Keep Balancing..

At one point or another, we must have wondered how industrious the woman of Proverbs 31 was. The usual thought shared about this wonderful woman is that she took care of her family well. I was listening to Pastor Gabriel Thomasraj, whose wisdom I always seek to understand the hidden treasures in the Bible.

One point he made touched me deeply. It is about verse 19: "She spins her own thread and weaves her own cloth," and verse 22: "She makes bedspreads and wears clothes of fine purple linen." My initial impression of the verses was that the woman was a hard worker. But the revelation went like this: It is true that she took care of others and even made winter clothes. She planned ahead. Most importantly, this wonderful woman made things for herself. She wore fine clothes. She not only kept herself busy for others but also took care of her own needs.

Sometimes, we who want to be women after God's own heart neglect our own needs. We are determined to serve the best food for our loved ones, but are we doing it for ourselves too? We iron clothes and want our loved ones to look presentable in what they wear. Are we doing the same for ourselves, or are we choosing to wear old clothes throughout the day while being busy looking after others? Let's not stress ourselves or try to outdo this Proverbs 31 woman.

Let's take care of our appearance, eating, and sleeping habits. Let's work on our skills, learn new things, and be productive in a meaningful way. Most importantly, let's take care of our relationship with God. We cannot ignore that this woman is praised not for her looks but for the fear of God she had in her. Let's align everything in our lives in order before we take care of others. The Proverbs 31 woman is as much about self-care as she is about caring for her household and loved ones. Be of good cheer, my friend. Each of us deserves better self-care. Take charge of your needs too. Be a wonderful daughter and mother, and also be good to yourself.

Make it a practice to have innovative ideas that push you to take care of your needs. Keep a glass jar and write down the self-care activities you would like to give yourself. Pick up a chart and write a routine you want to follow to take care of yourself. Paste it in a place where you can see it often. Enjoy the process.

Dear God,

Thank you for your wonderful words. Give us wisdom in balancing taking care of ourselves and others. Help us to have an excellent spirit in facing our every day. Bless us with the fear of the Lord. Thank you for your encouraging words, Lord.

In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.