Working With Eager Hands

Word Filled Wednesday: Proverbs 31:13 "She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands."

Today is week five of our Proverbs 31 series. Thus far we have seen that the Proverbs 31 woman is a treasure to her husband, fully trustworthy, and a woman of action. In verse 13 we see a new character trait. Not only is she a woman who works hard to bring her husband good - but she does her work with an outstanding attitude. She willingly works with "eager hands."

When you roll out of bed in the morning, are you eager to do your mundane chores? The Proverbs 31 woman oozes energy, industry, eagerness and diligence. Look at your hands - are they eager to get to work today?

I love how the Proverbs 31 woman's love for God overflows onto her family through her desire to serve them! I want that - but how do we get that eagerness?

1. Pray - pray and ask God to give you an eager attitude all day long.

2. Do your work as unto the Lord. Colossians 3:23 says "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men."

3. Change your perspective - each mundane chore you complete for your family is a labor of love. As you grocery shop, cook dinner, fold the laundry and clean out sinks - remember that these small tasks all added together equal a well nurtured home and family. Without one word your actions of eagerness speak volumes of love to your husband and children.

4. Research and find inspiration - read a book on how to be a better homemaker and implement the author's techniques. Find a woman you know who has eager hands and learn off of her. Ask to see her cubboards for organizing tips and her techniques for managing her home.

5. Rest - if you work all day with eager hands you will feel exhausted. Do not let your exhaustion and need for rest discourage you. If all day long you have been feeding and caring for babies and toddlers, listening, comforting, training and teaching your teens plus cleaning and cooking - you will be tired. God never condemns rest. He condemns laziness.

I was a recipient of eager hands this weekend. My family helped us move into our new home. They all arrived with eager hands and what a blessing it was to see everyone working so hard. We even had some laughs at our one eager beaver (my oldest sister) who commanded my other sister and I to "push harder" while we scrubbed cabinets. Our insecurities at our lack of eagerness led us to hide in an upstairs bathroom where we could clean in a more "carefree" manner - but it was not long before she arrived to inspect our bathroom work and to give us more tips on how we could work more effectively and efficiently. Though we laughed then, afterwards my husband and I were talking about how amazing her eagerness is. Iwant that! She is definately a role model and inspiration to me in this area.

Do you have a Titus 2 role model? Invest some time in learning the skills of homemaking. And take some time today to pray, change your perspective, work with eager hands and then rest. Your eager hands will be a blessing to all those who enter your sweet home.

Walk with the King!