The word eager shows that the heart is enthused about the work at hand.

The plans of the diligent lead to profit. (Proverbs 21:5) Diligent hands will rule. (Proverbs 12:24)

Diligent: duteous, honorable, meticulous, reliable, observant and opportune.

Certainly there is work we do each day as wives and mothers, tedious mundane work that never ends and rarely gets caught up. I don’t know many women who enjoy doing the laundry, cleaning house, preparing 3 meals a day, continually picking up and putting away, running errands and children around, etc. Some women would rather work outside the home where they get paid. But, where is the love in that? We’ll not get the most important things done in our lifetime, and neither will we receive any reward at the end.

In America we see girls growing up thinking that they are above the woman’s work of the olden days, but back then women put family and home first and they did not have all the modern conveniences we have today that women just won’t live without. It was noble of women to stay busy at home. Back then marriage was for life and you worked through your difference, offenses and hardships. Back then families were much stronger and dependent on each other, and it was beneficial for 3 generations to live together. Children were not doing the things that most children are doing today that are so shameful and destructive. Things that should never be done are being done by young children today. Children are raping and killing children. Children are hitting their parents and even killing their parents. Children are taking drugs and having sex. Children are trained to go to war; to fight, kill and die for a false religion.

Working with eager hands can be simply taking care of family and home and being fully satisfied with that.

I remember when marriages lasted a lifetime; when the whole family took pride in their everyday work; when families sat around the breakfast and dinner table talking to each other; when homes were open to unexpected company; when communities were safe because the family was strong and benevolent.

Lois, my mother-in-law, died at the ripe old age of 92. Cliff and Lois had and raised twelve children. They didn’t have most of the modern conveniences we have today that make our work at home easier and that give us more time on our hands. But, what have we actually done “with more time on our hands?” We have more adultery and divorces. We have more children raising themselves. We have more crime due to the breakdown of the family. We have more suicides and addictions. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Lois had a saying that she used all the time on her boys especially: “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” I tend to agree. We can see lots of evidence all over the world that Satan has found in every generation plenty of willing and eager hands to use effectively for his devilish will.

My precious mother-in-law taught me how to garden, to can my food and store it. She taught me how to cook my husband’s favorite foods. She taught me to crochet and quilt, even though I don’t do it anymore. She taught me how to stay busy at home with eager hands; something that is rare today.

Lois taught me the importance of continual prayer for your family, another rare thing today. I remember she always had that famous picture of a man sitting at the table with his head bowed over his praying hands. Lois was a prayer warrior for her family.

When I was in high school I was eager to have more clothes than my mother could afford, God bless her. So I learned to sew simple “a-line” skirts by hand. My mother finally bought me a used sewing machine which I sat on the floor to sew with. I took “clothing” in my senior year of high school where I learned to sew by using patterns. I went from basic designs to more detailed ones. After we had children I started making their clothes when they were little (and didn’t have anything to say about it). Back then it was cheaper to make your own clothes than to buy them. But one thing is for sure: Home-made is far better, and that goes for just about anything that you learn to do yourself.

If you don’t know how to use-leftovers, or to grow in a garden something to eat and feed your family with, to cook using basic ingredients and to store your own food, to mend and sew, to make do and be content with little, to use your imagination to alter something in order to make it work for what you need at the moment, to see little things with a special purpose – then what will you do when all that you have depended on that is of this world isn’t there to depend on anymore?

Your heavenly Father is more eager than you are to see the work of your hands produce good things for practical use.

It is to a woman’s honor to be doing the ‘dignified’ work that fulfills her and rewards her. Women can do all kinds of work, but most women are not fulfilled in what they do, mainly because they choose the wrong man to marry and/or the wrong work to do that is not in agreement with who they really are as God’s daughters.

Many women are forced to take any job they can find just to provide for themselves and their children because they do not wait on the Lord for whom to marry, ending up with a man who depends on his wife to provide, or in a divorce.

Give your heart to Christ and wait on the right man to marry. Give your strength to the work in your marriage; stick to your vows and look to Christ’s instructions and testimonies in the Old Testament of wise and godly women on how to be quiet and pray, how to claim God’s promises and entrust yourself and your children to God. God is faithful; so remain faithful in what He says He will do according to His Word; for what He will do because of your childlike faith in Him. This is a work that will pay off BIG TIME!

