“Her hands are busy spinning
thread, her fingers twisting fiber.” Proverbs 31:19
Lord, how do I view this
passage as a compass pointing to Jesus? I find myself growing rather angry about King
Solomon’s ideas that only busy women are valuable. (Is there some guilt there?) Yet, Lord, having the book
of Proverbs in my Bible means You want these things to come down through the
ages like they have.
How do I reconcile these materialistic,
seemingly earthly standards of worth to the teachings of Jesus and the New
Testament?
Is that why they are there? To
show the impact the life and death of Jesus had for all humanity?
Or maybe I need to rethink the
standards that twist the idea of rest into being one of laziness. That's where the guilt seems to be coming from.
Hmmm, I had a conversation last night with my
Mom, who is a spinner, about using a drop spindle to make yarn; how she knew a
couple of ladies in her Spinner and Weaver’s Guild who took their work bag with
them wherever they went. The bag held carded fleece and a drop spindle whose
design and purpose hasn’t changed in millennia. When the opportunity arose that
granted them time to sit, they spun. A couple hours at this and they would have
a small ball of yarn to show for their efforts. Is it safe to say that at rest,
they still labour? What a Solomon woman!! (Smile.)
I would love to ask them a bunch of questions
about their motivation, their reasons for having a work bag. Is it merely passion
for their craft?
Yarn is made of two or three
threads. Each thread is spun individually before being twisted together to
create a strong, and useful product if you know how to weave, crochet or knit.
If you don’t, yarn isn’t that useful!
Another hmmmm…Is that a revelation
of how grace works? Not all things are useful for all people even if their
purpose has uses. Does that mean I dare to admit this verse in Proverbs doesn’t
apply to my life since I don’t actually spin? Or maybe I can move this passage
into a metaphor.
In coming to know Jesus, a
thread of an idea twists itself into my thoughts. One thread of an idea
connects with other, different ideas. The combination of idea threads twist
together into an understanding or revelation of truth.
Newly formed yarn has to be
washed for the fibers to set themselves into permanent alignment with each other.
Isn’t that reassuring; to know
that the threads of my ideas are being washed in the blood of the Lamb!
Praise God, because I don’t
always get it right.
(Thank you, wikiHow, for the spindle image.)
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