She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. Proverbs 31:16

I believe it is very significant that the word 'consider' is used here. The text didn't just simply say that she bought the field, but that she considered it before buying. It was a two step process, not a sudden impulse purchase.

Let us look at what it means to consider. Dictionary.com gives many definitions, but here is the first one:

–verb (used with object)
1.to think carefully about, esp. in order to make a decision; contemplate; reflect on: He considered the cost before buying the new car.

So, consider means to think carefully about. The virtuous woman knows that each penny is important to her family. She will not spend any of them without first carefully thinking about the purchase.

In my early years of marriage, I often bought things on impulse. After seeing the item lay about, useless, I realized that I could no longer waste our household money on such items. Now, experience has taught me to carefully think about each item. Does it fit properly? Is there any reason I wouldn't want to continue wearing it for a long time? What about an item's usefulness? Would I actually use it, or would it sit around and collect dust? These are the questions I've learned to run through my head. I try to think into the future and imagine myself using the object. Would it get used or not? Would it be money well spent?

I still often make mistakes, but I try to no longer buy things on my first impulse. Everything is carefully weighed and I even try to talk myself out of it. If I can persuade myself that I don't need it, I leave it in the store.

There are so many things that we can learn from the virtuous woman. Today, let us learn to spend our household money wisely so that we can be better examples to our children and better stewards of God's physical blessings on us.

"She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands." (Proverbs 31:13)

Ever since I was a small child, I've been facinated by handiwork of all kinds. Embroidery is one of my favorites. It is amazing how beautiful things can be made from scraps of thread or material. The Amish are known for their wonderful handmade items. I can picture women at a work frolic or sitting around their porches or living rooms while they work willingly on a piece.

But I believe this verse is talking about things that require much more work than the dainty items. To work with wool and flax, one must sit for hours combing the wool or at a spinning wheel. This is hard work from beginning to end.

Why does the virtuous woman do this? If her family is to have anything to wear or linens to sleep on, she must do this work. It is a labor of love. She works until her back is tired from bending over the wheel, or combs. But there is joy and love in her heart as she pictures her family using the item she is working on.

How often to we joyfully labor for our family? I often grumble and complain at a difficult task and wish that someone else would do it. But is this the right attitude? The virtuous woman worked 'willingly' at her task. All too often this is not the case in our homes. The problem is in our hearts. The work would be much more rewarding if we would only picture the end result, of the child or husband who would benefit from our labors.

I often remind myself that my children's attitude begins with my own. What am I teaching them if I show an example of grumbling and complaining? Let us all strive to have an attitude like that of the virtuous woman. Let us be willing to be a slave to our family because of the love we have for them.

"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life." Proverbs 31:11-12

Before we were married, my husband and I were asked to do a 'trust fall.' I held my arms across my chest and fell backwards, trusting that he would catch me, which he did. Trust demands a relationship with one another. Who would trust someone they didn't know? That would be foolish. Trust requires commitment. I had to follow through with my fall, knowing that he wouldn't let me be hurt.

So, when this passage says that the virtuous woman has the trust of her husband, there is a relationship with one another. They are committed to one another. Trust can be broken, but the virtuous woman has kept that trust in place. She has not violated her promise to him, nor has she given any indication that she will in the future.

Besides a relationship and a commitment, there is also love between these two people. "She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life," says verse 12. Love is seen in the actions that one does toward another. She loves him and will not harm him, ever.

How are we measuring up to this? Do we maintain a relationship with our spouse? Are we committed to one another? Are we showing love by our actions? If these things are the case, then the word 'divorce' shouldn't be in our vocabulary. The word should never come off our lips because this would hurt our husband. If we love him, we would never want to harm him.