PS. Your Hands Are Beautiful

Word Filled Wednesday: Proverbs 31:20 "She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy." NKJV

It's week 12 of our Proverbs 31 series and I'm loving it!!! Thanks for sticking with me. So far we have seen that she rises early, works eagerly and vigorously, shops wisely, is extremely productive and she uses her evenings to get work done too!

In Proverbs 31:20, there is a feature of this beautiful woman pointed out for the first time - it's "her hands". Up until now, her hands have been furiously working sewing, planting, cooking and shopping. And here they take center stage as she reaches out to those outside of her home with them.

Look down and examine your hands. Are they young or old? soft or calloused? sun spotted? Do your veins show? Do you think your hands are beautiful? Often our hands are one of the first places to show our age - they have worked hard serving our husbands, children, and the needy. What a blessing it is to have two hands!

My sister Jennifer, once shared this story with me and it so touched me I wanted to share it with you all - she wrote it out for me here: ******

"P.S. Your Hands Are Beautiful." This was what my in-laws wrote inside my birthday card at the end of their very nice note to me.

A few weeks before my birthday, I was at a family get-together, and something came up about "hands". I'm not sure how exactly the conversation went, but I know that I made the comment that the one place I have started to see my body aging is in my hands. When I look down at them, which I realized is frequently during the day, they have begun to look different, older to me.

My mother-in-law said that the one thing she remembered about her own mother was her beautiful hands. I remembered her sharing about this before, and I believe that she meant more than just the outside beauty of beautiful skin with perfectly groomed nails. Those who had the privilege of knowing her mother, Louise Oliver, know that her life was one of active service to our Lord and that she did have beautiful hands because they did beautiful things for His glory.

When I read my birthday card with the message, "P.S. Your hands are beautiful", the full meaning of that small statement touched me.




It reminded me of what Paul said to the church at Thessalonica. I Thessalonians 4:11 says, "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anyone."



These verses should cause us to look at the work that we do as women and ask ourselves, am I leading a quiet life?

Am I minding to my own business, the tasks that God has called me to do?

Am I working faithfully with my hands in my daily life as an act of worship to my Lord?

Is my work winning the respect of outsiders?

Am I bringing glory to my Lord with the works of my hands?



Would God think that my hands are beautiful?"

******

Dear Reader, Do not be discouraged as you toil day in and day out for loved ones within and outside your home. When we use our hands for God's glory he is pleased. Look down and examine your hands now a second time with a new perspective. Do not judge the beauty of your hands by the outside - but rather by lives they have touched.



Walk with the King!


Ps. Your hands are beautiful!