Proverbs 31:13

A virtuous woman is not above dirtying her hands and working hard at manual labor. She has no illusions or pretensions about her role. She knows that productivity and wealth begin with her hands, not with her mouth. Though capable of using her brain to leverage her assets and labor, she has no qualms about adding her sweat equity to the family estate. Let every lazy or pampered woman humble herself before this wisdom from God.

Here is a trait of a perfect woman, which King Lemuel learned from his mother to find a great wife (Pr 31:1,10). Women must accept that a woman wrote this lofty description (Pr 31:10-31), in case she thinks the bar is set too high, the traits lack sufficient glamour, or they emphasize a wife as her husband’s helper. God made the woman for the man, and learning this lesson is the first step to being a great woman (Gen 2:18; 3:16; I Cor 11:9).

A virtuous woman does not need much done for her. She hunts for raw materials to make useful and valuable things for her family. She is a willing worker – cheerful and content – she has initiative to work hard on her own. She does not need prodding. She sees a need, and she rolls up her sleeves and attacks the project. She does not hope her husband will do it for her after he gets home from work; she finishes it to spend the evening with him.

A pampered wife flitting from tea to reading to drawing violates God and women. It is not found in God’s word or in any prudent society. God made women to work, and they realize one of their chief goals by diligent use of their time. Every Christian woman must make sure she is more virtuous than Victorian. Being a “keeper at home” has nothing to do with taking it easy and making the husband the only or primary worker.

Some women think they have it rough to get up with their husbands and be expected to accomplish a day’s work while he is at work. They prefer rising late, pacing themselves through a few chores, talking on the phone, surfing the Internet, reading a book, visiting the spa, getting their nails done, and then asking their husbands to bring supper home. It is terrible that many of these are so-called Christian women. Great women work as hard or harder than their husbands, and they do so willingly and cheerfully, even eagerly.

In a search for a wife for Isaac, Abraham’s servant found beautiful Rebekah fetching water at a well (Gen 24:15-16). What about her violin lessons? Forget it! How did he qualify her? He waited to see if she would graciously volunteer to draw water for his ten camels (each can drink 20 gallons in 10 minutes!). What did she do? She ran to get the water fast enough for these thirsty beasts (Gen 24:18-20)! Isaac had himself a winner! If you think this is an exception, then read where Jacob discovered Rachel (Gen 29:9-18).

Prissy girls can live and die single beside lazy women, or they can dream of effeminate rich men who will pamper them like dolls into boring oblivion. Marriage is not for a woman to find a gravy train so she can read, shop, and nap most of the day before manipulating her husband to bring supper home. Marriage is for a man to find a lover who will help him build the family and estate by bearing children and working hard.

The church is the bride of the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of glory. His Father did not choose His bride, nor did Jesus die for her, in order for her to have a life of leisure. Those who make up the family of God were chosen to serve and work to glorify God and help one another (Matt 20:25-28; Rom 14:8; I Cor 10:31-33; II Cor 5:13-15; 12:15). Christian saint, how cheerfully and hard have you worked this day to please your Husband?