What can we learn from the virtuous woman Proverbs 31

[missmuffet]

  ¹⁰An excellent wife, who can find?
       For her worth is far above jewels.
   ¹¹The heart of her husband trusts in her,
       And he will have no lack of gain.
   ¹²She does him good and not evil
       All the days of her life.

A good, supportive, trusting wife is a blessing to a man. A woman who partners with her husband, who is reliable and looks out for his interests, gives a man a security that is greatly lacking in the world. She is worth more than a substantial paycheck. To bring in the metaphor, wisdom provides the same benefits—it is worth more than money, you can always trust it to make the right decision, and it provides blessings for those who have it.

   ¹³She looks for wool and flax,
       And works with her hands in delight…
   ¹⁹She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
       And her hands grasp the spindle…
   ²⁷She looks well to the ways of her household,
       And does not eat the bread of idleness.

The wife of Proverbs 31 isn’t afraid of work. She gets up in the morning and gets things done. In the time of Solomon, this involved making fabric and sewing clothes, but verse 27 certainly applies directly to us today—taking care of our responsibilities is a characteristic of wisdom.

   ¹⁵She rises also while it is still night
       And gives food to her household
       And portions to her maidens…
   ²¹She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
       For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
   ²⁰She extends her hand to the poor,
       And she stretches out her hands to the needy.

Another characteristic of wisdom is the grace to help others. The Proverbs 31 wife ensures that those under her care receive what they need—food, clothing, protection. And she is able to serve others out of the excess of her work and the leaning of her heart. She has so internalized her role as a provider that it extends past her immediate responsibilities and into the community.

   ¹⁴She is like merchant ships;
       She brings her food from afar…
   ¹⁶She considers a field and buys it;
       From her earnings she plants a vineyard…
   ¹⁸She senses that her gain is good;
       Her lamp does not go out at night…
   ²⁴She makes linen garments and sells them,
       And supplies belts to the tradesmen.

Beyond that, she’s savvy. She’s educated about the world and the world of business. She knows how to use her skills to provide for her family, and she’s not afraid to go interact with that world, whether it be as a merchant or a buyer. She knows how to use her strengths to her best advantage, and she fully realizes how valuable her efforts are.

   ¹⁷She girds herself with strength
       And makes her arms strong…
   ²²She makes coverings for herself;
       Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
   ²⁵Strength and dignity are her clothing,
       And she smiles at the future.
   ²⁶She opens her mouth in wisdom,
       And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

The Proverbs 31 woman not only knows her worth, she knows her responsibilities to herself. She would not be able to provide for others if she neglected her needs—both physical and spiritual. She makes sure her appearance reflects her respected position as an influence in her community. Her greatest strength is her wisdom—her accurate judgment about the world and her influence in it. And she is quick to share the wisdom she has gained to encourage others to reach their potential.

   ²³Her husband is known in the gates,
       When he sits among the elders of the land…
   ²⁸Her children rise up and bless her;
       Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
   ²⁹"Many daughters have done nobly,
       But you excel them all."
   ³⁰Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
       But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
   ³¹Give her the product of her hands,
       And let her works praise her in the gates.

She knows that, as a partner in her marriage, she has a tremendous influence on her husband’s ministry. She can integrate her life—both domestic and professional—with her ministry in such a way that her husband has the freedom to serve. In fact, her reputation is so established, that it bleeds off onto him.
The Proverbs 31 wife is a fierce provider and protector for those she cares about. She is wise to the ways of the world, but lives by the wisdom of God. As in the rest of the Proverbs, these specific examples provide a metaphor for the larger truth. How any individual woman exemplifies these characteristics will depend on her situation, gifts, and abilities. The key is in verse 30, just as it is in the beginning of Proverbs, in 1:7:
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

http://www.gotquestions.org/Proverbs-31-virtuous-woman.html

[Ezra]

What we can learn from this is that (a) women are not victims and (b) feminism is bogus.

[missmuffet]

5 minutes ago, Ezra said:

What we can learn from this is that (a) women are not victims and (b) feminism is bogus.

I disagree with your negative critique.

