Proverbs 31 Kind of Woman!!!

Reflection:  Although the roles of women have changed over the years, and I’m sure we could have much debate over whether that is a good thing or not, the Proverbs today lift up what the bible terms in chapter 31, “the wife of noble character”.  I believe what the Proverbs say about this kind of woman, transcend all the conversation about the role of women and give women a great model to strive after.  The Proverbs end with this classic saying about this type of woman:

³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

While there is a great cry for godly men, who model faith for their children and display these same characteristics, godly women have played a key role in the formation of many saints. This includes Timothy, who Paul in 2 Timothy notes followed after the faith modeling of his mother Eunice, and grandmother Lois.  Many forget that in a highly patriarchal society the bible gave prominence to the role of women by including them in many of the key stories with key roles, including the first to be witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus. 

We can see in this passage many of the qualities of a Proverbs 31 kind of woman including: the confidence/trust her husband has in her, the work of her hands both within her family and in the marketplace, her role in the faith formation of her children through teaching and modeling godly characteristics, and most of all through her “fear of the Lord”. 

I was fortunate to marry a Proverbs 31 kind of woman.  God has blessed me by giving a wonderful wife who fears the Lord, who is clothed with strength and dignity, and keeps us well fed!   So your challenge today if you are married is to make sure and thank God for the Proverbs 31 qualities your wife has, and then make sure and let her know how grateful you are for her!!  Although society can continue to debate the role of women, these qualities will last forever and never change!

Psalm 73:21-28

²¹ When my heart was grieved
    and my spirit embittered,
²² I was senseless and ignorant;
    I was a brute beast before you.

²³ Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand.
²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will take me into glory.
²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart
    and my portion forever.

²⁷ Those who are far from you will perish;
    you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
²⁸ But as for me, it is good to be near God.
    I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;
    I will tell of all your deeds.

Proverbs 31

Sayings of King Lemuel

31 The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.

² Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
    Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!
³ Do not spend your strength on women,
    your vigor on those who ruin kings.

⁴ It is not for kings, Lemuel—
    it is not for kings to drink wine,
    not for rulers to crave beer,
⁵ lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,
    and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
⁶ Let beer be for those who are perishing,
    wine for those who are in anguish!
⁷ Let them drink and forget their poverty
    and remember their misery no more.

⁸ Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
    for the rights of all who are destitute.
⁹ Speak up and judge fairly;
    defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

¹⁰ A wife of noble character who can find?
    She is worth far more than rubies.
¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.
¹² She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.
¹³ She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
¹⁵ She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.
²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
²² She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate,
    where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes.
²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
³¹ Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

2 Corinthians 11:1-11

Paul and the False Apostles

11 I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! ² I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. ³ But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. ⁴ For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

⁵ I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.” ⁶ I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. ⁷ Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? ⁸ I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. ⁹ And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. ¹⁰ As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. ¹¹ Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

The human mind plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps. Proverbs 16:9

The rich man said, “I will pull down my barns and build larger ones.” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have

prepared, whose will they be?” Luke 12:18,20

O Lord, you are our dwelling place – in you we live and breathe and have our being. We return to you all that we are; our love for you knows no bounds. Amen.