She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.
Proverbs 31:14
At first reading, this verse might be thought to mean that a Proverbs 31 woman cannot drive down to the nearest store but must trek a minimum amount of miles to get her groceries. History and cultural context is obviously key to interpreting this verse.
The Bible makes it pretty clear that ancient Israel was an agricultural society. How many times are wheat, harvest, fields, and herds mentioned? The Israelites were largely self-dependent in the sense that they provided their own food without relying on trade with other nations. The people farmed for their own needs and provided for their own families.
This doesn't mean, though, that Israel didn't do any trading at all. Merchant ships exported grains, olive products, and wine. What they brought back was exotic and luxurious; usually reserved for the upper class.
The exemplary woman's grocery buying habits did not have to do with the distance she traveled, but with the quality she provided for her family. She wanted to give them the best she possibly could and that meant traveling long distances to buy foreign goods. It's important to keep in mind that she didn't do this irresponsibly, wasting all her grocery money on an ounce of fancy cheese. She did the best she could within her means.
What does this verse teach us, a generation in which the world is increasingly smaller? Should we travel to Japan to buy fresh fish or hop on a plane to Italy to fetch a bottle of olive oil? Although I would personally love to, it would be impossible to shop this way! What this verse really teaches is to provide the best you can for the people you serve, whether that is your husband and children, your brothers and sisters, or a home group you're hosting. Try to always provide the best you can instead of taking the cheap way out and be willing to make reasonable sacrifices in order to do so. Its well worth it.
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