Scripture to Memorize
She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindles with her fingers.
Proverbs 31:18–19
John [the Baptist] answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same. . . .”
[Jesus said,] “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Luke 3:11; 6:38
Guided Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for filling your Book with such practical advice. I confess my tendency to pick and choose only those parts of the Bible that say what I want to hear. I love the parts that speak of blessing me, but I tend to skim over the parts that challenge me to be a blessing to others. Ironically, in seeking first to bless myself, I miss out on many of the greatest blessings.
Today’s passage is a real challenge to me. You are clearly telling me that if I have more than I need of anything, I should give some away to someone who has a greater need. Although part of me believes I’ll be happier if I cling to everything and keep it for myself, I will choose to believe, by faith, that you know what you’re talking about and that this commandment is not designed to punish or rob me, but to bless me. I believe your Word is true: as I give, it will be given to me. I’ll receive a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, poured out into my lap. I believe that with the measure I use, it will be measured to me. Holy Spirit, give me the courage to use a huge measuring cup in the coming days as I give to others. Amen.
Personal
If there’s one thing that most intimidated me about writing a book based on the Proverbs 31 woman, it’s this: I’m a lousy housekeeper. I’m one of those creative types who are just messy by nature, so it’s always been a major challenge. So the bad news is: housekeeping isn’t my forte. The good news is: I have a secret weapon in the war against messiness. I have the household management tool that makes the distaff and spindle even more obsolete than they already were! It’s a weapon that’s guaranteed to change your life! Are you ready? Here it is:
Give away everything you can.
The key to minimizing clutter and keeping an orderly home is a resolute commitment to give away everything you can. Give, give, give! Give until it hurts. And because it does hurt sometimes, you’ll think twice about accumulating next time. Get your kids in on it; your husband, too.
Go through your house: room by room, cabinet by cabinet, closet by closet, drawer by drawer. If you can imagine life without it, give it away. Your life will be exponentially better with less clutter—less to clean, less to confuse. Less is absolutely, positively more. Do this exercise quickly. Don’t overanalyze. Just do it.
Please do not think of this as merely de-cluttering your house, although it will certainly help with that. Think of it as ministry. Think of it as simple obedience to the command of Christ. Focus on the joy of giving and view this exercise as a ministry opportunity. In fact, if you are doing this study with a group, you may want to organize a massive giveaway party at your church. We did this at my church in Tempe, Arizona, and people were astonished when they walked into the auditorium filled with free stuff. We simply said, “Take what you need as a gift from your loving heavenly Father.” I saw single moms in tears.
Go through your clothes, books, CDs, toys, kitchen gadgets—you name it. If you have two when one will do, obey the biblical directive to give one away. If you can even conceive of your life without it, give it away. If you can imagine anyone at all who needs it more than you, give it away.
You don’t have to label four boxes (every book I’ve ever read on household management emphasizes the infamous four labeled boxes, dragged from room to room). Forget about all that. It’s too complicated. You need only one box at a time. When it’s full, fill another one. And another one. And another one.
The last time our family did this, we filled the back of our pickup truck and took everything to a group of families hit by an apartment fire. It was pure joy. It really is better to give than to receive. Be like the Proverbs 31 woman who opened her hands to the poor and extended her hands to the needy (v. 20). Isn’t it interesting that the very next verse points out that, even as she has open hands to give, her family still has everything they need: “When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet” (v. 21). Never hesitate to be generous with what you have, trusting God to provide everything you need.
I do want to add a disclaimer here. If you are deeply in debt or otherwise in a financial bind, rather than giving away everything you can, you might consider selling everything you can. You can organize a yard sale or read Day 54 for ideas on selling your unneeded stuff on the Internet.
However, you don’t have to host a yard sale to have profitable trading. Give to the Lord and see what he gives you in trade!
Affirmation: I give away everything I can.
Practical
Go through your house: every room, closet, cabinet, and drawer. Don’t ask, How long has it been since I used this? Ask, Can I possibly live without it? Do I have two when one will do? Does someone else need it more? Would someone else get greater use out of it? Your mission is not to justify keeping it. Your mission is to give away as much as you possibly can. Obviously, if you come across stuff that neither you nor any other human being wants, throw it out.
If you want to take a tax deduction, you can donate to the Salvation Army or some other charity that accepts used items. Make a list of big-ticket items and a general description of smaller items (kitchen gadgets, clothing, and such) and ask the manager to sign and date it for you. But don’t get bogged down over the tax deduction. It’s not about that! Set a goal to fill at least five boxes. You’ll be amazed how easy it is to do.
Tip: Before the purge, call your local Wal-Mart store manager and ask what time they replenish inventory (and have empty boxes). Ask if you can stop by to pick up ten. Usually they are happy to accommodate you. While you’re there, purchase ten plastic storage containers. You’ll also need a thick black felt marker.