33A23.    Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31.  This husband’s wife “is far beyond pearls.”  She was always occupied making their house a home, and making God’s life, her family’s life.  “Give her a reward for her labors.”

Matthew 25:14-30.  The Master, God, is demanding.  He entrusts each of us with talents or capabilities “to each according to his ability.”  He is a task master who demands that we not waste our life time running off in self-serving worldly directions but that we accomplish what our gift of a life time requires of us, to live toward the goal of our eternal life time.  Wasting our God-given life time will be treated severely.  “Throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6.   This world can easily anesthetize us into living for this life and ignore eternal life.  We can readily live to be at peace and secure for the present moment without a thought for eternal life.  Living in reality is not living in a present-day dreamlike restfulness and avoiding taking on the challenge of living for the ‘forever’.  To choose the fullness of the realities of the life that God has given us is to take on the responsibilities that often can make life quite demanding.