"She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens."
The virtuous wife is up before the sun, showing that idleness and laziness have no place with her. There are great benefits to rising up early. It is a quiet time free from the noise and distractions of the day. It is an ideal time to spend with the Lord in quiet meditation and prayer, starting the day with Him. We have the example of our blessed Lord "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed (Mark 1:35). And the Psalmist, "In the morning shall my prayer come before thee" (Psalm 88:13).
Rising up early also allows you to get a good start on the day. Have you ever slept in late and then by the time you really get going it seems that half the day is gone and you have accomplished very little? As wives and mothers we have quite a lot on our plate. Our days are full, and often times we are exhausted. The temptation is often great to want to stay in bed "just a little longer". How many times have we slept through the quiet morning hours only to find ourselves still exhausted and now falling even further behind in our day's duties? As the mother of young children I know well the feeling of being over tired, and worn down, but have also learned that the attitude of staying in bed for just a little longer tends to seap into other areas. Before you know it you find yourself eating the bread of idleness.
If you find yourself struggling to rise early, pray that God will give you the strength, and the energy that you need. Find a little something to add into your morning routine that will re-energize you. Perhaps it is spending a few minutes studying Scripture, or drinking a cup of hot tea and sitting in quiet prayer. Perhaps it is stepping outside for a breath of the fresh morning air. Different things work for different people, so think about what motivates you. What helps your heart to feel at peace, and ready to face the day? Perhaps it might help to sit and think upon what blessings this day brings. What will you be doing with your children that will bring joy?
One of the reasons for a wife to rise so early is to provide food for her household. When the father and children get up they are greeted with a hearty, home-cooked breakfast! Nutritionists consider breakfast the most important meal of the day, nourishing the body that has not had any food for many hours and providing energy for the toil of the day. The virtuous woman makes sure that her family gets off to a good nutritional start. I heard once that you can tell a lot about a family by what they are eating for breakfast. Is your family sitting down to a warm meal as a family? Or are you starting the day off by quickly grabbing whatever you can find to eat as you scurry to get your bearings?
My husband has often told me that sitting down together as a family in the morning really sets the tone for his day. Just having that extra time together makes the whole day better. I would think that seeing his family before leaving for work would give a husband the encouragement he needs to face his day, knowing that we are thinking of him, praying for him, and looking forward to his coming home at the end of the day.
I think it is also important to note here that the verse speaks of the woman this passage describes as having servants. She could have easily had the sservants prepare breakfast for the family (or in modern terms-she could have had a box of cereal just sitting on the counter waiting for her family to grab it in the morning), but she rose up early herself. I think this has importance because it shows that she was not asking others to do something that she was not willing to do herself. As keepers at home, we often set a tone amongst our families. We are here, all day, having close involvement with each member of the family. The example we set, even in the smallest of areas, will teach our children far more than any school lesson, or sermon they will hear at church.
May God help us to begin our days well, beginning the day early with God, getting a good early start on the tasks and duties that demand our attention and diligence.
Blessings,
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