Hebrews 11 Challenge: Heroes

For by it the people of old received their commendation.

Hebrews 11:2

Abraham, Moses, David are people whose lives we admire. No matter how many times you’ve read their stories, they never get old. Defeating Goliath and parting the Red Sea just never fail to impress.

Many preachers have tried to pinpoint what made these people great. Was it their God-given courage? Zeal for the Lord? Dedication to holiness? What characteristic can we mimic to be as great as them?

The answer is right here in Hebrews 11:2. What made these people great was faith. It tells us that it was by faith that they received God’s approval and that anything we can admire in them originated from that faith.

It’s a good thing I don’t have to live 175 years to be a little like Abraham, lead a mass pilgrimage to be a bit like Moses, or wrestle a bear to kind of resemble David. Actually, Christians are already a lot more like their Biblical heroes than they think. We already share in their faith and receive God’s approval by it alone.

The people of old, those heroes of the faith we so admire, didn’t work their way into hero-status. It wasn’t for the great things they did that God declared them righteous. Galatians 3:11 tells us that one can please God by doing good things (because we all eventually fail) but that by faith men are declared righteous.

Faith is what matters. Faith is what we should learn from the stories of people like Abraham, Moses, and David. Their faith is what we should admire and mimic. Forget the great works they did because works won’t ever get us anywhere. Faith is what will make us commendable before God first. He desires faith before heroic action.

Hebrews 11 Challenge: Intro

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

How many times have you heard the word faith in sermons? How many times has it come up in conversations with other Christians? How many times in your witnessing and evangelism? How many times in your personal prayer and Bible study?

Faith is a word we use really often, but have you ever stopped to really think about what it means? As a youth group teacher, I can say it’s one of the most difficult concepts to figure out and explain. It may seem simple at first, but explaining everything that belief really means quickly gets overwhelming.

This week’s verse clears things up a bit. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for.” It is confidence in God’s ability to keep those promises which haven’t yet been fulfilled. It is trust in his will to accomplish all those things Christians should be hoping for: salvation, heaven, everything finally being set right.

Faith is “…the conviction of things not seen.” It is knowing that God is real even though he’s presently invisible to us. It is knowing that Christ lived perfectly keeping everything the Law commanded, gave up his life to save those who trust in him and repent of their sins, rose from the dead on the third day, and ascended into heaven to sit at the Father’s right hand.

For the rest of the year and probably into the next, we’ll be looking at all the examples of faith Hebrews 11 offers and learning the details of what faith really is. Until next week, meditate on what you know of faith. Study Scripture on faith and compare what you already know to that. Do the two line up? What changes might you have to make in order to be more closely aligned to God’s word?

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Wrap Up

Our first Bible challenge is officially complete! It’s been great going through each verse that describes the Proverbs 31 woman. Is has definitely been edifying and useful for me to stop and consider each godly quality and I hope it has been for you too. Just in case you missed one of the posts or would like to revisit some of them, here are the links to the whole challenge:

1. Intro
2. Trustworthiness
3. Doing Good
4. The Hard Way Out
5. Looking for Quality
6. Sleep Less
7. Smart Spending
8. Strength and Submission
9. Thankless Work
10. Investing
11. Giving
12. Prosperity
13. Beauty
14. Building Up
15. Quality
16. Strength and Biblical Submission
17. Powerful Words
18. Don't Do Nothing
19. Rewards and Motive
20. Beauty and Charm
21. Rewards

Listing these just made me realize how similar some of them are. One of the benefits of taking more time to read and study Scripture is that you pay more attention to subtle differences in verses that can seem so alike at first glance.

Another benefit is that you get to really examine yourself and compare yourself to what Scripture says. I know it’s been both a blessing to see what I’ve progressed in and a challenge to realize how much work I still have to do.

My hope for this challenge is that it will help you become a better wife, mom, sister, daughter, and give you growth as a Christian. And next week, we’ll start a whole new challenge!

