A Proverbs 31 life

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

~Proverbs 31:30

My whole life, I’ve been told that women should strive to be the Proverbs 31 woman.

And my whole life, I thought that meant a woman who took care of her husband and kids and was the appropriate amount of respectful and submissive (as women are often encouraged to be) and just put together so perfectly.

In some ways, it is.

But have you ever really read Proverbs 31? Not just Proverbs 31:30, quoted above, but the whole chapter?

The Proverbs 31 woman is a fierce creature. She doesn’t lower herself in any way, but has the full respect of her husband. She handles her business, manages the family budget … Shoot. The woman buys a field and plants grapes.

She also cares for the poor and those in need.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” ~Proverbs 31:25

I wish I could laugh at the days to come.

In our heads, we have this image of what we think the Proverbs 31 woman is. But I think the reality is different. She is a woman who can take care of things. And does.

But she doesn’t do it on her own. That verse at the beginning — you can’t gloss over that. You have to let that one sink in.

The Proverbs 31 woman isn’t worried about appearing to be the perfect wife and mother. She’s not some 50s, Stepford-esque housewife who looks and acts perfect.

She’s a woman who knows that, above all, her love of the Lord must be first.

And she works hard.

“She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.” -Proverbs 31:17

Do you think she woke up one day with the knowledge of how to do it all? OR the strength? Yes, the Lord can give us knowledge and He can give us strength, but I believe He also asks us to be willing to put in the effort.

He’s not going to snap his fingers and make us the perfect person.

God asks us to first, focus on Him. Respect His strength and power.

Then He asks us to put in the effort.

I am NOT a morning person. I’ve been trying to get up earlier in recent weeks, so I can have time to do personal stuff in the mornings — talk to God, eat, exercise.

It’s not working.

But, I know, with prayer and diligence (a really loud alarm clock) I will get there.

We can’t get closer to God by just wishing it to happen. We have to put in the work there, too. We have to read the Bible, we have to pray, we have to just sit and let Him speak to us.

Sometimes, we need to take quiet time to just be with God.

And, with effort, maybe a little luck, and a whole lot of God, we can find ourselves being the representatives of God that He asks us to be.