Tuesday, January 15, 2008
That "31" Woman - Day One
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I promised to begin a study/reflection on the Proverbs 31 woman from "The Message" version of the scriptures. The first two sentences are very convicting to me. "A good woman is hard to find, and worth more than diamonds". Huh. I happen to know that diamonds are really nothing more than pieces of coal compressed. With a few other things added, can't remember. BUT, I also know that, by the world's standards and the current asking price for gems.....diamonds are right up there with the best of 'em. A year ago, prior to my birthday (which is in 11 more days!!!).....I jokingly started referring to this billboard that was in a prominent place we travelled almost daily. I'd say things to small son, like "if Daddy asks you what I want for my birthday, show him this billboard". Or if hubby was with us, I'd say "there's my ring, honey, you just need to get it down off that sign". I have a close friend who literally reminds you of her birthday almost DAILY for more than a month prior to. My husband is NOT good in that dept., so I thought I'd try her technique. Actually what I SAID was, "HEY, I'm going to be _____ (that very scary age that has a five and an "O" in it), and I'm gettin' too old to beat around the bush about this present thing....so I've decided I'm going to do something I NEVER do (right) and NAG you two about what I want!!!" Thus the billboard whining. Well, my birthday came and lo and behold, there was this tiny little jewelry box on the table FROM THE SAME STORE NAME as was on that billboard. Now, I harbored absolutely NO visions about getting that same wedding ring set.....although it WAS fun to think about for a while.....but wondered what on earth it could be. I opened the box, with my two guys standing there looking like I was about to discover the cure for cancer or something......and there was a white gold ring setting with a teeny tiny little diamond in it!!! I will NEVER forget the smiles on those 2 faces. Grinning from ear to ear like they'd just given me the world on a platter.....and truly, they had!!! My husband said "well, it's not the set off the billboard, but let me tell you about that set!!!" I almost couldn't breathe as he told this story. Seems he and small son took themselves into this high powered, mega sell jewelery store and actually ASKED how much that ring set on the billboard cost. The clerk who had initially approached them, sort of started stuttering and stammering and backing away like they had ebola or something and said something like "I'll go get the manager"....leaving hubby and small son standing there in their tennies and sweatshirts, looking AND feeling a little out of place, I'm sure...... not knowing what to expect! Well, here comes this woman.....asking "WHAT set were you interested in?" My hubby repeats himself and she goes and consults with yet ANOTHER clerk.....a man this time, who approaches my husband and tells him, "that set is not available to view, however we do have another, slightly inferior set in our vault to show you.....would you like to see that one?" Now, my husband has probably never held anything in his hand more expensive than a torque wrench....but he said "sure, if you'd like". This man then went into the vault and and carries out this ring set ON A BLACK VELVET PILLOW and sets it in front of where they had now seated hubby and small son. My husband picks it up, looks at it, then says "and how much is this set?" To which the man replies "THIS set is only $58,000.00, sir, and looks very similar to the set you requested. We do not have that set on site, as it's value is over what we are allowed to keep in our vault at this location.....however, I CAN show you a catalog with the exact set in it, would you like to see that?" My husband, either game to the whole thing now or completely oblivious to the situation.....says "sure". The man carefully removes the set on the pillow, back to the vault, and shows him this catalog. He points to the set......$98,000.00!!!!! I do not know how he pulled it off, but my husband very calmly stated "well, that's a little out of my price range, I'm just looking for something for my wife's birthday. Do you have something less expensive?" Talk about your understatements!!! So somehow, I ended up with a very modest, yet very important ring my husband picked out for my ___ birthday. And b/c I had misplaced it in some luggage this summer, found out how much it cost.....$200.00. A little less expensive, but this ring means more to me than how much it cost. It means my husband stepping out of his comfort zone to do something JUST FOR ME. How does this rather lengthy story (and I'm full of 'em, so if you want sound bites, find another blog).....what does this story have to do with the first sentence about the "31" Woman?? Well......"worth more than diamonds". They didn't even keep the set they had plastered all over town on billboards in the stores......they were "worth" so much. They showed an INFERIOR version to my husband ON A VELVET PILLOW, for Pete's sake. So......how would your husband present YOU?? How does my husband present ME??? Or ......how does he "keep" me? Better yet......how does my heavenly Father "keep" me? Or want me to keep or present myself to others? Does my character only deserve an unlocked spot in the front of the store, where I could get 'stolen'....or am I treasured enough to be kept in a vault.....on a velvet pillow This speaks to me of all the womanly virtues I can think of. Femininity, modesty, meek and gentle spirit, kind words, helping others, help meet.........I could go on and on. But for brevity's sake (yeah, I try sometimes), I see that a good woman is harder to find and worth more than that wedding ring set that wasn't in that vault. Today's society has put SO much value on diamonds, that they keep them and present them in such a manner that is almost foreign to us. Maybe I should think about presenting MYSELF in the same way. So my husband will call me a 'good woman'. Maybe I should take better care of myself, my health, the way I dress. Maybe I should even 'keep' my words, like Mary, the mother of Jesus.( Luk 2:19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart).......instead of blabbing everything I know.....which would "keep" not only MY reputation sterling, but my husband's as well.......so the NEXT verse could be very true "her husband trusts her without reserve". I'm seeing a linking of these verses now. I was always taught that NO woman could do everything at one time or every day like the Proverbs 31 woman. With reading this version, I am having second thoughts about that. More next time. Denise aka The Domestic Angel |
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