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Rewards

Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31:31

The first couple of years that my husband and I were in charge of youth group were beyond difficult. Our kids refused to pay attention, caused disruptions in every service, rebelled against all the rules we set, criticized every event we planned. It really seemed like they were trying to make ministry as difficult as possible.

Richie and I were putting a lot of hard work in, but it seemed like nothing we tried could make things any better. We spent a lot of time preparing their lessons, praying for them, trying to establish relationships, planning camps and retreats. No matter how much effort we put into ministry, it felt like we were getting nowhere. We were doing a lot but seeing nothing in return.

Working at becoming a Proverbs 31 woman can make you feel like that too. Maybe you’ve been following along with this series and trying to make changes but nobody has seemed to notice. Maybe you’ve been serving others selflessly for a long time but have never gotten a thank you. It' can get really discouraging really quick.

The good thing is, hard work doesn’t stay unrewarded. My husband and I eventually were blessed by the true transformation we saw in a lot of our youth group kids. Now there is even a small group that’s being discipled more closely and prepared for ministry.

If you put an effort into following God’s guidelines for Biblical womanhood your work will bear fruit and people are bound to notice. But even if in your lifetime you don’t get the recognition you deserve, know that the greatest rewards are those to be received in heaven.

All rewards and recognition must not lead us to take all the glory, though. We have to always remember that God is the source of anything good we do. If it weren’t for his help we’d be unable to follow what his Word tells us.

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Beauty and Charm

Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised.

Proverbs 31:30

Charm and beauty are without question two of the things our culture values most.

The people our society considers most successful (movie stars, singers, millionaires) are more often than not ridiculously good looking. Whether they’re successful because they’re attractive or attractive because their success can buy plastic surgery, the message we get is the same: beauty and success go hand-in-hand.

Today’s girls very quickly learn that a little charm can go a long way in getting them what they want. Cosmo to Teen Bop equally promise to teach us “50 fun new ways to flirt” and what kind of body language is sure to give us the result we want. Movies tend portray flirtatious women as the ideal we should all strive toward.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that God isn’t impressed by the things that wow our culture. In fact, it should be obvious that culture’s obsession with beauty and charm is at odds with everything Biblical.

It makes complete sense, but it can be so hard to remember! When everything around me tells me I should be worried about my body, that my face is far from perfect, that I should spend more time on my hair, that my style needs an upgrade or two, and that I should be concerned about making men take a second glance at me it’s extremely hard to remember what God’s word has to say.

That’s what this verse reminds us of. Whatever beauty I might gain will one day disappear; even if I die beautiful, my corpse will never be attractive. Whatever charm techniques I might master, they’ll be at best a façade and at worst a sinful attempt at deception.

God doesn’t want beauty and charm from us. He wants us to fear (respect, admire, adore) him! He doesn’t expect us to spend hours getting ready or to impress him with our charm – he expects us to follow the pattern he set out for us, to walk in his commandments striving to be more like him each day.

Proverbs 31 describes a godly virtuous woman. Out of 21 verses that describe her, only one mentions anything related to her beauty. That was obviously not her strongest point! That doesn’t mean she was ugly; it means that because among all her other admirable qualities, beauty was secondary. Her strengths were her wisdom, trustworthiness, intelligence, resourcefulness, and the love she showed her family.

Let’s think about what we’re investing in. Are we investing on the superficial qualities the world admires or on the virtues God calls us to? Memorize this verse. It’s incredibly helpful when standing in line at the grocery store with flawless faces staring at you from the magazine rack.

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Rewards and Motive

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."

Proverbs 31:28,29

One of the best earthly rewards anyone can receive is the gratitude, admiration, and respect of those who know you best, and that’s exactly what this verse is about.

What the people closest to you say about you means a lot. Those who know you best often have the clearest idea of who you are. While my youth group knows me fairly well, it is my husband who can truly testify about my character. After all, he’s spent the past four years getting to know me!

A stranger’s compliment may be nice, but my husband’s compliments always mean more to me. When he tells me he admires my growth in patience, I know I really have progressed. Because he’s the person closest to me, his evaluation of my character is most accurate (at least aside from God’s).

