Living the Proverbs 31 Life – Proverbs 31:10

I have been married for almost 29 years and have 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren. Owning our own business and having raised a family together we have found it is important to understand each other and to keep the lines of communication open. It is also important to have date night or time for us!

When we were getting near the end of raising our children, we were asking ourselves if we really wanted to be together. Did we understand each other? Did he love me the way I needed to be loved? Was I wrong in wanting or needing this? Well, my parents sent me a book I found to be the beginning of a new relationship for us both. (they have been married over 50 years now and it isn’t easy for anyone) The book is called The Five Love Languages. We read it together one chapter at a time before we would go hiking and would discuss what it said. I found out I wasn’t loving him the way he needed me to either. We loved each other very much, but both of us was feeling it just wasn’t enough. Neither of us was really feeling the love. I was loving him the way I wanted to be loved, and he was loving me the way he wanted to be loved. We really got to know each other better and have become even closer friends because of it. It is very important to be somewhere you will not have phones, kids or waiters interupting you so that is why we chose the forest. It is equally important to remember never to interupt the other person until they say they are done. Remember, you can’t change how someone feels when you say or do something, but you can change what you do. Most of the time we don’t intend the feelings our actions cause. But being aware of it will help you correct your actions.

It is important to both want to work out the kinks in a relationship and it is never too late. You got married or into your relationship for a reason, don’t sell yourself short with a quick fix…..unless you have tried to see what might be an easy fix. Read the book! It is an eye opener.

Laura Rocha – EFTS Inc. Credit Card Equipment and Services lrocha@eftscredit.com
Living the Proverbs 31 Life – Proverbs 31:1022235Living the Proverbs 31 Life – Proverbs 31:10A capable, intelligent and virtuous woman – who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels, and her value is far above rubies or pearls. Proverbs 31:10

As a Proverbs 31 woman, you are a capable, intelligent and virtuous woman. Do not let anyone tell you any differently. Even if you do not yet exemplify these qualities, you are still a capable, intelligent and virtuous woman, that is, if you desire to be so. First of all, God is not a respecter of persons. (See Acts 10:34.). So, if he blessed the woman of our text to be capable, intelligent and virtuous, then he will bless you likewise. Secondly, God has endowed us with the ability to call those things, which are not, as though they were. (See Romans 4:17.). So, again, if on today, you do not exemplify these qualities, you can agree with the Word of God and speak them into existence. Simply pray, “Father, I thank you that I am a capable, intelligent and virtuous woman, in Jesus’ name.” After praying this, daily thank God for the manifestation, until you see the evidence of this scripture in your life.

As you continue to believe God to be a capable, intelligent and virtuous woman, you will find that the second part of this scripture is also true of you. That is, you are far more precious than jewels and far more valuable than rubies or pearls.

Let’s look at what this means…

It is interesting that God would compare the Proverbs 31 Woman to rubies and pearls. The usage of these jewels contains hidden meaning. Both rubies and pearls have significant characteristics, which I think lend themselves to why God would compare the Proverbs 31 Woman to them. A ruby is the gem quality of the mineral corundum. It is deep red in color and translucent. It is developed through a mining process and because of its rarity, it is very precious. It is said that rubies are more rare than even diamonds of the highest quality. It is also said that rubies are usually not more than five carats in size.These facts about rubies are significant for the following reasons: The deep red color of the ruby is symbolic of the Blood of Jesus. As Proverbs 31 Women, we rely on the healing, delivering, cleansing and protecting power of the Blood of Jesus and we are blessed as a result.

The ruby’s translucence means that we are also translucent, meaning we allow the light of God to shine through us. The mineral, corundum, which the ruby consists of, is known for its durability. We, too, as Proverbs 31 Women, are strong; we are able to bear up under the vicissitudes of life. Additionally, corundum is so durable that, in its common form, it is used as an abrasive. Because the ruby is the gem quality of corundum, I see that the Proverbs 31 Woman has been developed through her own personal mining process and transformed beyond common form into a refined, non-abrasive, woman. We are indeed “steel magnolias” and “iron fists in velvet gloves.” We are strength under control, which, by the way, is the definition of meekness. Finally, the fact that rubies are usually not larger than five carats in size tells me that you cannot be the Proverbs 31 Woman without the grace of God. Five is the spiritual number of grace. God’s grace is sufficient in not only becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman, but in also sustaining this lifestyle. (See II Cor. 12:9.).

Like the ruby, pearls also have noteworthy qualities. A pearl, by definition, is a smooth, lustrous deposit of calcium carbonate, formed around foreign matter in the shells of mollusks (water organisms including oysters and clams), and valued as a gem.This foreign matter is sometimes a grain of sand; however, most often it is a parasite.From this, we learn that the pearl’s most important quality is the manner in which it comes into existence. Pearls are born out of irritation. When the foreign matter gets into the shell of the mollusk, it irritates the mollusk’s mantle. A mollusk’s mantle is a fold in its body wall that lines the shell and secretes the substance that forms the shell. To lessen the irritation, the mantle secretes the shell material over the foreign matter until it coats it. Once coated with the shell material, the foreign matter becomes a pearl.

A pearl is valuable because it is the result of changing a bad situation into something worthwhile. The mollusk looks at the intruder and says, “I am not going to let you get the best of me. Instead I am going to use my mantle to lessen your irritation and then I am going to turn you into something useful. Aside from what a mantle is to a mollusk, a mantle is also something that covers; it is the zone of hot gases around a flame; it is that which gives off brilliant illumination when heated by a flame; and in anatomy, it is the cerebral cortex, which is the part of our brain that integrates sensory impulses. With this I see the Proverbs 31 Woman looking at the tough times of life (sand) or the demonic attacks (parasites) and saying, “I am not going to let you get the best of me. Instead, I am going to use my mantle – my covering, my glory, my mind-regulating power, i.e., MY ANOINTING (the burden-removing, yoke-destroying power of God) to lessen your irritation and then that anointing, by the power of the Holy Spirit, is going to cause you to work together for my good! (See Romans 8:28.).

I don’t know about you, but I am very happy to be far more valuable than rubies and pearls. How nice of God to see us this way! I am glad that we are what God says we are and can do what God says we can do. I am also grateful that whatever God calls us to do, he equips us to do. God is awesome!

So, trust in the Lord, walk in His wisdom and be that capable, intelligent, virtuous, precious, and valuable woman. Hallelujah! See you in the next article!

Patricia Samuels Ministries
Min. Patricia D. Samuels, MA is the founder of Patricia Samuels Ministries, Inc., an international ministry focusing upon the upbuilding of the Body of Christ, especially women in the Body of Christ.

Patricia Samuels Ministries stands behind the belief that everyone can live a wonderful, victorious life if they follow the principles found in the Word of God. The ministry’s motto is “Success…by The Book! Victorious Christian Living.” The ministry operates a ministry website where one can hear audio teachings, read articles, and pray prayer confessions (positive affirmations) to bring success into their life. The website is appropriately dubbed, “A Website For Those Who Want To Win In Life!…24/7 Ministry!” Log on today at http://www.patriciasamuels.org/. Anyone tired of losing in life and/or anyone seeking new strategies to win in life will benefit greatly from this ministry!