Verse 27

Proverbs 31 is the well-known verse about a virtuous woman, outlining the many activities she may do throughout her day, serving her family and husband. One verse has really stuck out to me, lately - verse 27:

"She watches over the affairs of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness."

One would think that being a stay at home and homeschooling mom, I must certainly live up to this ideal. Afterall, I am home, having the freedom to serve my husband as he needs, teaching and interacting with my children from the moment they wake up until they go to bed, managing my home as I oversee (and do!) various chores, plan and prepare meals, and so on. For a while, *I* thought I obviously live up to this, too. But lately, the Lord has revealed something to me that has deepened my understanding of this verse. Its not just about my actions - its about (like most everything important to the Lord)... my heart.

Sure, I'm getting the things done that I need to and should. But is my heart in it? Do I look for opportunities to take a little taste of the bread of idleness? Do I crave the flavor of that poisonous bread? While I am working toward the fruit of my labor, is my heart and mind really set on a crumb of selfishness, waiting for my opportunity to indulge? While my spirit longs for the meat of the Word and to serve as Christ did, does my flesh gorge on empty calories of excuses and laziness?

I confess... yes, yes, yes... In my heart of hearts, I struggle with laziness. Its not always evident in my actions (although sometimes it is!!), but in my heart, am I not diligently watching over the affairs of my household. I often just babysit, making sure the bare minimum is done. What a humiliating confession to have to make!

However, I can't help but praise God for showing me, no matter how my ego may feel. Because I know that any work He begins in me will not go unfinished. He has shown me the error of my heart and pride, and now I can go to Him for the strength and ability to put away this old, sinful nature, to become the new creation He has in store for me. And the sweetness of serving Him as He would have me, is so much better than any old moldy bread, no matter how much I thought I enjoyed the fungus.

"For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus." Romans 6:5-11