A Woman of Influence: Prov. 31

[GoldenEagle]

Proverbs 31 gets a lot of attention on Mothers Day worldwide possibly more than any time of the year. However, we were teaching about virtue today and I decided to present this to others.

The majority of the proverb describes a virtuous woman who leads her home with integrity, discipline, and giftedness. This wife and mother in the last proverbs is a leader not because she tries to be one, but because of who she is.

A. Her Assets:

She is trustworthy (v. 11)

She is a positive influence (v. 12)

She is a hard worker (v. 13, 14, 19, 24-27)

She is a planner (v. 21, 22)

She is protective (v. 27)

B. Her Achievements

She meets the needs of her home (v. 15)

She invests for her household (v. 16)

She keeps herself in shape (v. 17)

She helps her husband become successful. (v. 23)

C. Her Attitudes

Delightful (v. 13)

Healthy (v. 18)

Compassionate (v. 20)

Unselfish (v. 20)

Public (v. 25)

D. Her Applause

From her family (v. 28)

From her husband (v. 28, 29)

From God's Word (v. 30)

From her works (v. 31)

Your thoughts? Anything I missed or you'd like to add/comment on?

God bless,

GE

Source: Leadership material from John C. Maxwell

[AlexanderJ]

^{Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.}

^{Proverbs 31:10}

[OneLight]

It is interesting that Wisdom is referred to as She throughout Proverbs, and reflects upon the words of a mother. She (Wisdom) is the beginning of knowledge in Christ.

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:

To know wisdom and instruction,

To perceive the words of understanding,

To receive the instruction of wisdom,

Justice, judgment, and equity;

To give prudence to the simple,

To the young man knowledge and discretion—

A wise man will hear and increase learning,

And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,

To understand a proverb and an enigma,

The words of the wise and their riddles.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,

But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

My son, hear the instruction of your father,

And do not forsake the law of your mother;

For they will be a graceful ornament on your head,

And chains about your neck.

[Fez]

It is interesting that Wisdom is referred to as She throughout Proverbs, and reflects upon the words of a mother. She (Wisdom) is the beginning of knowledge in Christ.

You know, I have never looked at it like that, and it bears more contemplation. You have me thinking. (and that's a difficult thing to do late on a Sunday night)

[Guest LadyC]

earlier this year, when studying proverbs, this is what stood out to me... maybe because i needed to hear it at the time. some of the traits of a proverbs 31 woman include not just being a hard worker, but being a good business woman. she doesn't just work inside the home, she works outside the home. she runs her household AND a business. and she's the financial brain of the family.

in a day when being a stay at home mom is see by many christians as the biblical model, this is really important. being a working mom vs. a stay at home mom is such a hotly debated issue that we all lose sight of what God really expects.

the proverbs 31 woman did take care of her household. but she had maidservants. she didn't stay at home doing the cooking, cleaning, and diapering all by herself. she had other people 'working' for her. she delegated. she instructed others how she wanted her household run and her children cared for. and then she went out and made major decisions about how the household income was spent. she made major investments. she turned a profit and reinvested those profits.

she was also self employed. she was the buyer, the designer, the creator, and the salesman. she earned a living. not everybody these days has the skills to run their own business... and many women have to hold down jobs working for someone else. and that's ok!

i'm not trying to hijack the thread, i just want us to really, REALLY consider ALL that being a virtuous woman is, because i know i used to have a much narrower view.and i know that there are a lot of women who struggle with the desire to be a godly stay-at-home-mother, but can't reconcile that with their need to help earn additional income in the family. and if there are women reading this thread, please, DON'T feel like you're failing. you can be a virtuous woman by Biblical standards even if you have to work outside the home while someone else takes care of the kids.

(is that still on topic?)

[Guest]

i'm not trying to hijack the thread, i just want us to really, REALLY consider ALL that being a virtuous woman is, because i know i used to have a much narrower view.and i know that there are a lot of women who struggle with the desire to be a godly stay-at-home-mother, but can't reconcile that with their need to help earn additional income in the family. and if there are women reading this thread, please, DON'T feel like you're failing. you can be a virtuous woman by Biblical standards even if you have to work outside the home while someone else takes care of the kids.

(is that still on topic?)

Yeap~!

[BlessedByTheBest]

ok let's do this officially..

in chapter 8 of Proverbs, we can discover a contrast in God's attribute of perfect astuteness..or Wisdom..with that of the virtuous Woman.

Proverbs 8

8 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

² She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.

³ She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.

⁴ Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

⁵ O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

⁶ Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.

⁷ For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

⁸ All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.

⁹ They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.

¹⁰ Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

¹¹ For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.

¹² I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

¹³ The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

¹⁴ Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

¹⁵ By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

¹⁶ By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

¹⁷ I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

¹⁸ Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.

¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

²⁰ I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:

²¹ That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

²² The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

²³ I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.

²⁴ When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.

²⁵ Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:

²⁶ While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

²⁷ When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:

²⁸ When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

²⁹ When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:

³⁰ Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

³¹ Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

³² Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.

³³ Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

³⁴ Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

³⁵ For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.

³⁶ But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

our God is awesome...

[enoob57]

the excellence required of the Bride....

[GoldenEagle]

^{Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.}

^{Proverbs 31:10}

So true!

[GoldenEagle]

earlier this year, when studying proverbs, this is what stood out to me... maybe because i needed to hear it at the time. some of the traits of a proverbs 31 woman include not just being a hard worker, but being a good business woman. she doesn't just work inside the home, she works outside the home. she runs her household AND a business. and she's the financial brain of the family.

<snip>

This is an interesting post/comment LadyC. I agree that this woman in Proverbs 31 probably had many servants working for and with her. A woman working for someone else completely acceptable I agree as not everyone is an entrepreneur – this goes for both men and women. Personally I was trying to focus more on the characteristics of a godly woman.

She is trustworthy (v. 11), a positive influence (v. 12), a hard worker (v. 13, 14, 19, 24-27), a planner (v. 21, 22), and protective (v. 27)

She is Delightful (v. 13), Healthy (v. 18), Compassionate (v. 20), Unselfish (v. 20), handles herself well in Public (v. 25).

By the nature of the order listed of her achievements I think meeting the needs of her home (v. 15) comes before investing for her household. (v. 16) Her job is to help her husband be successful (v. 23).

Now, if you’ve seen some of my posts (sevenseas can attest to this I believe) in the past I believe there is the argument that I’m a very strong supporter of women. My concern though is when the career is more important to a woman than her family. Of course I would argue the same thing would be a concern for men who put their careers above their family.

God bless,

GE