As we strive to become more like the godly woman described in these verses, we should receive praise from the people who know us best. That may mean your husband and children, mom and dad, friends or church family. This praise, however, shouldn’t me the reason for our pursuit of godliness.

Although the Proverbs 31 woman doesn’t work hard at developing good character qualities and serving others just to hear compliments. The compliments and rewards are a nice bonus, but our focus should always be God’s glory and not our own.

i hope that as we near the end of this challenge we can look forward to the rewards but also examine our motives for pursuing Biblical womanhood. Is our motivation God’s glory or our own?

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Don’t Do Nothing

She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Proverbs 31:27

With only four verses to go, we now arrive at the summary of this whole series. All the verses before this have shown us that the virtuous godly woman works to maintain her household.

We’ve seen that the Proverbs 31 woman rose early in the morning to start a productive day. She made clothing, bought food, planted vineyards, sold sashes, decorated her home, and helped the poor. This had to be a woman who didn’t often give into the temptation to just sit there and do nothing.

How many of us can say we’re as productive as this woman? Our daily to-do list may not include planting vineyards or sewing winter coats, but we all have things to do that are more important than the latest Top Model marathon (believe me, its easy to get sucked into those).

I recently had three weeks off of school. On my last day of class, I put together a list of things I wanted to do during my time off. It included painting the hallway closet, doing some work on the kitchen cabinets, re-finishing a couple of pieces of furniture, and keeping the house clean. Even though I had two full weeks to do this (one week was spent in Mexico), I somehow managed to accomplish nothing. These things would have benefited my family, but I instead chose to give in to my desire to waste time.

This isn’t to say that we should never rest or always be so busy we have no time for relaxation. There should be a healthy balance between work and rest. I think the problem is that we tend to lean towards resting more often than towards working.

A big part of taking care of your home and those who share it with you is resisting the urge to always do nothing. Whether it’s the television, the telephone, the internet, or something else that tempts you to forget to do laundry, make dinner, or help someone out, I encourage you to think of others before yourself. 

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Powerful Words

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

Proverbs 31:26

Have you ever blurted something out just to realize it would have been better to keep quiet? Have you ever stayed up wishing you could take some words back? Have you ever been haunted by the embarrassment of something you said?

That’s probably why the Bible has so much to say about our speech. We all struggle to control the things we say, to reform our words and sentences and align them more to Christ.

James 3 speaks about the damage our words can do, comparing the tongue to a small fire that can destroy a whole forest. Proverbs 18:21 speaks of the great power our words can hold. In Matthew 12:34 Jesus told the Pharisees that words reveal what’s in a person’s heart.

As virtuous women, we have to realize that the words we speak affect a lot of things. Our words have a lot to do with how others perceive us. They can bring encouragement or discouragement to those around us. They affect the mood of our family and in our surroundings. With our words we can either build up or tear down.

Many people have taught that our words are powerful in another way. They teach that the words you speak have power in and of themselves and you therefore have to be careful what you say because words become reality. According to these teachers, you shouldn’t say, “I’m getting sick,” even when you feel a cold coming on because then you will for sure get sick.

Although popular, that doctrine has no Biblical warrant and its not what this challenge is about. Our words have power only in the way our actions have power. If you kick a ball it will move. If you yell at someone they’ll be hurt.

The virtuous woman knows to have self-control and speak with wisdom and kindness. She is a blessing to those around her because she speaks good things. Let’s work at being virtuous in this way and start thinking about our words before we say them. Let’s stop ourselves before arguing with someone, before criticizing, before putting down, before mocking.

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Strength and Biblical Submission

Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.

Proverbs 31:25

In the year between my husband’s proposing and our wedding, a fear was constantly on my mind: would I be able to submit? I knew that as a Christian striving to be more Christ-like and aligned with the Word of God, I had to be a submissive wife. But I had no idea what that looked like.

One of the biggest fears this generation of 20-something women faces is submission in marriage. The question high school girls in youth group ask with the most fear in their eyes is, “Are wives really supposed to submit?” More often than not we picture a boring, weak, overly-dependant pathetic woman when we think of a submissive wife.

