Feminine virtues are under serpentine assault. Our culture is spraying the fields of femininity with herbicides of laziness, immodesty, and impudence. This salting of the fields is deceptively heralded as liberation. But wherever the Gospel takes root it becomes a vineyard in which both male and female virtues grow and flourish. A woman who trusts in Christ and obeys His Word is called a virtuous woman, and such a woman becomes praiseworthy. Our culture insists that women need to be praised simply for being women; Scripture teaches that praise is reserved for a woman who can be described as virtuous.
What does that little word contain? A whole lot, it turns out. A virtuous woman, among other things, is marked by hard-work, attentiveness to her own sphere while keeping her nose out of others’, and a contentment which gives no place to guilt, shame, and insecurity.
Many of you moms are hard-working women. But perhaps you’ve grown frazzled with the grind of diapers, school runs, disciplining the toddler, art assignments, prepping meals that are half-eaten, disciplining the toddler, mopping up a spill, laundry, gardening, helping a teen with homework, meal planning, and disciplining the toddler again.
Leaning against the feminine vices of our age––like laziness and self-centered self-care––isn’t a summons to having a frazzled soul. Some days the dishes don’t get done, but this doesn’t mean that you’ve failed to honor the Lord. It isn’t self-centered to take a quick inventory with your husband of both your chores and the standards for them. Make sure your standards are attainable and realistic; make adjustments during various life-seasons. What does it profit a woman to clean all her baseboards but lose her soul? By God’s grace you will find strength for all the duties, wisdom in managing the margins, and contentment in fulfilling your duties. This is how virtuous women become praiseworthy, and in due time, get the baseboards cleaned.
Ben Zornes – April 28, 2024