[Ezra]

4 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

I disagree with your negative critique.

How can it be negative when it removes the negativity of victimhood?  Today everyone is a victim, but that is bogus, just like feminism is bogus. Proverbs 31 says women are constructive and productive, not victims having self-pity.

[missmuffet]

24 minutes ago, Ezra said:

How can it be negative when it removes the negativity of victimhood?  Today everyone is a victim, but that is bogus, just like feminism is bogus. Proverbs 31 says women are constructive and productive, not victims having self-pity.

Please tell me why you see "Got Questions" reply on Proverbs 31 as victims having self-pity. Your reply makes no sense to me. Why do you see feminism in this piece? It sounds like you have some legalistic views of the role of a wife and mother.

 

[Logan]

I'm pretty sure that what he said is that this shows that women are not victims and that feminism  is bogus...not that it was promoting either idea

[FresnoJoe]

40 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

Please tell me why you see "Got Questions" reply on Proverbs 31 as victims having self-pity. Your reply makes no sense to me. Why do you see feminism in this piece? It sounds like you have some legalistic views of the role of a wife and mother.

Victim???
I Think Not....

"Who can find a wife with a strong character? She is worth far more than jewels.

Her husband trusts her with [all] his heart, and he does not lack anything good.

She helps him and never harms him all the days of her life.

"She seeks out wool and linen [with care] and works with willing hands.

She is like merchant ships. She brings her food from far away.

She wakes up while it is still dark and gives food to her family and portions of food to her female slaves.

"She picks out a field and buys it. She plants a vineyard from the profits she has earned.

She puts on strength like a belt and goes to work with energy.

She sees that she is making a good profit. Her lamp burns late at night.

"She puts her hands on the distaff, and her fingers hold a spindle.

She opens her hands to oppressed people and stretches them out to needy people.

She does not fear for her family when it snows because her whole family has a double layer of clothing.

She makes quilts for herself. Her clothes are [made of] linen and purple cloth.

"Her husband is known at the city gates when he sits with the leaders of the land.

"She makes linen garments and sells them and delivers belts to the merchants.

She dresses with strength and nobility, and she smiles at the future.

"She speaks with wisdom, and on her tongue there is tender instruction.

She keeps a close eye on the conduct of her family, and she does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children and her husband stand up and bless her. In addition, he sings her praises, by saying,

'Many women have done noble work, but you have surpassed them all!'

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty evaporates, [but] a woman who has the fear of the LORD should be praised.

Reward her for what she has done, and let her achievements praise her at the city gates. Proverbs 31:10-31 (GOD'S WORD® Translation)

[Ezra]

6 hours ago, missmuffet said:

Please tell me why you see "Got Questions" reply on Proverbs 31 as victims having self-pity.

I am certainly not criticizing Got Questions comments about Proverbs 31. I am summarizing those comments by stating that godly Christian women can be (and are generally) constructive and productive, and well-respected, not victims.

But we are surrounded by the philosophy and culture that says everyone is a victim.  That's what feminism promotes -- women are victims.  Some female politician recently stated that bringing up Hillary's health issues before the public is *sexist* (another feminist buzzword).  We know that's baloney. But poor Hillary now becomes a victim instead of a perpetrator.

[missmuffet]

I certainly did not want Hillary to come into this discussion or to make it a political thread

[Willa]

The fact remains that many women have been victimized by physical and verbal abuse.  We live in a fallen world, and not all husbands leave the managing of the household to the wife but are consumed with controlling their wives and children instead of encouraging them to develop their talents and become contributors to society.  They want to keep wives "barefoot and pregnant."   I do not promote woman's lib because it has gone too far in the opposite direction and promotes female domination as well as lesbians.  When women are loved as Christ loves the church and gave Himself for her, we become the Proverbs 31 woman.  We are loved, appreciated and valued.  And when women treat their husbands with the respect of 1 Peter 3, admiring them, honoring and obeying, their husbands become judges at the gates.  

But I always say, give me a household of servants to manage and I will get up before dawn to work.  Meanwhile, give me 3 cups of coffee and I might be able to function by 10 AM.