No one can argue that the Proverbs 31 woman is not a submissive wife. Verse 11 says her husband trusts her. Verse 12 tells us she does her husband good throughout her life. Verse 23 says she adds to her husband’s reputation. How could a rebellious wife who does whatever she wants without caring whether her husband agrees or not be such a blessing to his life?

Today’s verse should show us that being a biblically submissive wife doesn’t mean all those negative things we usually think of. A wife who submits to her husband isn’t boring, weak, over-dependant or pathetic. The Proverbs 31 woman is submissive but also strong and full of dignity and confidence.

The virtuous woman has so much strength and dignity that its apparent to everyone, just like your clothing is visible to everyone you encounter. Her confidence in God is so strong, she doesn’t worry about the future but faces it with a smile. This is as much as part of her character as her willing submission to her husband and all authority.

Biblical submission and strength can and should exist side-by-side. Its time to exchange the world’s ideas of strong womanhood for the Bible’s instruction.

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Quality

She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.

Proverbs 31:24

There were a few times last year (mostly around holidays) when I went on do-it-yourself marathons. I stumbled on several impressive DIY blogs that showed beautiful photographs of the neatest hand-made gifts and trinkets. About a million and a half pages were bookmarked and I vowed to make a stuffed animal for a friend’s new baby, a collection of flower headbands, fashionable tote bags, and cute fabric-covered journals.

Have you ever tried your hand at making something? You get all these fabulous ideas and daydream about how wonderful your creations will look and how happy and surprised the recipients of your handiwork will be.

In my case, the final product rarely met the standards I dreamt up. It wouldn’t have been a big deal if I hadn’t let it discourage me, but my disappointment kept me from trying again. And without trying again there’s no way I can ever get better.

Today’s verse speaks about the quality of the things the Proverbs 31 woman makes. We already know she makes great clothing for her family and beautiful decorations for her home. Now we see that the things she makes are even good enough to sell at the market. These aren’t itchy knit sweaters and scarves her kids wear because she forces them to!

What we have to remember is that this woman wasn’t born a superhero. No one, not even the great woman this chapter describes, is immediately good at everything she tries. The fact that the garments she made were high-quality doesn’t speak of some miraculous talent. It tells us that she practiced and didn’t give up when things didn’t turn out perfectly the first few times.

Skill isn’t something that appears overnight or that you get the first time you try something. We have to work and practice and learn from mistakes and not let our failures discourage us.

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Building Up

Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.

Proverbs 31:23

It’s been forever since we last heard about the virtuous woman’s husband. Proverbs 31, verses 11 and 12, speak of her husband’s trust and the good things she brings into his life. Now, after reading through some of the many ways in which she works so hard, he comes back into the picture.

At first glance, this verse seems a bit strange. So far, the majority of Proverbs 31 Woman verses have been mostly about her. They describe what she does, how she acts, and even how she dresses herself and her family. Right in the middle of that, we find a verse that seems to only speak about her husband.

The ESV Study Bible explains that the gates were the hub of an Israelite city. It was where the town’s leading men gathered. Being known there would be to them what being known in City Hall is to us. Only important, respected people get recognized in such high places.

What does this have to do with the woman of virtue? Proverbs 12:4 says, “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.” Whatever a wife does affects the way her husband is perceived by the public. She can contribute to his reputation or completely tear it down.

The fact that the Proverbs 31 woman’s husband sits among the VIPs has a lot to say about her. It means that the things she does build her husband up. She helps his reputation by keeping her own, helps his success by keeping a good home, helps him financially by being responsible and industrious. Every good thing she does helps her husband succeed.

It’s easy to fall into thinking our actions and choices have small consequences, but this isn’t true about anyone, no matter how insignificant we feel. Everything we do, whether good or bad, affects those around us, especially the people standing closest.

