Good day sisters!
How are you going this day the Lord has given us? I hope you are doing well and growing and enduring in this life in Christ.
"Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation."
1 Peter 2:12
Today I wanted to post something on working with our hands. We know this is commended, well commanded actually, in scripture.
"And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing."
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12
I love that and it shows us a picture opposite of what these young widows were doing in this passage here...
"And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not."
1 Timothy 5:13
So it is good for us women to mind our own business, working with our hands, doing good works and in the roles we have as keepers at home, helpers, and servants.
Our hands themselves are amazing creations from the Father for sure. May we not take them forgranted! And the ability He gave to repair any damage we might do to them is awesome too. Even when you just cut yourself or burn your hand even a bit then you realize how much you rely on them and the difficulty even small things like that can cause. What a blessing those of us who have two good working hands to look after ourselves and then work hard for others and do that which is well pleasing to the Lord.
There are so many good things we sisters can and should do with our hands. Of course many things we do are done with our hands so I guess the list could be huge but we can think of a few pure and good things we do or may do in our lives as godly women.
Reading the Word of God
Clothing ourselves biblically
Cleaning
Cooking
Sewing
Shopping for food and other needed items
Blessing an enemy (Romans 12)
Handing someone a gospel card/tract or sharing it online as well as other truth.
Caring for and teaching children
Encouraging sisters or teaching in Titus 2 and other women's areas (ie 1 Peter 3, 1 Timothy 2) in writing.
No I cannot list them all of course but just to say that we use our hands so very much and we would be very lacking without them for sure! May we be grateful and use them for what is right and good and make wise use of the time the Lord has given us.
Praise God we can be free from using them for bad or time-wasting things which we did in the past before repenting of them to follow Christ and His ways. Now we can rejoice to always use them for His glory and not on things which are not in line with loving Him and seeking first His kingdom. One example would be music.
We can use our hands (in our words often) to do this too...
"Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed."
Hebrews 12:12-13
We can encourage a sister and help where needed.
"And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging."
1 Peter 4:8-9
The virtuous Proverbs 31 woman was very diligent with working with her hands.
"She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy."
Proverbs 31:13,19-20
"Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth."
Ephesians 4:28
"He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich."
Proverbs 10:4
I love this!
"Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation."
Psalm 24:3-5
Because we can write, our hands become an extention of our speech really, and we know scripture tells us how our words are to be.
"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer."
Psalm 19:14
"Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."
Colossians 4:6
We see more of the great importance of not being lazy here (which also goes along with not being busy bodies in the verses above).
"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all."
2 Thessalonians 3:10-16
(And we see there even to the point of separation from a lazy saint.)
I made a little video of some different clips of some work I get to do. I'm sure many of you have similar things and so I hope it just encourages you that God has His daughters going about what they ought to do, few though they may be.
Amen and praise God for His truth in His Word (and thank you sister for the flower pictures).
So I hope this post has blessed you! I guess there could be much more to write here with my own hands but I think I shall leave it at that; relatively simple and short. If the Lord wills, I hope to come back here with another post tomorrow. In the mean time I'll be striving on in the Lord and working with my hands in the things that I have to do.
Until then sisters, hold fast in the Lord's true ways and work digently with your hands in what good works you need to do.
Titus 3:8
Love in Christ,
...from a servant of the Lord
See the biblical gospel explained here.