Life Lessons: A Proverbs 31 Woman: A Wise Woman

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:”

(Proverbs 31: 25-28)

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come”

When you hear the word strength you most likely think of physical strength. A man lifting heavy weights at the gym. The military or police force. A German Shepard on a leash that has become distracted during his walk. However, Webster lists other descriptors including endurance, the power to resist attacks, a moral force and effectiveness. All of these seem like amazing attributes to wrap yourself in. Endurance to run life’s race to completion (Hebrews 12:1-2). When you are wrapped in strength you are prepared for the attacks you have been warned are imminent (John 16:33). A wise woman knows that we are called to be holy and moral. She also knows that without the Spirit that is impossible (Galatians 5:16). She is efficient in all she does and knows to run from idleness lest she comes to ruin (Proverbs 19:15).

Dignity makes me envision a queen. Someone who knows how to carry herself and puts others at ease with her grace and decorum. If we turn back to Webster we find that a dignified woman is one of worthiness, honor and esteem. This is a woman of high value and everyone knows it! I also love that it says she can laugh at the days to come. Laughter is so important! In the words of Lizzie Bennett, “I dearly love to laugh.” But when read in context of the rest of the passage we can see that this isn’t just a joyful woman who enjoys a good joke but rather a woman who laughs because she doesn’t fear the future. Her life is secure. Her household is secure. Even if the future is unknown, she is not terribly worried because she is prepared.

“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.”

Who do you go to when you need advice? Why do you consider them wise or trustworthy? Do others come to you for wisdom? Do you feel capable of giving it? I used to laugh in college because my friends would always want to mull over their relationship problems with me specifically like I had some sort of sagely advice that had served me well. What makes it more amusing is I would gladly give what I thought was great advice all the while being perpetually single and without a clue! Oh the follies of youth!

When I have concerns there are many people in my life that I can turn to for advice. My parents, best friends, ministers, mentors and coworkers. Each have been able to provide guidance at times of need for which I am eternally grateful but as wonderful as their advice has been it would be of no use if it was not wise, godly and faithful instruction. It would be just as effective as my clueless college love advice.

Staying in the theme of being wise, we are reminded that our lady of distinction is concerned with the affairs of her household. The coming and going. The day-to-day. But we already knew that because we have seen her at work in the last seventeen verses. We have seen her working to keep her family and house up and running just like we still do every day and just like in the modern age she knew that being lazy would make this task not only difficult but dang near impossible.

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:”

Blessed...adored, revered, exalted. These are words that I pray someone will use to describe me one day. These are words I heard spoke over my grandmother’s life and legacy at her funeral. To have your children and husband (or anyone) praise you for being a blessed and revered woman is quite an accolade. To me this means that she was not just a good woman or a woman of distinction at times but rather this lady’s life was characterized by traits that made people adore and revere her. To me she is the ultimate description of 2 Timothy 4:7. She has fought the good fight. She has finished the race. She has kept the faith. She has led a life worthy of being called blessed.

My Take Away