When someone asks you to get involved in ministry, do you have a ready answer? Maybe your kids are too young or you have too much going on. Maybe your schedule is too unpredictable or too rigid. For whatever reason, you tell the person “Not now.”
The Proverbs 31 Woman
Read about the woman in Proverbs 31 and you will see that she didn’t have a lot of time on her hands. Yet, according to the Bible, she “stretched out her hand to the needy.” Along with all of her other duties, caring for her husband and children, she still found time to care for those who needed help.
Many people look to this passage as the ultimate instruction book for Christian women and how they should live their lives. There are many other scripture verses that speak of caring for those who cannot care for themselves as well. Being a Christian should not make us hide away from the world. Instead we should go out into the world and offer the help and hope that we have to give.
Being a Faithful Manager
When you look at the Proverbs 31 woman, you see someone who was a faithful manager of her time and her resources. That was the key to her accomplishments. It says in this scripture that she worked late into the night. Sometimes you have to make sacrifices and that may mean loss of a little extra sleep.
The verses also say that her arms were strong for her tasks, which shows that she also took care of herself so that she would be up to the challenges. A faithful manager takes care of her body and spirit so that she can handle the extra work.
The Proverbs woman considers her work and makes sound decisions. She knows how to use her time wisely so that the important tasks get done. Her husband trusts in her, which shows that she did not neglect her family in pursuit of work or ministry. Instead, she knew how to manage everything so that no one suffered.
Taking Action
If you want to be like the Proverbs 31 woman, you must begin by looking at how you live your life. Start with the verse that says “she does not eat the bread of idleness.” This does not always mean being lazy, but it can mean that you have time-wasters in your life. Perhaps you could delegate certain tasks to be more efficient or even let some things go. Being a good steward of your time enables you to accomplish far more.
You must learn how to plan ahead. The woman of Proverbs 31 never feared for her family in the winter because she had made preparations. You know there are busy times in your life so begin planning for them before they occur.
Perhaps the most important message to take away is that the passage doesn’t tell you how much time she spent helping the poor and needy. It simply states that she did. You don’t have to enter ministry on a grand scheme. It is far better to get involved in a simple way than to do nothing.