This week, lets consider whether we’ve been contributing to or tearing down their reputations, their chances at success. It takes a lot of courage and honesty to really look at our lives in terms of how we’ve affected others, but even more so to change whatever bad habits we find. If you notice something that needs changing, ask God for his help and trust that the Holy Spirit living in you is your helper.

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Beauty

She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Proverbs 31:22

Of all the verses that describe the virtuous woman, this is probably the most surprising one. All the hard work, the effort to take care of others, the willingness to invest time in skillful work are expected characteristics. We shouldn’t be surprised to learn that a godly woman does all that. But now a verse about her home decorations and clothing?

I think we can sometimes get so caught up in the need to be hard-working and industrious that we forget the value of beauty. Beauty, of course, is not the end for which we should strive or the matter around which our lives should orbit. It isn’t of highest priority or importance. It isn’t the pinnacle towards which we climb.

That doesn't mean, though, that it has no importance at all. It doesn’t mean beauty should be ignored, thrown out the widow, rejected as a vain endeavor. Beauty should have a place in the life of a Christian woman, especially one striving to be more like the Proverbs 31 woman.

Your home, whether an urban apartment, humble mobile, or single-family house, should be a place you and your family enjoy. It should be a place you all get excited about heading to after a long day or work, school, or errands. It should be a place where everyone can gather, rest, share, and grow together. It should be a place where your family glorifies Christ in every way. There’s no shame in investing time, skill, and resources into making it a beautiful place, because making it beautiful and enjoyable will help make it everything it should be.

The same goes for how we dress. We can care about our appearance and avoid vanity at the same time. The clothing we choose communicate something to everyone around us. What are your clothing choices saying about you? Whether we like it or not, sweats can convey as negative a message as an immodest dress. There is nothing wrong with taking a few extra minutes each morning to pick out something that reflects our character a little bit better.

Our challenge this week? Think about how you can make your home and your style better reflect Christ. Is there a mess in the kitchen that only speaks of neglect? Does your clothing make you seem lazy or like you don’t care about modesty? Lets make changes to fix that and align this aspect of our lives to Scripture as well.

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Prosperity

She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed in scarlet.

Proverbs 31:21

A sudden snowstorm or the beginning of winter may not be a big deal to us now. Most of us have a winter coat to pull out of storage, a home to take refuge in, blankets and heaters to keep us warm.

But what would an unexpected storm mean for a woman in ancient Israel? The verse implies that changes in weather were something to fear. If caught unprepared, a family could suffer the death of several members.

But the woman of Proverbs 31 was confident. She knew her whole family would be safe and survive to see the end of the storm. Why did she have this confidence? Because her family had enough. To be clothed in scarlet was a sign of financial prosperity, which means this family had the resources it needed to survive.

Its important to note that the family’s prosperity wasn’t spoken into existence or made to appear out of nothing. We’ve seen in verses prior to this one that the woman described was hard working, industrious, and creative. She used all that to take care of her family and thereby help her husband be successful in what he did. Their financial security did not come from a secret formula, a mysterious over-night success, a financial peace seminar, or some 10-step plan schemed by a Fortune 500 CEO. It came from the hard work both husband and wife contributed. Hard work pays off.

What the Proverbs 31 woman didn’t do was ignore her household duties in order to provide. Notice that verses 10-20 speak about the work she did directly for her household. Ignoring our responsibilities at home is never acceptable, even if it means an extra paycheck every two weeks. If your job or the amount of hours you put in negatively affect your ability to keep a good home, something has to change.

Our challenge this week, then, is to seriously think about our family’s finances and how we’re affecting them. Are we helping our family be prepared for whatever comes? Are we using our gifts in ways that help bring security? Is there a balance between work and home that allows to fulfill our responsibilities? Make whatever changes you have to make, knowing that God delights in obedience.

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Giving

She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.

Proverbs 31:20

According to the National Philanthropic Trust, 89% of American households donate to charity. Wow, America sounds pretty giving, right? Right. Until you find out the median household income is around $52,000 and we only average $1,600 in annual donations. If I were better at math, I'd find out what percentage that is exactly.

