Use it!

It's 11:30 on a Monday morning.

So far today, I've:
~ had a quiet time with my Lord,
~made myself presentable,
~washed a huge pile of dishes,
~cleaned the rest of the kitchen,
~washed and hung almost all my laundry,
~checked my email,
~done a little work on book marketing,
~and done one other blog post besides this one.

I've been thinking a lot lately about getting things done. I'm hardly the best time manager in the world. Sometimes I worry, when I hear folks say that a woman, 'specially a wife and mother, is naturally wonderful at multi-tasking. I wonder how I missed out on being born with this important trait.


But the fact remains that I must get it, if I want life to be manageable, so I guess I must learn the hard way!

I've also been considering in my mind the different jobs of a woman. At first glance, the Proverbs 31 woman is all about outward, hands-on tasks, but there's more to a godly woman that that. I know it. I see it in every godly woman I meet.

We are called to help win the world to Christ, not just see that people's backs are clothed and their stomachs are filled. What a menial life that would be!

From the very time that I was born, the Lord put me in a environment rich in information. Nearly every adult I know has been willing to teach me something, from planting a garden, to playing music, to peeling an apple, to reading a book, to sewing a dress. He also blessed me with a mind that wants to find out as much as I can. With those two blessings combined, is it any wonder I've grown up knowing how to do many different things?

That's what people call talent, I guess. Knowing how to do things.

But what is talent by itself? Tell me how to use it!

So what if I can write? Tell me how to write a book that glorifies God!

So what if I can sew? Tell me how to use that to open doors for witnessing!

So what if I can bake (sometimes successfully!)? Tell me how to use that to minister to others!

So what if I can teach? Or play fiddle? Or sing? Or grow plants? Or clean a room? Or care for children? Or speak another language? Teach me how to USE it!


Sisters in Christ, let's stop thinking of skills as an end in and of themselves. We are called to something so much higher. Stop pursing things that have no value. When you must choose what skills you are going to pursue in life, let the determining factor be "how useful will this be to the kingdom of God?"

If the world thinks of Christian women as humans with "half their brains tied behind their back," it's our fault. Let's be creative! Put to use what we've got. Use it for the kingdom of God!