It was about 6:30 in the morning and I was pretty far into my quiet time when I came across this verse. It was mainly the second part of the verse that had caught my attention. Of course we know that the Proverbs 31 woman works but she sets about her work with eager hands.
The word eager here comes from the Hebrew word; Chafets (Strongs H2656) it can also mean; purpose, desire, willingly, and pleasant.
She works with purpose and desire!
Another example of Chafets is in Psalm 1:2. The blessed man of Psalm 1 delights in the law of Yahweh.
He is eager and desires the law of Yahweh.
Our hands should be as eager for our daily work as they are for the works of His commandments.
So many times I have failed to handle my daily tasks. So many days I have set about my work with
unenthusiastic, half-hearted hands. My hands have to be corrected in their ways once again because
Proverbs 31:13 brings to mind a handful of other verses....
Ecclesiastes 9:10
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with
all your might…”
Colossians 3:23 “Slaves
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your
heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters”
Deuteronomy 6:5
“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 “So
whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
When we love God and want to please Him our work should reflect just that. Also having an eternal perspective
makes the everyday tasks more enjoyable. Knowing we are to do everything as unto the LORD should keep us
from doing things with a selfish or indolent attitude.
Digging a little deeper on the work aspect brings a few more verses to view. All of these verses are from the book of Proverbs. Can you think of any more?
Proverbs 12:11 “Those who work their land will have abundant food,
but those who chase fantasies have no sense”
Proverbs 12:14 “From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,
and the work of their hands brings them reward.”
Proverbs 20:11 “Even a child is known by his actions by whether his conduct is pure and right.”
Proverbs 20:13 “Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;
stay awake and you will have food to spare.”
Proverbs 21:25-26 "The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,
because his hands refuse to work. All day long he craves for more,
but the righteous give without sparing.”
And finally the reward of our Proverbs 31 woman's well done work?
Proverbs 31:31 “Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”
Until next time,
Bethany
H2656
חפץ
chêphets khay'-fets
From H2654; pleasure; hence (abstractly) desire; concretely
a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a matter (as something in mind):
- acceptable, delight (-some), desire, things desired, matter, pleasant
(-ure), purpose, willingly.
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