Head over to the Stay at Home Missionary for yesterday's full guest post by Marianna, owner of Bellissima Modesty Boutique. The direct link doesn't seem to be working, but this part of her post really jumped out at me. I love the part about looking the part as the "CEO" of my home!! :o) This was a great reminder that my "job" as a wife and helper is an important role, given to me by God, and that I should look for ways to weave beauty into everything I do. Enjoy! :o)
"During my recent study of the dynamic and beautifully detailed portrait of the character of the woman whom God calls "beautiful" and having "surpassed them all", I found it interesting to note that in the midst of the accounts of her hard work and diligent planning, God also mentioned what kind of clothes she wore! Often in God's Word, we see that when women are specifically mentioned, details about their outward appearance are often included. I believe God created us as women to care about our appearance. Not so say that we should be vain or overly consumed with outward appearance, for a meek and quiet spirit is the greatest beauty we can possess! But I believe that how we dress and what we look like on the outside, is a reflection of what is in our hearts.
Proverbs 31 paints a portrait of the woman that God said "excelled them all" (meaning that her work as a keeper of the home excelled all the other women mentioned in the Bible!). The strongest lines and strokes on the canvas of this woman's portrait, are of her fear of God, her love for Him and her family, her good work ethic and the use of her hands to bless others. But we notice in the details, that this woman weaves beauty and excellence into everything, including the way she clothes both her family and herself.
Prov. 31:22b (Amp.)
"Her clothing is of linen, pure and fine, and of purple [such as that of which the clothing of the priests and the hallowed cloths of the temple were made]."
This woman knows that she is not only a King's daughter, but she holds a very valuable position as keeper and manager of her home, and she dresses to fit the job. Not to say that every day we always feel like a princess or that we should do our housework wearing a taffeta skirt and wearing a tiara on our heads, and it doesn't even mean that we need to dress in expensive or fancy clothes as we go about our daily work. Is what it does mean, I believe, is that we should dress in a way that helps remind us that what we are doing is important, and that we are a royal people, a chosen generation (1 Peter 2:9) and that everything we do is to be done unto the Lord, the King of Kings (Col 3:23).
When we remember that, and dress as the daughters of the King, or as the Queen of the home that you are, it shows the world that, one, we take delight and joy in the job we hold as homemaker (or for some of us, as "homemaker in training"), and two, that we dress in a way that is pleasing to the eye of our family and ourselves. So throw out your bleach stained tees, and stretched out sweat pants (save them for your next painting project), and put on something that suits the position you have in your home as CEO. ;-) Like the woman in Proverbs 31 you'll feel yourself ready and willing to take on your God given tasks with joy and pride!
Wearing a perky apron can help us remember that we have the privilege of being a servant like Christ was! (John 13:4, He "laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.") "
"During my recent study of the dynamic and beautifully detailed portrait of the character of the woman whom God calls "beautiful" and having "surpassed them all", I found it interesting to note that in the midst of the accounts of her hard work and diligent planning, God also mentioned what kind of clothes she wore! Often in God's Word, we see that when women are specifically mentioned, details about their outward appearance are often included. I believe God created us as women to care about our appearance. Not so say that we should be vain or overly consumed with outward appearance, for a meek and quiet spirit is the greatest beauty we can possess! But I believe that how we dress and what we look like on the outside, is a reflection of what is in our hearts.
Proverbs 31 paints a portrait of the woman that God said "excelled them all" (meaning that her work as a keeper of the home excelled all the other women mentioned in the Bible!). The strongest lines and strokes on the canvas of this woman's portrait, are of her fear of God, her love for Him and her family, her good work ethic and the use of her hands to bless others. But we notice in the details, that this woman weaves beauty and excellence into everything, including the way she clothes both her family and herself.
Prov. 31:22b (Amp.)
"Her clothing is of linen, pure and fine, and of purple [such as that of which the clothing of the priests and the hallowed cloths of the temple were made]."
This woman knows that she is not only a King's daughter, but she holds a very valuable position as keeper and manager of her home, and she dresses to fit the job. Not to say that every day we always feel like a princess or that we should do our housework wearing a taffeta skirt and wearing a tiara on our heads, and it doesn't even mean that we need to dress in expensive or fancy clothes as we go about our daily work. Is what it does mean, I believe, is that we should dress in a way that helps remind us that what we are doing is important, and that we are a royal people, a chosen generation (1 Peter 2:9) and that everything we do is to be done unto the Lord, the King of Kings (Col 3:23).
When we remember that, and dress as the daughters of the King, or as the Queen of the home that you are, it shows the world that, one, we take delight and joy in the job we hold as homemaker (or for some of us, as "homemaker in training"), and two, that we dress in a way that is pleasing to the eye of our family and ourselves. So throw out your bleach stained tees, and stretched out sweat pants (save them for your next painting project), and put on something that suits the position you have in your home as CEO. ;-) Like the woman in Proverbs 31 you'll feel yourself ready and willing to take on your God given tasks with joy and pride!
Wearing a perky apron can help us remember that we have the privilege of being a servant like Christ was! (John 13:4, He "laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.") "
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