Why I love the Proverbs 31 woman

One of my favorite sections of the Bible has got to be the Proverbs 31 woman.  I have always loved that passage because I think the way that the woman is described is incredibly challenging yet strong.  There are often times they believe that this is about being the perfect wife and mother, and while yes there are verses that discuss a woman who is a great wife and mother, there are often many other verses that discuss a great amount of strength and grace that could be and should be found in many Christian women.  This passage does not need to be just a guide for wives and mothers, but rather a guide to women everywhere who want to serve the Lord. 

The first reason I love the Proverbs 31 woman is found in verse 17, it says, “She sets about her work vigorously;  her arms are strong for her tasks.” Here is a physical description of the woman’s strength. She works so hard that she has strong arms that are capable of hard tasks.  Although the view as a whole is changing, there was the old fashioned look on women as weak and always needing a man to help her with simple chores. However, this verse from the Bible describes a woman as physically strong.  She is able to do chores and tasks because she is strong both physically and mentally.  

The next verse that I absolutely love is in verse 20 which says, “She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.” The Proverbs 31 woman is very concerned about caring for her family, but she also cares a great deal about others that are in the world.  She cares about the poor and needy and wants to extend her hand, resources, and help. She has a care for peace and love to be spread to the least of these. Caring for the poor and needy is later a command given by Jesus many times throughout the New Testament. The Proverbs 31 woman is already following the command of Jesus, even when this passage was written before the days of Jesus.  

Of course, my next verse that I absolutely love when it comes to the Proverbs 31 woman is verse 25.  “She is clothed in strength and dignity; she can laugh without fear of the future.” I love this verse, and it is found in many various places throughout my apartment to use as a reminder.  The Proverbs 31 woman at the very least knows exactly who she is or more importantly, whose she is. She is a daughter of God and therefore she doesn’t have any concern about the future. She knows that wherever she goes in the future, it doesn’t matter because she will always be a daughter of God.  I absolutely love this verse, but I also think this is the thing that I struggle with the most. I am very fearful for the future. It seems that I am always nervous about what is going to happen even before there is a potential of it happening. This verse serves as a reminder to stay steadfast to the Lord even when there is fear.  

Following verse 25, is verse 26 which is “She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”  The Proverbs 31 woman is wise. She again knows whose she is and wants to share that wisdom of God with many others. She makes wise decisions and can then speak that wisdom into many others.  The woman is not only smart, but is able to make smart decisions and give smart advice. This means that she is not interested in tearing other people down, but rather lifting them up to be the best that they can be.  

The last verse that I absolutely love about the Proverbs 31 woman is verse 30 in “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting,  but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” With everything, the Proverbs 31 strength, concern for the poor, fearlessness, and wisdom is at the core created because she loves and fears the Lord.  She has such a respect and fondness for God that she starts to embody his strength, both his physical and spiritual strength. Because she has such a love for God, this also develops a love for other people, specifically the poor.   She again does not have to worry about the future because she knows that no matter what happens in the future, she will be God’s child and that in the end will be the only thing that matters. Therefore she then can speak wisdom into the world.  The Proverbs 31 woman is a powerful woman, but she is only powerful by the one who made her that way.