"She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness"
One of the greatest qualities in an ideal godly wife is industriousness. When a husband and wife are pulling in the same direction to provide and support a family, it is an amazing thing.
Laziness and inability to do hard work are not a virtue for a good wife but a vice.
Notice that the ideal wife is not activity without accomplishment but instead is busy about things that matter. She makes sure that the various members of the household are able to succeed.
way
This is the Hebrew word halikah which means way, a going, traveling. The idea is clearly that a family has food, shelter, clothing, vocational needs, and everyone must pitch in to make that happen. The godly wife and mom is a part of making sure that all this happens. The wife/mom role in the traditional family structure still produces great kids, great health in each of the family members, as well as emotional well-being in the wife.
It is a shame that this protective, administrative role for married women has been abandoned in order to lurch after becoming more manly.
While there is nothing wrong with a woman earning money to help her family as this proverb clearly demonstrates, it is clear that the wife/mom who has the Lord's attention has her family as her number one priority. She looks after what they need to succeed.
Let me say that my wife is such a blessing in this area. She is so on top of what is going on with each of us. We literally could not survive without her. I am one of those lucky men whom God has blessed with a virtuous wife whose value is way above rubies, gold, and silver.
I have even been amused at how even today when I was meditating on this Scripture, Dana could not sit still and relax -- she just needed to go to the next project for the family. She is such a picture of this Proverbs 31 woman. She does not eat the bread of idleness. Because of her efforts, we are enjoying a great time as a family and as a household.
Until tomorrow,
Gil Stieglitz