Willing hands...

"She selects wool and flax
and works with willing hands."
Proverbs 31:13

In this verse we read how the bride receives raw materials from God and then with willing hands she works, prepares and produces useful items from it. She is creative in her labours and with a pure and righteous character she is a factory, producing and creating new, useful products from the material she receives from Him. Not only does she provide for herself and her family, but she serves others by providing in their need with her talents and resources also.

In our instant society we are so used to getting the finished product that we often do not even think about the processes necessary to produce those products. Our instant society fosters and develops a culture of consumerism and instant gratification, that in many instances is functioning in quite the opposite way. We buy, use and dispose and then buy, use and dispose again... we want and we want it quickly and without having to put the effort into developing our own creativity and skills to produce something of value, since it takes to long and after all, we don't need to because we can buy the finished product.

 

Thus, some questions to ponder for this week would be:

• What raw materials did God provide you and I with and what are we doing with it?
• Are we using our inborn creativity, our talents and gifts to produce those products that He designed us to do?
• What are those valuable things that you and I were created to produce, that provide for ourselves and others in the body of Christ and above all serve our King and His Kingdom?
• Are our hands willing to take the raw materials He gives and put in the effort necessary to produce the end product?

However, I do not think this verse is only about producing something of value with the raw materials we are given.  Wool and flax are symbolic of purity and righteousness.  So I think if we engage with God to take the raw materials he gives us and walk out the process with Him, much more happens than what meets the eye.  Let's liken it to the following analogy:

 

If a child wants a wire car to play with, the father has one of two choices.  He can buy the car and give it to the child, which will meet the immediate need and bring joy for a time, or he can provide the raw materials and spend the next six weeks building that car with his son.  At the end of that process much more happened than just having a wire car to play with.  The father developed a skill-set in that child that will last a lifetime and the child will be able to use those skills in many other life situations to provide for himself and serve others throughout his entire lifetime, but above all they had lots of time to do things together that built relationship.  It is in this process that the father uses every opportunity to grow the child's character, making use of teachable moments to produce purity and righteousness in him.  This process also passes on skills and talents to the son, making sure that these qualities are not lost and that they are grown from generation to generation.  So also, through the fruit of our willing hand's labour, a relationship with God is fostered and formed and cultivated in ways that are valuable beyond this lifetime.

 

Thus, two more questions to answer this week will be:

• What do we have that God intended for us to impart into the next generation?  
• Do we have willing hands to persevere through the process so that our character can be built in purity and righteousness, building a relationship with God that is of eternal value?  

 I think this video from Casting Crowns carries a message that captures many of these thoughts...

 

In the Hands of the Potter - Casting Crowns