“Charm is deceitful,
and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears
the LORD is to be praised.”
-Proverbs 31:30
I know some pretty
incredible women, women who live their lives exactly like Proverbs 31
describes. Some of the most important people in my life are women who live
their lives according to this Scripture. One day, I hope that these words will
describe the kind of woman I am.
I want to be a woman
who fears the Lord. A woman who teaches kindness. I want to be a woman who
wears strength and dignity. A woman who works willingly, and gives help to the
needy and a hand to the poor. I want to be a Proverbs 31 kind of gal.
But I want to be clear
on why I’m doing it…
This blog really is
dedicated to all the single ladies, because I know exactly how you feel,
especially when you get to the age when all your friends and every other person
you know is getting engaged and married. It’s actually super exciting for me to
see so many beautiful women that I respect and love dearly each find a man who
treats and respects them the way they deserve. But there’s also part of this
that almost makes me feel like I’m way behind and need to get my life together.
Then there’s group
messages and talking with your single friends, discussing the guy who hit them
up on Twitter instead of just talking to them face to face. Or, joking about
being single even when sometimes there is an aching truth in some of those
jokes.
We can joke all we
want about it, but there is always that little bit of pressure we put on
ourselves, trying to discover what it is that needs to change before we can
find someone. It’s like we think if we can just fix ourselves up and find a
man, then we’ll be alright. Our lives will never be figured out until we get
that one piece of the puzzle in place.
But to the single
ladies and my beautiful single friends, let me tell you that this isn’t true. This
is a piece of the puzzle that isn’t for you to figure out, God already has it
worked out. It’s also a piece of the puzzle that doesn’t require you to do everything
you can to try and earn somebody’s attention.
Oftentimes, when I
hear people talking about Proverbs 31, it’s almost always used in reference to
marriage or being a wife. Half the time, it’s some Christian single guy on
twitter tweeting every other day about how he needs “a godly woman who fears
the Lord #proverbs31.”
Then as follows, I see
so many girls trying to put on this image and this face to be such a righteous,
godly woman who serves the Lord. Don’t take this the wrong way, that is great
and all, but we as women shouldn’t be putting on this image to get the
attention of guys. We should be getting rid of this self-shaped image and
instead become like Christ out of a desire to honor Him.
I don’t want to be a Proverbs 31 woman so that Prince
Charming knocks on my door tomorrow, I want to be a Proverbs 31 woman so that
the world knows who my God is.
It irritates me when I
see girls try so hard to put on this perfect face of the ideal Christian woman,
because I don’t think that is how God intended it to be. Yes, we should desire
to be God-fearing women, but it’s not so that we can find the perfect guy, it’s
so the world can see our perfect God.
Trust me, I know and
experience almost every day how much pressure is on single ladies. I can’t go a
week without it being brought up in some way or another. Sometimes it gets
irritating, but most of the time I’m perfectly fine with it. Not because I
don’t want to find a good guy who will love and treat me right, but because I
know that God always has, always does, and always will love me—as I am—even
when I fall short of being a Proverbs 31 kind of gal.
Proverbs 31 describes
the kind of woman a wife should be, but just as much it also describes the kind
of woman any girl can and should desire to be…not to please men, instead to
please God.
So to the married
women or women in relationships, be the kind of woman who honors and glorifies
God in how she lives and in how she serves her husband, her children, and
others. See yourself as God sees you, and worship and fear Him in return. Be
kind. Wear strength and dignity. Be wise, and give willingly to others as you
can. Be a woman who is known for her fear of the Lord.
And to the single
women, be that same kind of woman. Don’t be discouraged by the failed attempts
at finding someone, by the heartbreaks, or by the difficult experiences. Don’t
be discouraged that you aren’t getting that “ring by Spring” this year. And
don’t feel pressured to put on a face to get yourself on the market. Instead,
focus on becoming a Proverbs 31 kind of woman to honor and glorify God, not for
someone else. See yourself as God sees you, and worship and fear Him in return.
Be kind. Wear strength and dignity. Be wise, and give willingly to others as
you can. Be a woman who fears the Lord.
The
Woman Who Fears the LORD- Proverbs 31:10-31
“An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.”