I think we all like to believe we're pretty giving. No one wants to consider themselves a scrooge, after all. I'm even tempted to say, "Hey, if that's the American average, then means I'm above average! No need to change anything!" Even if you give your full tithe, sponsor a child, and donate to your local Christian radio station, there's always more you can do.

The Proverbs 31 woman wasn't stingy with her donations. She didn't wait for a disaster to strike in order to give. Her hand was open to the poor; she reached out to them. She wasn't one to wait, expecting the poor to come to her and beg for help. She looked for them and looked to help them.

I'm sure this doesn't mean she simply gave them money. Donating money is probably the easiest thing to do in America. It doesn't take much sacrifice, since money (even during recession) is abundant. It doesn't take much time or effort, either, especially with text message and online facilitators. Worst, it doesn't fill the most urgent and desperate need: the need to hear the gospel. Giving money is good, but it should only be the beginning of our giving.

This week's challenge might be to start carrying a bit of change in your purse or car to hand out to people in need. It might be to make a habit of volunteering at a nearby shelter. It might be to commit to sponsoring a child in Bolivia and writing to him for the next 10 years. Whatever you may choose to do, reach out to the poor giving not only your money, but also your time and the gospel.

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Investing

She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.

Proverbs 31:19

Distaff? Spindle? I'm sure there are ladies out there who are familiar with both terms, but if you're like me, you might need to look them up. Proverbs 31:13 tells us the virtuous woman seeks wool and flax, materials that can be used to make threads and fabrics. Today's verse is the second part to that.

A distaff is a staff with a fork at one end used in hand-spinning thread. A chunk of wool or flax can be put on the fork so that fibers can be draw out and spun using a hand-held tapered rod called a spindle. In verse 19, we see the virtuous woman take on the work she had collected material for.

As I'm sure you can imagine, spinning thread by hand is hard work that requires patience, diligence, skill, and time. The Proverbs 31 woman doesn't shy away from the work, though.

I think the busyness of life today keeps many people from trying, or even wanting, to do things that require as much effort and practice as spinning thread. We want things done quickly and easily so we can move on to the next item on our to-do list. Taking the time to gain a skill is just too time-consuming.

While working smart and saving time are valuable, some things are better when we invest time in them. Think about what areas of your life this is true for. Maybe instead of microwave meals you could start cooking or instead of entertaining yourself with television shows you could start reading more. Instead of relying solely on others' teaching you could also study the Bible for yourself. Investing a little more will reap huge gains.

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Thankless Work

She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.

Proverbs 31:18

After five verses (Proverbs 31:12-17) detailing the virtuous woman's hard work, we get to see that it is not in vain. She works hard and works well and profits from it. She experiences first-hand the good things her efforts bring.

Have you ever felt all the hard work you put into things goes unnoticed? There's no real reward for polishing a kitchen sink, aside from the satisfaction of seeing it sparkle. Maybe you arrive home from a difficult day of work and all you have as a reward is tense muscles and a headache. Many times, the long hours you dedicate to a ministry go unnoticed. Thankfulness is not guaranteed when you take on hard work.

I don't think it was any different for the woman of Proverbs 31. She probably felt discouraged at times like we do: "What's the point of doing the bed, anyway? Its not like it really matters to anyone." She didn't let that permanently become her perspective, though, because she knew, she experienced, the good things her hard work brought.

Even though the work we do may seem to go unnoticed, it is not pointless. Think about what would happen if you didn't do the laundry, fax that paperwork, help the kids with homework, or prepare that meal ever. What would your family's, coworkers', fellow church members' lives look like if you never did any work? Just avoiding that is a huge reward!

This week, why don't we help another lady who might feel unappreciated? Lets encourage her to keep working hard all the marvelous things she does. Write her a note, send her a card, or give her a small nicely-packaged gift. It will mean the world to her to know that someone does notice all the things she does.

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Strength and Submission

She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.

Proverbs 31:17

Those of us who have come to Christ arrived as a broken mess desperately in need of replacing our own understanding with the true wisdom only God can give. All of us have areas that we try to protect from this change. For me, it was beliefs about women's rights and liberation and equality that I cradled and rebelled against God for.

