Hello Ladies!

I don’t know some of you very well (or at all), and I’m sure some of you don’t know me.  Therefore I will do a quick intro.  My name is Morgan Kluck and I am a member of Bend City Church along with my husband, Steven, and our daughter, Elinor.  We have a heart to share the Gospel and glorify Jesus with our lives.

Proverbs 31 about the wife of noble character has been on my heart lately, so I thought I would share some of the things I have learned with you all.

I remember the first time I read this passage I was appalled.  I thought it was impossible, unrealistic, and discouraging.  As time has gone by I have come to truly love and appreciate this section of scripture, and I continuously go back to it to strengthen my heart as a woman of Christ.  I would encourage you all to take this passage verse by verse and apply it to your own lives.  I chose to pick out five verses I want to focus on, pray about, and improve in my walk with the Lord.  I think it would be a good idea for each of us to not only work on the verses we struggle with, but to also be commended by the verses we do well at.  (In case you were wondering I chose verses 12, 15, 17, 26, and 27.)  One that I think all of us can continually remember is verse 30, “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”  Our faith is what makes us precious to God and stand out in a sea of superficiality.  I have placed short statements of what came to my mind while I read through the verses (in brackets).  They are my own thoughts that I believe were stirred up by the Holy Spirit.

The Woman Who Fears the Lord

¹⁰ An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.

[An excellent wife is very rare and valuable.]

¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.

[Her husband trusts her and is cared for by her fully.]
¹² She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.

[She is positive about, respectful toward, and a helper to her husband–always.]
¹³ She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.

[She is a joyfully hard worker.]
¹⁴ She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.

[She goes above and beyond for her family.]
¹⁵ She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.

[She wakes up early to care for her family and others.]
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

[She is wise with money and assets, and she uses what she has to its fullest potential.]
¹⁷ She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.

[She is physically, emotionally, and spiritually strong.]
¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.

[Things she does or makes are of value to her family and/or others; she is always prepared for the unknown or unexpected.]
¹⁹ She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
²⁰ She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.

[She gives to meet money/physical needs and/or emotional/spiritual needs.]
²¹ She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.

[Her family is prepared for practical/physical hard times and therefore without fear.]

²² She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.

[She takes care of herself as well, and she dresses in a presentable/respectable way.]
²³ Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.

[Her husband is a respectable man in or preparing for leadership.]
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.

[She profits from her talents.]
²⁵ Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.

[Not only is she clothed in fine garments, but fine virtue as well; she is not worried about the future.]
²⁶ She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

[She speaks constructive, encouraging, good, uplifting words–when necessary, in the right time and place.]
²⁷ She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

[Her first priority is the order of her family/household.  She is not lazy or a busybody.]
²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

[Her excellence is recognized by all members of her family.]
²⁹ “Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”

[Her husband recognizes her excellence and it increases his love for her above all other women.]
³⁰ Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

[Fear of the Lord is the most important and longest lasting attribute of a woman (not personality or looks).]
³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.

[Make it known she is great; because she is great it will be made known.]

I hope this is encouraging to each of you, and I pray for blessings on you and your families.

With love,

Morgan