Proverbs 31:17-18 (Gods Word Translation) says, "She puts on strength like a belt and goes to work with energy. She sees that she is making a good profit. Her lamp burns late at night."
This woman doesn't just work hard (putting on strength like a belt), but she "goes to work with energy." Energy! She is determined to work hard. The picture is of her dressing in the morning, putting strength around her waist and then using every ounce of energy she has to do her tasks. In other words, she makes a concentrated effort to do her work.
She is not lazy!
Verses 27 and 28 go on to say, "She keeps a close eye on the conduct of her family, and she does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children and her husband stand up and bless her. In addition, he sings her praises, ..."
You don't have to be lazy to be idle, though at one time or another we have all drawn the conclusion that those who do nothing are purely lazy, like a cat or dog sleeping in the sunshine. Being idle simply means doing nothing profitable.
This great woman in Proverbs is not idle. She simply doesn't spend the day doing things that steal her time from her task at hand: caring for her family. She keeps an eye on their conduct, the verses say. Hmmm. Can you see teenagers in your mind's eye?
Here's where it's going to get personal. We're a computer savvy group here. You're reading this on a computer screen (or print-out) aren't you? Is blogging not a form of social networking?
You might say it is just a way for you to make money, nothing more. Maybe.
For me, however, it has been a form of socialization more than a source of income. I don't even make peanuts off of this blog.
Blogging, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc. are all "time stealers" when not used with the correct perspective. We can find ourselves spending half the day, or more than half the night, chatting with friends or wish-they-were-friends. We can be tempted into extramarital affairs because we spent too much time fantasizing about and nurturing an internet relationship that should never have been.
Our homes slowly become dirty - floors are not swept, laundry not done, food not prepared. Over time, children and families become neglected as their needs are unmet. Teenagers become embarrassed over mothers who act like children; they watch them spending more time with Facebook friends online and generally acting silly than becoming the strong wives and mothers that the Bible commands believing women to be.
If you see me blogging a little less these days, it's because I'm trying to prioritize my life and my "job." I am a child of God, wife, mother, homeschool teacher, and writer, in that order. After all of those jobs are fulfilled, I will try to find the time to do some of this other stuff online. I'll admit it's a tall order.
Let me encourage you to prayerfully consider your own priorities as a believing Christian. You'll be surprised at what you find when you're honest with yourself. But take heart. If the Proverbs 31 Woman can do it, you can too.
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