Right choices will follow as we read God’s Word daily to show us His perfect and acceptable will. Waiting in prayer on the Lord to direct us on anything is not always easy. Our natural tendency is to act quickly and then ask God to bless us. We’ve got it backward there.

There’s work and then there’s WORK. The work that our God has for us to do that will further His Kingdom – is not always easy for us to do because of the 3 enemies against us: the flesh, the world and the devil. We will need the strength and wisdom of God, and the humility to know our own weaknesses. God gave us our weakness so that we would always go to Him and find Him faithful to the faithful.

Anyone can succeed in work to please themselves in the earthly life, but remember what Jesus said: “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it. What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” Mark 8:34-36

Christ’s way is for us to prosper in what fulfills us as God’s true sons and daughters. There is a huge difference between prosperity God’s way and simply earning an income; between a worldly job and the work we are meant to do in this life as God’s children. Some jobs may be a stepping stone of acquiring knowledge and experience on the way for what you are meant to do. God will reveal that to you – if you have learned to listen to Him.

It is God’s will that we learn to be self-sufficient and not so dependent on what others do for us, and especially not on government hand-outs. There is greatness in every human being because we are made in the image of God. No other part of His creation has the abilities, inventiveness and assurance that He has put in mankind.

Most men do not know how to ‘properly’ provide for their wives and children, nor do they ‘truly’ understand why their wife and children need him to properly provide for them. Most men have not grown up learning how to work hard and earn their living, let alone provide for their wife and children. As I look out today I see that most girls are not being prepared for the work of marriage and family either. They work hard for a sport, or for a position in law enforcement or military, and for a successful occupation in the world. I watch commercials, television programs and movies today where the work that women do is recognized and honored in everything else but the work of their husband’s helpmate and the mother of children.

What young girls have been conditioned for is what I call the 3 w’s: worldliness, whoredom and waste. How rare it is to find a young girl who learns at home from her mother how to be a good wife, mother and homemaker, and to enjoy it. The work a little girl sees her mother doing can either make a young girl into a woman of great worth or into a foolish woman of the world.

You might think I’m old fashioned or stuck in the dark ages, but the truth is that God’s standard for manhood and womanhood has never changed, and “the true family” will be part of God’s “renewing of all things” when Jesus Christ returns to reign, “….until the time comes for God to restore everything, as He promised long ago through His holy prophets.” (Acts 3:21) “Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.” Isaiah 9:7

The godly woman works with vigor knowing full well that even though she receives little to no praise now for all she does – she will later, and is why she is strong for her work as a wife and mother; determined not to allow other women to influence her otherwise.

I will work vigorously if I’m sure my work is valid and vital to God no matter how insignificant it seems to others in this world. I can be busy with many things, but if my work is not suitable and necessary, by God’s definition, then all I thought was so important to do will actually be what shames me later when all my work is revealed by the fire that judges it. My desire is that my work would come through that fire of God’s testing as “gold, silver and precious stones” so that it glorifies my Father’s kingdom.

God cares more than you do about your earthly prosperity, future honor and eternal inheritance. He has given us so much, but how are we using what we’ve received from our Father that we’re entrusted with?

When you are doing what you are supposed to be doing – you will see a whole lot of fruit come from very little effort. This is because God blesses the work of righteousness and faith in Him. He shows His favor by making people favor or submit to you, making circumstances work for you, and making doors open before you exactly when you need an open door.

The Lord has said to His children who seek to glorify His kingdom, “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

God has assigned ‘woman’ the work that best suits her feminine nature. Our value and worth as a woman is rated by how well we do what we are designed and destined to do. You can be sure that if a woman tries to do ‘man’s work’ that she will be of no real value to anyone except the devil and his evil purposes. Yet, we learn that when there are no real men around to do God’s will – God just might call on a wise and courageous woman that listens to Him, trusts Him and obeys Him, such as Deborah in the Bible when the Israelite men were to go fight and conquer their enemy. (See the book of Judges)

Deep down inside every woman is true femininity longing to manifest and be glorified. She will not be able to enjoy a life that takes her ‘outside’ her true self, no matter how hard she tries.

