A Proverbs 31 woman… She is a lot to live up too. I know I’m not the only one who reads that chapter in Proverbs and starts to see all the areas in my life that need improvement.

The woman that is described in Proverbs 31 is by far the most amazing woman you could ever think of and sometimes when we read that passage in the Bible, we might feel a bit discouraged because we often compare ourselves, and when we hear about such an amazing woman, we can’t help but start looking at our own lives.

The Proverbs 31 woman sounds like someone, a character, in a movie. She sounds perfect.

Perfect?! How do we become like that strong, courageous, hardworking, tenderhearted woman. How do you become a Proverbs 31 woman? Is it even possible? Or is it just another impossible standard we are supposed to hold ourselves to?

I find myself examining my own life and honestly, I am nothing like the woman described in Proverbs 31. I don’t know about you, but for me, it can be a little daunting to just read that passage. Does God really expect us to be that perfect? Does God really expect us to do all of that, or be all all of that described in the passage?

Not without Him we can’t. He knows that we cannot be anything like the woman in Proverbs 31 without Him. In fact, I don’t really think any of us would ever be able to live up to any of that without God. See, He didn’t describe who we are supposed to be, He described a woman who we are to aspire to be. It’s the same idea as God knowing that we can never be perfect, and live sinless lives, especially if we try to do it on our own, so God knows. He knows that we could never be that woman, especially if we tried to be her without Him.

I feel that God gave us the Proverbs 31 woman to encourage us, to show us that we are capable of being this amazing woman with Him by our side. We aren’t supposed to look at the Proverbs 31 woman and compare ourselves and start to feel bad about how we may be nothing like the woman God describes in His Word, we are supposed to look at her and see how amazing we can be when we submit ourselves to God and live the lives He called us to live.

Verse 30 says “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.”

A WOMAN WHO FEARS THE LORD WILL BE GREATLY PRAISED. The most important thing in us, as woman of God, is that we are woman who fear God.

It’s not about how we look, what we wear, how funny or charming we are or what our career is, it’s about who God is in our lives. Its all about where we place God in our hearts that determines if we are a Proverbs 31 woman.

She is clothed with strength and dignity,

and she laughs without fear of the future.   Proverbs 31:25

 

-Kelly Hardouin