The Unruly Woman vs. the Noble Woman

She can be found at every corner- gadding about.

 According to Cambridge dictionary gadding about means to visit or travel to a lot of different places, enjoying yourself and not worrying about other things you should be doing.

This is the life of the unruly woman-
She will not submit to her calling as a wife/mother. She is headstrong, which is considered an asset in worldly eyes.  She often volunteers for every activity under the sun and can even be found teaching Sunday school, leading Bible studies and prayer groups. She is found attending every community affair and is involved in as many outside activities that she can.
There is only one place that you will not find the unruly woman- in her own home.

She was the brash, rebellious type, never content to stay at home. Provers 7:11

Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. Proverbs 14:1

To the unruly woman, the domestic duties of caring for a husband and children are beneath her.  She doesn't dare waste her time when she has much more important matters to tend to.  The unruly woman convinces herself that she is doing ministry because many of the things she is doing is considered an honor by the christian circle.  She often hears the praise of men for the sacrifice she makes with her time to serve others, while those of her own  household is daily neglected.
The unruly woman usually takes care of the outside needs of her family such as clothing so that she can impress others, but the inside needs- that of tending and discipling her little lambs are neglected as she pursues her own dreams and ambitions and leaves the tending that should be her job to the daycare or babysitter.
The unruly woman feels that she is superior to the mothers that "waste" their lives and their talents wiping noses, changing diapers, and will never understand why on earth anyone would ever willingly sacrifice their life to stay at home.  She can never be found cooking wholesome meals for her family, in her prayer closet, or holding her children in her arms while reading them a story. She is much too busy for such things.  If for some rare occassion she is found at home-perhaps when a child is sick, she quickly turns on a movie so her children will be quiet while she checks her email or updates her faceebook status.
The unruly woman can be very religious and moral and may know the scriptures, but sadly she doesn't  know the Lord she is reading about.
The unruly woman knows nothing of sacrifical love or dying to self. Her children are often viewed as hindrances to ministry instead of the primary ministry that the Lord has called her to.
The unruly woman isn't ruled by the Lord, but by her own fleshly desires.  She is rather successful in ruling over her husband by her unsubmissive spirit and argumentative attitude. Instead of seeing herself as God calls her- the husband's help meet, she sees her husband as someone that is there to meet her own needs. She thinks the Bible verses that talk about submission are outdated and not relevent for today.

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.  Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Ephesians 5:22-24

The unruly woman's family is driven by activities, entertainment, and media. They are always gadding about-  going to and from ballgames, music lessons, daycare, shopping malls, sporting events, among many other things.  They are never found around the dinner table with a home-cooked meal or having family prayer and devotions.  They are too busy to build meaningfull relationships with the Lord or with those of their own household, but somehow manage to find the time to spend on facebook and other media sites.

Titus 2:4-5
That they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 3:1-7

The life of the noble woman is much different.
She enjoys making a home.  She sees her home as the place where true ministry begins. She realizes that one day she will have to give an account to the Lord for the souls of her children that the Lord has entrusted to her care. She takes her job very seriously and guards against any outside distractions or anything else that may harm her family.  She is often found in her prayer closet for she knows that without the Lord she can do nothing.  She seeks direction, wisdom, and strength from the Lord each day and is purposefully living life with the end in mind.  She often grows weary, tired, and gets discouraged after caring for her home, and those of her household all day, but she knows that God's Word is true-
...Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Psalm 127:3

She knows that even a cup of water given in His name will not go overlooked.

And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. Matthew 10:42

The noble woman is often mocked by other christians who label her as being too family focused and of neglecting ministry.  But the noble woman isn't shaken, for she knows the truth and patiently awaits the harvest of all her labor. Serving Christ by loving her husband and children and training them up in the ways of the Lord is the very least she can do for all that Christ has done for her.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:5-8

The noble wife is also involved in outside ministry.  After she has first been faithful in her own  home, she then becomes a blessing to the homes of others.  She and her children are often found bringing a hot meal to someone that is sick, writing cards of encouragement, or meeting any other needs that the Lord lays on her heart.  She teaches her children how to share the gospel with lost family members and is always looking for opportunities to share and do good to others.

Who can find a noble wife? She is worth far more than rubies. Proverbs 31:10

A seed is useless until it is cast into the soil where it will die in order to become something greater- a plant, a flower, a tree.  In the same way, my dedication to life at home as a mother is a seed of sacrifice.  I give up my own desires and sacrifice my gifts and talents so that new life may come from me. I am buried in the rich soil of homework, homeschooling, chracter training, disciplining, and the myriad responsibilities of making a home. To many in my generation, my decision to stay at home is a fruitless sacrifice, a waste of feminine intelligence and abilities. To me, though, it is a small sacrifice if by it I may send my children into the next generation bursting with spiritual life, ready to change the world for Christ. Fruitless? Only by the world's standards. By God's it is a worthy sacrificce that will  yield a harvest of righteousness. 
Sally Clarkson


The biggest sacrfice for me has been in the areas of relationships and harmony. Once I dedicated my life to biblical motherhood, I very quickly found myself crashing into relational barriers where before there had been none. All of a sudden I was "too commited" to my home and family and not involved enough in outside activities that would provide my children a "balanced life."
 Sally Clarkson