I must work until the Lord shows me that I have accomplished all that I was to do because if ‘I’ don’t do it – it won’t get done. No one else can be my husband’s helpmate but me. No one else can mother my children but me. No one else has a testimony about my Savior and Lord, like mine that is to be shared, but me. No one else has the combination of talents, gifts of the Holy Spirit and life’s experiences, that I have and that God desires to use. It’s mine to put to good use, and my Father is holding me accountable.

After my children grew up, got married and left home, I thought my work was done in raising (teaching) them. My husband and I were thinking all was well with our children because we had married them all off to the ones we were certain God picked for them; our prayers being answered for all four of our children. One day the Lord said to me: “You are not done teaching and training your children.” Our parenting work wasn’t over as far as God was concerned. He could see what was ahead for each couple that would test their faith in Him and their vows to each other. They would need to hear our testimony and counsel, especially as they raised our grandchildren.

“The older women of God are to teach the younger women of God what is good, to train them to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.”  Titus 2:3-5

Women today, even Christian women, don’t want to hear that there is such a thing as “woman’s work” or “man’s work,” that clearly defines the difference between men and women. Marriage and family becomes perverted when men are raised to do woman’s work and women are raised to do man’s work. (This is not referring to how we help each other at times.)

When wives/mothers hire out their work as a wife and mother, the true enjoyment of their marriage, home and family is not experienced. When you hire someone else to do what you are supposed to do – it won’t have the best result, in fact it will probably have the worse results with your marriage and children. Most women hire out their work simply because they do not like doing it themselves, or don’t have the time because they have chosen other work to do. (It’s not right but for most, a divorced woman must work outside her home to provide for herself and her children, and can’t afford to hire out the work of her home; she comes home from work and keeps working.)

What a waste of your life not to have known your true purpose in life. Jesus set free a woman when He said to her: “I do not condemn you, but go now and leave your life of sin.”  (John 8:11)

We need God’s Spirit to help us do the work we are meant to do, and to leave the “sinful empty life” behind to live the life that is worthy of who we are in Christ Jesus. The Proverbs 31 woman is our standard and encouragement in any and all generations.

“Wisdom has built her house….let the simple come in and learn wisdom. Let those who lack judgment come in and learn to walk in the way of understanding. Those who come in – will live!” (Proverbs 9:1-6)

“She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.” Proverbs 31:13

Most of you who read this verse in the Bible about the woman God honors and crowns would probably be drawn to the words wool and flax and think how irrelevant this verse is for most Christian women today. Let me show you the “relevance” of this verse for women in any generation throughout time, even throughout eternity. This verse is about being selective.

The word “select” suggests freedom and wisdom – which is eternal. My God-given selective right is to be motivated by my desire to honor my heavenly Father. What you “select” has distinct merit in your eyes; a special quality that you see even if no one else does.

The woman of vision sees value in what other women just naturally pass by or throw out. God’s daughters of His vision and heart can take something seemingly insignificant and use it to some good advantage. Her resourcefulness, inventiveness and assertiveness prompts her to take notice of and to appreciate the small things in life.

The fact that we can be selective reveals that God has given us the right and privilege to choose.

Ingenuity for family and home life has been weakened in women by the feminist’s movement and by so many other things that are made available for our vanities, comforts and indulgences. We have selected things for ourselves and our families that are not truly beneficial.

God’s daughter gives no thought to the many varieties of common vanities that other women simply won’t live without. She turns down invitations to join others in “pampering themselves,” “indulging themselves,” or “promoting themselves.” What is shameful to God is shameful to her. What matters to God, matters to her. She knows what matters most in life.

She gives no thought to those common vanities that other women simply won’t live without. She turns down invitations to join others in pampering themselves, indulging themselves, or promoting themselves. What is shameful to God is shameful to her, and this causes her to have very few friends, but she doesn’t care. She knows what matters most in life.

Women of old all knew a whole lot more than we do about all the natural benefits God put in His created things, but there has been a growing desire to get back to discovering all the many benefits in the nature God created for our well-being.

