30-Day TRUE WOMAN Make-Over Day 13

...so again, I am playing 'catch-up' incase you are confused to why the date says May 14th... really this devotional was supposed to be done yesterday, (Thurs. May 13th), so I am writing it as if it was yesterday... (which doesn't really matter for those of you who read this after the fact...)

Welcome to DAY #13 -- Almost 2 weeks since I started... I am excited! I am enjoying my journey and hope you are too!

Today's topic is -- A WOMAN'S GREAT LOVELINESS

Today's verse is Proverbs 31:13 -- "She selects wool and flax, and works with eager hands."

"A woman's greatest loveliness comes through a modest heart; and a modest heart expresses itself in modest behavior, modest dress, modest reactions, and modest attitudes."

Modesty and humility... those two words flow together well, yet they don't flow so much in the world today. When women think of 'modest' today, they think of turtlenecks, and long skirts or pants... women who are showing no skin, and it's not very flattering. However, modesty and humility are two important characteristics to our Father in Heaven. We need to clothe ourselves in modesty and humility...

We looked at the definition of modest/modesty in this devotional... however when humility is added to the equation, it is soooo much more.

Humility by definition is:
–noun

the quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance, rank, etc.

A modest opinion of one's own importance... which literally means we shouldn't be 'praising' ourselves. We should not be making ourselves seem more important than we really are. A devotional on HUMILITY is found here (Day #3 on my journey) which includes my thought, "We are called to be virtuous women or men, strength in spirit & character, yet we do not showcase our strength, because our strength is only made possible through the Father. Nothing that we do well is actually done by us alone. The Father has His hand in all that we say and do. We are not to seek after the praise of men, we are to seek after the praise of our Father who is in Heaven. All things that we do we should do as working for the Lord. ('Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.' Colossians 3:23-24)"

All that we do is because of the Father, although we don't always thank Him or give him the glory. This goes along with today's verse, "She selects wool and flax, and works with eager hands" in my life, because I do ALOT with my hands... I don't however work with alot of wool or flax. Hee hee... Wool is meant to represent clothing and blankets I am assuming (clothing and comfort for her family), flax could be either food or for fibres/linens too. According to WIKIPEDIA, "Flax is grown both for its seeds and for its fibers. Various parts of the plant have been used to make fabric, dye, paper, medicines, fishing nets, hair gels, and soap. It is also grown as an ornamental plant in gardens."

Both wool & flax, however don't come easily, they both have to be 'worked for'. The verse says she 'selects' (or in other translations, 'seeks') -- this doesn't mean that it was just handed to her. She had to use her own hands (in this case, eager) hands to seek it, and select it. According to dictionary.com, 'eager' means:
--adjective

1.keen or ardent in desire or feeling; impatiently longing: I am eager for news about them. He is eager to sing.
2.characterized by or revealing great earnestness: an eager look.
3.Obsolete. keen; sharp; biting.

Therefore, this woman is keen, desiring or impatiently longing to seek, select and use this material that she is finding. She is using it to its full capability too. She is not only caring for herself, yet she is providing for her family (which we see in later verses).


I myself, am "hands" in the body of Christ. Alot of my giftings and talents are done through use of my hands. Usually I do also work with eager hands, knowing that what I am going to do or produce is for the kingdom, or the bettering of our next generation, or for the enjoyment of others. Nothing I do is of my own strength. God desires to use me, and I desire to make Him pleased with me when he returns and asks me what I have done with the gifts He has bestowed upon me. I love to draw, do papercrafts (stamping, scrapbooking, card-making), play piano, do stuff on the computer (like typing these blogs/devotionals), teach (action songs/fingerplays, crafts, etc), hug the children in my care, crochet, photography, serving & helping, and more... all of which I do with GOD. I try to give Him the glory in all that I do... because I do not deserve any praise, yet I accept praise because I am obedient in fulfilling the calling and desires He has placed on my life. I DO NOT LIKE things to just be handed to me, I love to work for them. I hate when people give me the answer to a question, or whatnot... because I like to work hard. It is also a gift and responsibility given from God. I am one who is 'humble' in the sense where I do not desire the praise of men, actually it makes me uncomfortable. When praised about my art, or my giftings, I have grown up learning to say "I get it from my Father...", my Mom taught me this when I was younger, and I still remember it and use it today... My Father in Heaven is the one who gifted me and all that I do, I want to glorify Him.




BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING... (do something out of humility today, get out there and serve... not to be praised, but for God to receive the glory!)