I cringed whenever anyone brought up the need to be submissive or Ephesians 5:22. I hated hearing anyone talk about God's model for marriage and the different roles of men and women. I even skipped over verses I didn't want to think about or be confronted by when I studied Scripture. When I heard the word 'submit' all I could picture was a malnourished woman dressed in rags and sullenness fearfully taking orders from a barking husband.

I won't go into a deep discussion on how my obviously wrong my idea was in this post, but I bring it up because this week's verse is probably the perfect antidote for that kind of thinking. Yes, God calls wives to be submissive to their respective husband, but he never expects women to be weak.

The virtuous woman is strong! We've seen already that she's a hard worker and it shows not only in her home, but everywhere she goes. She knows that to submit to her husband does not mean she is incapable, unintelligent, or demeaned. Submitting does not keep her from being the strong woman she needs to be.

This woman also understands that being strong is not the same thing as being rebellious. Her strength is not displayed in standing up against authority or having the "courage" to break the rules.

Lets rethink what it means to be submissive, what it means to be strong, and how we can reach a balance between the two.

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Smart Spending

She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

Proverbs 31:16

The first $315 dollars I worked for were all spent on a two hour long trip to Target. I don't remember what I bought, but it must have been hair accessories, tank tops, and useless knick knacks. I most likely no longer own any of the things my first 40 hours of work bought me. It was a pointless waste of money.

Thankfully, the 16-year-old days of burning cash as soon as I felt it in my hands are gone. Still, I know I have a lot to learn from the way the Proverbs 31 woman makes purchases.

1. She thinks before buying.
2. She isn't selfish in her purchases.
3. She invests instead of wasting.

The word we read as considers means, in Hebrew, to plan and devise. An admirable woman, then, plans out her spending. Our purchases don't have isolated effects; other people can be blessed or harmed by them. Knowing this, we should always buy in a smart and thoughtful way to avoid racking up debt or running out of cash before all the bills are paid. A good way make sure you do this is to always know at least an approximation of how much money you have available to spend and ask yourself if you really need something before carrying it to the checkout stand.

The Proverbs 31 woman also makes purchases that are good for her family. In buying a field she plans to harvest, she is making an investment that will provide extra income for her family. She considers them when looking for a way to spend the extra money they have and decides to bless them instead of just getting something for herself.

Lets start modeling our spending after this exemplary woman's! By taking the time to think through our shopping decisions, thinking of how they will affect others, and learning to spend on things that will bless people, we can work at becoming women of virtue.

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Sleep Less

She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.

Proverbs 31:15

My husband says he hates sleeping. He sees it as a waste of time. I imagine he thinks of all he could do with six extra hours every day.

Although I love even the tiny amount of sleep I get each night, after this weekend I have to agree with him. Since I went back to school a month ago, I've use the tired student excuse to sleep almost until noon on Saturdays and Sundays (service starts at 6:30pm). Richie and I then have a long relaxed waffle breakfast, watch a movie, and then begin to wonder if we should actually get started with our day yet.

We had my dad over this weekend, though. He's always been an early bird, getting up at 5 in the morning even on Sundays. At 7, I knew he'd already been up for a couple of hours and I couldn't keep him waiting for our usual lunch-time breakfast.

I got so much more that Sunday than any other Sunday in the past 5 weeks! Who would have thought, right? Those few extra hours in bed were worth giving up because I got to spend quality time with my dad (who I rarely see), caught up on housework I'm not able to do any other time of the week, spent time doing things I like, and felt good about being so productive. It really made my Sunday so much better.

The woman described in Proverbs 31 knew the value of waking up early and getting a head start. She knew her day would be more productive if she helped even her workers get their day started instead of waiting for them to wait on her.

I may miss my four lost hours of sleep in the next few weeks, but I know waking up a bit earlier will pay off as long as I don't deprive myself.

Proverbs 31 Challenge: Looking for Quality

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.