Be selective of who you date or marry as well. And never give up on your marriage when the test of commitment comes; remain confident in your selection by keeping your own heart right with the Lord, and remaining in prayer to God about your husband and marriage. Never forget that it is God who selects the children for the two of you.

Be selective in what you allow and don’t allow knowing who your heavenly Father is and who you are to Him.

Be selective about what you do for others outside your family at home. Not everyone you know with a need – is your responsibility. Not every job position that you see that you can do – is right for you. Not all places you get invited to – are where you should be. Be selective! Be honorably selective because of Who you represent on earth.

We can be selective because God was so very generous with creation; over the top you could say – in all He wanted to provide for us to live on, and to simply enjoy in life. There is a vast amount of variety in every kind of created thing! But remember as you make your selections: “All things are permissible, but not all things are beneficial.” (1 Corinthians 10:23)

“In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.” Proverbs 31:19

Today’s worldly woman holds the iPhone and grasps her keys and purse with her fingers. God’s daughters need to return to the things that are truly worth knowing and doing.

A wife needs to know her husband, NOT know why her friend bought the red dress instead of the green dress. A mother needs to know her children, NOT know that someone said something hateful behind her back. A woman needs to know her God, NOT know how many people like her post on Facebook or Twitter. We work at connecting to people and things outside our family and home, but what are we really getting ourselves in for when we’re “connected?” More and more people’s lives are being ruined and even ended by all this “connecting.”

Gals, we simply don’t need to be informed about everything that we can get our hands. We only need to know what is good for us to know and do, and be content with that. Contentment with godliness is GREAT GAIN! Then God can continually bless us. Put your mind and hands to what God calls the work of women He will honor and crown one day.

In early times, the men believed that they could rise to public leadership and rise in godly prominence if they had a godly wife. A woman’s performance of her God-given tasks determined the failure or success of the family. Imagine that!  Most women today would not want to think that this is true; that the success of her husband and her children depends on her. They don’t see themselves as “helpmates” for their husbands, nor teachers of their children.

Just like thread is precisely directed through the eye of a needle the Proverbs 31 woman directs her children into God’s Word for the Lord’s path; that they know Him personally and are eager to serve His good will. We need to direct our children in how to go through God’s open doors of opportunities. We need to encourage our children in how to get through life’s problems and persecutions – following Jesus Christ. But, you can’t teach them what you have not learned to do yourself.

Before my grand-daughter was old enough to read or write she would get her pen and Bible out and do what she saw her mommy (my daughter) doing with her Bible each morning. This little child has grown to see and believe things about God that most Church-going people don’t see or believe. Many of our grandchildren are opening their Bibles early in the morning alongside their parents. Oh how this blesses us and God!

When our grandson was 4 years old I found him alone with the door shut in his mom and dad’s bedroom, on their bed. His little hands were holding his Bible, which he couldn’t read yet.  When I asked what he was doing he said, “I like quiet when I’m thinking about God.” Often they’d find him alone – listening and talking to Jesus.

All children are hungry to know God because they come from God. God creates us to know Him; to worship Him in truth and spirit. The faith of little children is real and strong because the world hasn’t influenced them yet, and the devil hasn’t deceived them yet.

As mothers we speak (stitch) into our children biblical teaching and praise for God. We reinforce (backstitch) each day to train them up – so that they will not fall apart with problems or disappointments. But, even if they do start to unravel we have a promise from God that they will return to the truth and love of the Lord one day no matter how old they are. (Proverbs 22:6) God knows how to mend and heal those we entrust to Him.

Most women don’t know how to sew or even mend clothing (let alone cook, keep house or discipline their own children). It’s too easy to replace something ripped or out of style. How many of us have thrown out a set of socks because a hole is in one sock? We don’t know how to mend it so we toss the thing out. How about marriages and families; do we do the same when they start to come apart? What about a government that starts to pull away from righteousness, from its moral constitution and covenant with God? We should know what to do as the true sons and daughters of God. This is why God gave us His Name, Spirit and Word.

When my marriage is falling apart, what should I do? When my faith is unraveling, what should I do? When my children are being pulled away from the truth at school, what should I do?  Do I dare test God at His Word? Will He prove faithful in my day? What will He require of me? Will I be faithful no matter what?