At first it seemed puzzling to read the characteristic:
What does this mean? And how does it apply to me? Though I understood what a "spindle" is, I needed to look up the word "distaff" in the dictionary. Google can be so helpful sometimes! As I read about this ancient yarn/thread spinning method and mused over pictures, I began to see the implications of this verse.
In the last verse, we saw that the virtuous woman is wise in her evening hours, after most lights are out and people are not watching her every move. Here, we see her wise use of daylight hours. She uses every spare moment to effectively care for her household.
I am recently reminded of this principle applied today. My cousins have been visiting our farm for a few weeks. These girls amazed me on many counts with their abilities and character, but I noted one thing especially specific to this study.
In the evenings, my mom would read a chapter of a Lamplighter book as we sat around the fire place. My youngest cousin, not wasting a single moment, quickly found needlework to employ her hands. Knitting, crocheting, and embroidery have gone almost extinct with the invention of machinery. Though I agree that factories and machines are great time savers, they ought not replace diligence in the current generation. My cousin exemplified this in her choice to use her time listening to create an embroidered bib for a baby. She is not yet 12, yet she is developing a characteristic absent from many adult women.
Does this verse mean literally to return to the ancient form of spinning? As before-mentioned, I think that innovative inventions are great. However, is there something you could be doing in those extra spare moments? Moments quickly multiply into minutes, hours, and days. It is imperative that we, as women, guard the clock, that we may give account to our Heavenly Father as wise stewards.
"She layeth her hands to the spindle and her hands hold the distaff."
Proverbs 31:19
In the last verse, we saw that the virtuous woman is wise in her evening hours, after most lights are out and people are not watching her every move. Here, we see her wise use of daylight hours. She uses every spare moment to effectively care for her household.
I am recently reminded of this principle applied today. My cousins have been visiting our farm for a few weeks. These girls amazed me on many counts with their abilities and character, but I noted one thing especially specific to this study.
In the evenings, my mom would read a chapter of a Lamplighter book as we sat around the fire place. My youngest cousin, not wasting a single moment, quickly found needlework to employ her hands. Knitting, crocheting, and embroidery have gone almost extinct with the invention of machinery. Though I agree that factories and machines are great time savers, they ought not replace diligence in the current generation. My cousin exemplified this in her choice to use her time listening to create an embroidered bib for a baby. She is not yet 12, yet she is developing a characteristic absent from many adult women.Does this verse mean literally to return to the ancient form of spinning? As before-mentioned, I think that innovative inventions are great. However, is there something you could be doing in those extra spare moments? Moments quickly multiply into minutes, hours, and days. It is imperative that we, as women, guard the clock, that we may give account to our Heavenly Father as wise stewards.
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