"The Scavenger"

¹⁴She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

Proverbs 31:14 says this woman is like the merchants' ship going afar to bring food.  T. Nicol contends that the Hebrews were a pastoral and agricultural people, and had no inducements to follow a seafaring life.  Yet, we know that Solomon and Hiram were partners in a Tharshish fleet arriving with fine imported goods every three years (1 Kgs. 10:22).   The Proverbist yet again illuminates the extraordinary character of this Proverbs 31 woman.  She is from a people that by nature are not prone to travel by sea unless absolutely necessary but she thinks and moves outside the box of tradition to the advancements around her in order to secure what is needed for her family. The more I learn about this sistah……I think to myself she is a Bad Mamma Jamma!!!!

The word scavenger carries with it several negative connotations but I want to focus on the more general definition of scavenger: a person who searches through refuse for food minus the refuse J   This Sistah is willing to not only search diligently for and to secure what is readily available to her but for the well-being of her family she is willing to go to great lengths and travel great distances in order to secure provision for her family.  We know that food provides vital nutrients to strengthen the body thus rendering it functional for activity.  Without proper nourishment her family can’t thrive so this sistah is all about life for her family.  Matthew Henry contends, “What her own ground does not produce she can furnish herself with, if she have occasion for it, by exchanging her own goods for it; and so she brings her food from afar.  Not that she values things the more for their being far-fetched, but, if they be ever so far off, if she must have them she knows how to come by them”.  Thus, she has a “by any means necessary” spirit.   If she has to travel to a foreign land to get what her family needs her passport is on her person at all times J

We all remember participating in various scavenger hunt exercises.  The Proverbs 31 woman is the only player in this scavenger hunt for she makes the list and then she obtains everything on the list.  When I think about a scavenger, I am reminded of my favorite childhood video game, Pac-Man and they later came out with Ms. Pac-Man (Pac-Man with a red bow).  They would go throughout the maze eating dots and fruit that were available and trying to escape the ghosts.  I think of the Proverbs 31 woman as the original Ms. Pac-Man but instead of eating up everything, she goes to and fro gathering up everything she can to provide her family with sustenance to go to the next round.

To all the Ms. Pac-Man Sistahs out there, I salute you!!!!

Walk It Out Application:

This week reflect on routine and also novel things that your family may need to go to the next level.  After identification is action, so seek near and far to secure everything needed for your family. 

God Bless You Sistahs!!!!

Minister Anna P. Shanklin

Next Week’s Topic:  The Early Riser (Proverbs 31:15)

"The Hard Worker: Ain't Got Time to Die"

¹³ She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

Proverbs 31:13 starts a review of the character of this woman as an industrious pursuer of what will fortify and strengthen her household.  Verse 13 says first that this woman seeks wool and flax…….seeketh (darash) in the original language means she applies to practice, study, follow and seek with application.  Thus this woman makes it her business to gather the materials she needs meaning she doesn’t just gather things aimlessly but she pursues with a plan the things needed for her household.

Oh how many times ladies do we have people in our lives dictating and hinting at what should be our life pursuits, questioning our motives and outlining a systematic approach for us but a Proverbs 31 woman knows her purpose and she seeks the precise needed materials for the completion of the purposed work.  God is not mentioned but she can’t do this unless she is clear about her God-given purpose.

She seeks wool and flax which are materials used for making garments…covering.  So the Proverbs 31 woman seeks the materials needed to cover her family.   The covering blocks and repels direct exposure to the elements.  Oh, I feel like shouting on that one……because I am reminded and my heart is warm and my eyes are filled with tears as I think about all the AMAZING women in my life God sent to fortify me with love (great-grandmother (the original Anna P), grandmother, my lovely mother, my Nanny, 3 aunts (Mercedes, Theresa, Omae) and Mother Dear) who tirelessly sought and continue to seek the materials that to this very day provide a covering for my life.  The men were there and looking back I can give a testimony about them but these sistahs got together and made life oh so sweet.  So on the days when things are rough and enemy attacks come and I want to fight back in the flesh it is the power of the Holy Spirit and that fortification of love with a firm sense of knowing who God made me to be which was pounded into my head since age 2 J that affords me the strength to keep on keeping on.  I salute these covering Sistahs!!!!!!!

Wool is utilized for making fabric and garments and it is also a metaphor for whiteness (Isaiah 1:18).  Remember Rahab covered the spies on the roof with stalks of flax (Joshua 2:6).  This woman again is seeking the covering for her family.

Now not only is she industrious in her gathering of the materials but once she obtains the materials for the covering the Bible says she works willingly with her hands. In the original language (willingly) means she delights and takes pleasure in working …..she desires and has a longing to work….it is not a mere since of duty but she enjoys the expenditure of energy necessary to cover her family.   She doesn’t just order it to be done but she works at it herself to make sure that it is done with her own hands.  Sistahs, she doesn’t mind working to keep covering over her family. She doesn’t get up mad because she has to go to the store and cook because she doesn’t mind bringing home the bacon and frying it up in the pan.   She doesn’t do the laundry with an attitude. She seeks the materials, she spins, she sews and then she dresses to cover that which God has given to her life.  Sistahs, the Proverbs 31 woman is a hard worker!!!!!!!! 

One theologian contends that all her labor is done in cheerful service and her will and her heart are in it.   She is happy doing the work because I believe she has a vision of her covered family as she is working with her hands. I believe this Proverbs 31 woman would paraphrase the words of the old negro spiritual…...and say…. “Too busy working to cover my family, Ain’t Got Time to Die”

Walk It Out Application:

This week let us reflect on all the amazing persons God sent and continues to send into our lives to help us along life’s way that are hard workers.

If you are waiting for your family, make sure things are organized and prepare your household for your family.  Wash the dishes with joy, do laundry and fold with a smile and prepare your meals with gladness and know that all of this will fortify you to be able to cover the beautiful family God has for you.

If you have a family then continue to do your work with joy in your heart and love in your actions this week and going forward keeping in mind a photo of your covered family.

God Bless You Sistahs!!!!

Minister Anna P. Shanklin

Next Week’s Topic:  The Scavenger (Proverbs 31:14)