Proverbs 31:13-20:
“She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
She also rises while it is yet night,
And provides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
She considers a field and buys it;
From her profits she plants a vineyard.
She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.”
Were you a bit put off or even angry when first introduced to the rather daunting verses describing the Proverbs 31 woman? She really is quite a woman! We have all heard the voices from the world that say, “You can be beautiful!” You can be successful!” “You really can do it all!” Some of those voices even come from within the church. My first reaction when introduced to the Proverbs 31 woman, as a task-oriented perfectionist, was to roll up my sleeves and get started! It wasn’t long before I overdid it, failed and heaped enormous condemnation on myself. Looking back to the beginning of my Christian walk when I was bound by perfectionism and motivated by performance-based acceptance, keeping up with the ideal of this “capable wife,” was an impossible dream and downright exhausting! Digging deeper, it became apparent that she knew something I didn’t. Let’s identify three virtues of this capable, noble woman and see what her secret is:
• She is trustworthy: her desire is to bless and build her husband up; her actions are a result of fearing the Lord.
• She is industrious: she works hard to supply for the needs of her family and anyone else that may be living in her home. No one can call this woman lazy! She gets things done! With God’s help she senses the needs of those around her and finds a way to meet them, a result of fearing the Lord.
• She is resourceful: this woman knows how to shop! She looks for the best deals; she is wise, able to prioritize her time and money. Apparently, she knows the best way to invest the family’s money so her family is well taken care of. This kind of wisdom only comes from a life yielded to the ways of the Lord, a result of fearing the Lord.
• She is compassionate: this godly woman is alert to the needs of those around her, the needy and those less fortunate than she; a result of fearing the Lord.
Did you catch it? She feared the Lord. She respected Him as her Creator, her sovereign God; she knew Him intimately, spent time with Him, and recognized that apart from Him she could do nothing. When one looks at the verses as a whole, rather than all the individual parts as we are apt to do, one sees that the Godly virtues exemplified by this woman are a result of fearing the Lord—not from her doing but from her being. She has chosen the better part by embracing her standing with the Lord. She has been chosen, set apart, called.
Our Father in Heaven, thank You for helping us understand that our impressions of this woman we read about in Proverbs are false and that we have been set up for an impossible dream. You remind us again from John, 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” Help us, O Lord, to remain in You, seek You, serve You, and mostly to fear You. In Your name we pray, Amen.
