is well known and well respected (verse 23). If she wanted to, likely she could "eat the bread of idleness" daily, and be similar to the women described in 1 Timothy...

I Timothy 5:13:
And withal they learn also to be idle, going about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

And yet... even though she has the option of "taking it easy," this wonderful example of womanhood is ready, eager and prepared to not only work, but to find pleasure and delight in her homemaking!

Attitude is everything. I can’t count the times I’ve fallen into mentally grumbling about some kind of work or another. And yet, the instant I change my thinking, those jobs don't seem half so bad... in fact, I enjoy them! For example, the ever-present toilet. You know, toilets are gross. I get that. But compared to a lot of other things, scrubbing toilets is not bad at all. At least you have one, right? (Outhouses and chamber pots, anyone? Hahaha...) Why don't we make it easier on ourselves and just do it cheerfully instead of thinking about how nasty it is the whole time? It helps, believe me.

Sometimes all we need is to give ourselves a little shake and an attitude adjustment. Ah, the power of attitude. That's really what a lot of Christian living is all about, right? Luke 6:22, 23; Acts 16:25; James 1:2; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. There will always be rough days, always be jobs to do, always be times when we are tempted to become discouraged... But how we view these things is up to us. It's a choice we make, whether to view these things as drudgery or as a pleasure. No matter how lowly the task; when we perform it willingly, in love - as a fulfilling delight to us, it will help us all to become a little more virtuous... and a whoooole lot happier. :)


PS- We were without internet at our house for about 3 days, so I didn't know that we were covering verses 13-15 till I had already written this post... but I think the thoughts I had for this verse can tie in somewhat with all three verses. Hope that's not cheating too much! :)