Proverbs 31:15

The virtuous woman is an early riser, a go-getter, an ambitious and diligent lady. She is not in love with her bed, the snooze button on the alarm, or cuddling in the blankets until she has to get up. She knows that a good day is one started on time and started well. She knows that her husband and family also need a good and timely start to be successful.

The virtuous woman described in Proverbs chapter 31 is the perfect woman as defined by a queen mother for her son. She wanted him to have the best, as each mother should, so she described this perfect wife in detailed perfection. She set the bar very high, because she did not want him settling for merely an average or above average woman (Pr 31:29).

Rising “while it is yet night” means that she gets out of bed while it is still dark, before the morning light appears. This is typically around 6:00 A.M. This choice, made in the warm comfort of her bed, made every morning, indicates exceptional character, discipline, and devotion to her family. It is much easier to cuddle and rotate until 8:00!

Rather than stay in bed for herself, she is up sacrificially and working to get her family fed nutritiously and at their projects while it is still early. She is willing and able to rise before others and serve them. Good women fix breakfast for their husbands, no matter how early they rise. But this woman even does so for her servants! What a woman!

It is hard to change morning habits, if you have convinced yourself you are not a morning person, and you have reinforced your bad thinking with years of sleeping as late as possible. There is a radically different approach to mornings, and that is to get started early and energetically. Solomon ridiculed the slothful approach (Pr 6:6-11; 24:30-34).

Sleep and slothfulness are addicting and contagious (Pr 19:15). The more you allow of either, the more you want. The longer you sleep and the slower you move in the morning, the more tired you will feel all day. If you leap out of bed and get at the day, you can rejoice in the vitality and vigor you feel coursing through your body and mind. Success starts by getting up on time (Pr 20:13). Believe it! Staying in bed will ruin you (Pr 23:21).

Can a hardworking wife be a lover? Yes, an energetic woman beats a sleepy mannequin! Yes, a wife with much done is a happy woman! Yes, for her positive outlook builds confidence! Yes, for her devotion wins more love and respect from a good husband! Of course, if he keeps her up late at night and burns her candle at both ends, she will fail, and he will lose, in and out of bed. Wise men help their women get to bed on time.

As the bride of Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all), every Christian, man or woman, should get up and start spiritual exercises early in the day as well. The longer you take to get to Bible reading and prayer, the more distractions will rise to keep you from them. The less disciplined you are about these crucial habits, the more other activities will reduce their priority and place in your life. Your spiritual success and blessing hangs in the balance!