The Virtuous Wife

The Virtuous Wife

Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands. She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar. She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservants. She considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms. She perceives that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hand holds the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed with scarlet. She makes tapestry for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies sashes for the merchants. Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.” Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

The Parable of the Dandelion

Discipleship, gossip, rewards in Heaven

(scene: a park bench or four chairs side-by-side facing audience)
AMY -- (enters carrying a dandelion-gone-to-seed, sits)
LIZ -- (follows a few seconds later) Well, I'll be...
AMY -- Something wrong?
LIZ -- Your message said to meet you in the park. And here you are!
AMY -- You seem surprised at that.
LIZ -- I am. I thought I misunderstood. You said you wanted to talk to me about discipleship.
AMY -- Yes.
LIZ -- Why the park? (motions broadly to the surroundings)
AMY -- Because that's where the dandelions are. (offers dandelion)
LIZ -- Maybe we should start over. (sits) You left a message for me saying that you wanted to see me.
AMY -- Yes.
LIZ -- You wanted to talk to me about discipleship.
AMY -- Yes.
LIZ -- In Lakeside park.
AMY -- Yes.
LIZ -- And dandelions fit into this scenario.... how?
AMY -- Well, I'm hoping that this dandelion can teach you how to earn more rewards in Heaven.
LIZ -- You've got to be kidding!
AMY -- No. (offers dandelion) Here. Blow.
LIZ -- (reaches, withdraws)
AMY -- Go ahead. Blow. You'll learn a lot.
LIZ -- (taking dandelion) I'm waiting for the candid camera guy to pop out of the bushes and...
AMY -- Just blow.
LIZ -- (blows half heartedly)
AMY -- Harder. Blow all the seeds off.
LIZ -- (blows, pauses) Well, that's all of them. What now?
AMY -- How was that? Did you expend a lot of effort?
LIZ -- No. It was just one breath.
AMY -- One breath.
LIZ -- Well, two actually, counting the first little puff.
AMY -- How much effort do you think it would be to go get all of the seeds and glue them back onto the dandelion?
LIZ -- You've got to be kidding! You don't expect me to....
AMY -- I just asked the question.
LIZ -- Oh. Well, actually, I think it would be almost impossible to collect all of the seeds and glue them back on.
AMY -- Why?
LIZ -- Because they drifted away. I probably wouldn't even be able to find them all.
AMY -- So, it only took one breath to unleash them, but it would be almost impossible to retrieve them.
LIZ -- What does this have to do with... with rewards in Heaven?
AMY -- If the Lord sees that you're untrustworthy with little things on earth, how will he trust you with the big things in Heaven?
LIZ -- What little things?
AMY -- We're talking about gossip.
LIZ -- Gossip?!
AMY -- It only takes one breath to unleash, but it's impossible to retrieve.
LIZ -- I don't gossip!
AMY -- You don't?
LIZ -- Well, not very much.
AMY -- (tilts head, pauses)
LIZ -- Alright, maybe I gossip more than not very much. How is that going to cost me rewards in Heaven?
AMY -- Whenever you scatter to the wind ANYthing that was told to you in confidence, you have shown yourself unworthy of trust. Why would the Lord trust you with the big things of Heaven if you can't be trusted with little secrets here on Earth?
LIZ -- Oh. I never thought of that before.
AMY -- Do you know WHY you feel compelled to broadcast the seeds of gossip to the wind?
LIZ -- No.
AMY -- No?
LIZ -- No.
AMY -- I'll give you a hint. When you broadcast a confidential secret that makes someone else seem more vulnerable, it makes YOU feel LESS vulnerable, more powerful.
LIZ -- I suppose it does.
AMY -- The question is, WHY do you feel so vulnerable that you feel you have to compensate?
LIZ -- I... I don't know.
AMY -- You have forgotten WHOSE you are.
LIZ -- WHOSE I am?
AMY -- You belong to Jesus. He died for your sins. When was the last time you unloaded your sins on Him?
LIZ -- It's been a long time.
AMY -- When was the last time you ask the Holy Spirit to work his power in your life?
LIZ -- It's been a long time. No wonder I think I have to compensate with gossip! I'm not spending enough time with the Lord! (sighs) I'm sorry. I didn't know. I wasn't thinking about any of this.
AMY -- Well, then, (stands) my work here is through.
LIZ -- (stands) Just one more thing.
AMY -- What's that?
LIZ -- I know from personal experience that gossip is habit-forming. How do I break the habit?
AMY -- You need to call all your gossiping friends and tell them what you learned from the dandelion. You need to tell them not to call.
LIZ -- That's a lot of people!
AMY -- I thought you said you didn't gossip that much.
LIZ -- The more I think about it, the more I see it. Alright. I'll do it. I'll call them. But....
AMY -- But what?
LIZ -- Listen, I know what I'm like. If I do this, I'll need some help. You know, some accountability, some moral support.
AMY -- Yes. I can do that. If it's important enough to bring to your attention, it's important enough for me to support you. (exiting) How about if I call you once a week to check up on you?
LIZ -- (exiting) You can call. But don't expect any gossip from me!
-Bob Snook-


Wherever you will find my name, on a plaque, a bookmark, a certificate etc. where they put the meaning underneath the name and a bible verse under that, they always give me the verse in Psalm 19:14...

Psalm 19:14 (NKJV)
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

I was raised in a home where a big part of the time there was always gossip going on. Moreover, I started to develop this habit too. Although I hate to admit it. It hurts to admit it. Thank God that he has been changing this in me. Nevertheless, I have to be on guard at all times. I don’t associate much with people that like to gossip or try to drag me back into that habit. I am learning how not to be drawn into those kind of conversation. And boy am I proud of myself when I can resist. My husband can’t keep a straight face sometimes cuz I can get very hyper with excitement lol.

Ephesians 4:15 (NKJV)
But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—
Ephesians 5:1-2 (NKJV)
1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

I have also learned that it is not love to others, and what we do to others we do unto God so then it is not love to God, if we Gossip or slander or whatever other fancy name we want to give it. So let us all go out there, love others, and not gossip.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)