Proverbs 31 Homemaking - Strengthening Your Family Through Speach

Proverbs 31:10-31

A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.

She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.

She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.

She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.

She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.

She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.

In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.

When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.

She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.

She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

"Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Strengthening Your Family Through Speach

James 3:5-6
"Even so the tongue is a little member and boasteth great things. Behold, how a great matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity; so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on the fire of hell."

When you complain about your husband or children to others, is this gossip? Are you causing others to view your husband or children differently, because of the words you have spoken? Are you "tearing down your own house"?

Proverbs 14:1
"Every wise woman buildeth her house, but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands."

You may be saying "But I would never gossip about my family..."

"Oh Julie, you would just not believe how these kids are behaving! This baby has been fussing all day and the kids aren't listening. And Dave just does not understand that I have been un this all day with these kids! Add did you know that he still hasn't fixed that drain in the kitchen sink!"

O.k., so that may be a little over-dramatic, but it is reflective if what many of us tend to fall into when we feel tired, over-worked or frustrated.

Perhaps you are frustrated because your husband said something unkind or forgot to take out the garbage, or your children are not behaving the way that they should, and you feel the need to "vent" to your best friend. This is gossip! Or perhaps you are having a difficult day because the little ones are cranky and just feel the need to complain to your mother. This is gossip as well!

Not only are you committing sin when you gossip, but you are causing others to sin by listening to your gossip!

When speaking of our husbands, there should be joy in our voice. The respect that we have for him should be obvious in every word that we speak. We must purpose to only discuss his strengths, and to speak only positive of him to others.

Proverbs 31:11-12
"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life."

When speaking of our children to others, there should be love and kindness in our voice. The tenderness we have for them should be apparent in every word. We must be careful to not cause our children hurt by publicly criticizing their faults, but also careful to not embarrass them by "showing" them off.

When we make a habit of gossiping about our husband or children, we are reinforcing their weaknesses in our own minds, and in the minds of others, This can cause us to lose respect for our husband, become embittered in our role as mother, and actually cause us to change our perception of those we have spoken ill of.

But if we make a habit of praising our husband, and speaking highly of him, we actually reinforce our respect for him and cause ourselves, our children, and others to think highly of him.

Speaking with praise about our children helps them to feel loved and highly valued. Often times speaking highly of our children will actually cause them to try even harder because they know that you are pleased.

"Hi Julie. Yes, these little blessings are rambunctious today. They are just bursting with curiosity! You know, Dave is such a wonderful father! He is taking the boys outside to play while I finish cooking dinner."

Let us build up our families with the words that we speak!