Two things that jump out at me in Proverbs 31:10-31 are references to "flax and linen" (vs 13, 22) as well as to work that involves "distaff and spindle" (vs 19). Clearly, this was inspired by someone involved in the arduous work of making fabric from plant matter.
When Lisa and I got married, a relative in Ireland sent us a tablecloth made out of pure linen. It had been manufactured artisanally in a private facility somewhere in the countryside outside Dublin. Everybody who sees that tablecloth comments on what a privilege it is to own real linen. That's because it has been manufactured by hand from flax, a blue-flowered plant whose stalks are slowly processed over time to produce the linen fibre. I didn't know a thing about this until I Googled how the transformation of flax to linen takes place. I won't bore you with the details - (and you can click here to read up on itself yourself) - but simply put - it is an arduous, time-consuming and smelly process that stretches out over weeks. It requires patience, focus and as manual labour goes, is very tough on the hands.
Interestingly, this is work that our Proverbs 31 steward has chosen to do. She could have settled on the housework but for some reason, she deemed this burdensome industry worthy of her time and effort. There are a few lessons we can take from this in our Journey to becoming better stewards:
While manufacture of linen was chiefly a woman's job, practitioners of this trade were highly sought after and respected in society and commercial circles. This was unusual given the general attitude to women at the time. A good steward has a keen sense of the tasks God has called them to do and the gifts entrusted to them to perform it. In this way, their job becomes a sacred duty and they will stop at nothing to excel in it. For more inspiration on this, look at Oholiab and Bezalel, two of the most distinguished persons in the book of Exodus (Chapter 31). In supervising the construction of the Tabernacle we see two men whose earthly skills were utterly sublimated for Kingdom purposes.
All work - when done as to God - is a noble and priestly act
The Proverbs 31 steward trades in a much sought after commodity. According to the BibleHistory.com, Linen was used chiefly for priestly garments and for the clothing of people of distinction. It was rare and expensive, a luxury in every sense. Where a simple sheepskin might have sufficed in the bedroom, our Proverbs 31 steward "makes coverings for her bed" out of Linen. Where an everyday garment might have done the trick, she dresses herself and her family " in fine linen and purple" (the colour of royalty). She is not so much defined by her job description as by the nobility it confers on her. As children of the Highest, we ought to take a similar view. Perhaps Proverbs 22:29 puts it best:
When Lisa and I got married, a relative in Ireland sent us a tablecloth made out of pure linen. It had been manufactured artisanally in a private facility somewhere in the countryside outside Dublin. Everybody who sees that tablecloth comments on what a privilege it is to own real linen. That's because it has been manufactured by hand from flax, a blue-flowered plant whose stalks are slowly processed over time to produce the linen fibre. I didn't know a thing about this until I Googled how the transformation of flax to linen takes place. I won't bore you with the details - (and you can click here to read up on itself yourself) - but simply put - it is an arduous, time-consuming and smelly process that stretches out over weeks. It requires patience, focus and as manual labour goes, is very tough on the hands.
Interestingly, this is work that our Proverbs 31 steward has chosen to do. She could have settled on the housework but for some reason, she deemed this burdensome industry worthy of her time and effort. There are a few lessons we can take from this in our Journey to becoming better stewards:
There's more to work than a job description
While manufacture of linen was chiefly a woman's job, practitioners of this trade were highly sought after and respected in society and commercial circles. This was unusual given the general attitude to women at the time. A good steward has a keen sense of the tasks God has called them to do and the gifts entrusted to them to perform it. In this way, their job becomes a sacred duty and they will stop at nothing to excel in it. For more inspiration on this, look at Oholiab and Bezalel, two of the most distinguished persons in the book of Exodus (Chapter 31). In supervising the construction of the Tabernacle we see two men whose earthly skills were utterly sublimated for Kingdom purposes.
All work - when done as to God - is a noble and priestly act
The Proverbs 31 steward trades in a much sought after commodity. According to the BibleHistory.com, Linen was used chiefly for priestly garments and for the clothing of people of distinction. It was rare and expensive, a luxury in every sense. Where a simple sheepskin might have sufficed in the bedroom, our Proverbs 31 steward "makes coverings for her bed" out of Linen. Where an everyday garment might have done the trick, she dresses herself and her family " in fine linen and purple" (the colour of royalty). She is not so much defined by her job description as by the nobility it confers on her. As children of the Highest, we ought to take a similar view. Perhaps Proverbs 22:29 puts it best:
"Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank".
All work is ministry
In verse 32 we learn that our steward not only clothes her household in linen, she actually trades in the fabric and supplies "merchants with sashes (aprons)" (vs 24). When ships arrived in port laden with merchandise, the captains and officers would don special aprons before trading commenced. The functional purpose of these was to have a place to store money so that both hands could be free for hefting goods. In such a case, a leather apron was usually sufficient. But in the case of the Phonecians (the trading heavyweights of the era), Linen aprons embroidered with Gold fibre and even jewels were worn to confer prestige and honour on the wearer. The work of a true steward literally acts as a channel for God to adorn people with his beauty. Our work should uplift people, capacitate people, help them go further than they would have had they not engaged us or hired us
In what ways does the "Proverbs 31 woman" change the way you see your work?
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