The Secret Sauce
In my last blog, I mentioned how convicted I was that I needed to focus less on what the woman in Proverbs 31 actually accomplished and be more intentional to model her attitude. Before I leave this familiar Proverb, I feel compelled to point out another epiphany I had while I was digesting this passage. It’s probably more of a “duh” than “ah-ha” moment, but sometimes we get so desensitized to the familiar that we make this Christian life harder than it really needs to be.Yes, she had an incredible attitude. Did you catch what it says regarding how this Proverbs 31 woman treats her husband? “She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life” (31:12). All. The. Days. Of. Her. Life. That speaks to a stellar attitude. I try to make Chris’s life better. Let’s be honest, there are certainly plenty of days when I’m sure I make his life more difficult. Any day I have a honey-do list or want to talk “calendar” or “budget” are automatically eliminated. What about the days I’m just grumpy or need to get his assistance on a parenting dilemma? You get my point.The Proverbs 31 woman is generous. She is unafraid. I want this to be me. I want to have a great attitude. I want to bless people and look at the future in confidence. Who doesn’t? So, how does she do it? No one desires a bad attitude, so there must be a secret sauce. There must be something that allows this woman to be noted for so many positive attributes.I found the secret sauce in verse 30. “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” What has allowed this woman to become a model to all women? She fears the Lord!It’s encouraging to me to think that this one shift or refocus in our perspective can take us from wherever we are to where we need to be. I can begin to pray and ask the Lord to teach me what it means to fear Him. By definition, this idea of fearing the Lord incorporates both standing in awe and being afraid. Both are necessary. And by asking God to give me a more accurate view of Him, everything changes.She isn’t afraid of the snow because she acknowledges the power of the snow-maker. She can rise up and plant a vineyard knowing that the One she worships causes the sun to shine and the rain to pour. If I begin to contemplate His power and realize my life is both about serving Him and being protected by Him, there is incredible motivation and confidence. Remembering I’m accountable to a holy God causes me to be intentional in how I treat others. Knowing that He has all power gives me a place to go to find the same wisdom she had.
- How often do you contemplate the power and authority of God?
- How often do you allow yourself to be amazed by His strength and love?
We must allow these moments to increase and we must allow these moments to generate a response of worship from us. Sometimes we can skip right by the most important things. May we each ask the Lord to reveal more of Himself to us, so we, too, can truly fear the Lord. twitter | facebook