There are many good women out there but not all of these good women are God-fearing women. The distinction between the ordinary hard working woman and the Proverbs 31 woman is the God factor. Fear can have negative connotations but to fear God is a good and positive experience. To fear God means to revere God and that reverence affects the way we live and our relationship with others. Fearing God connotes an awe for God, worship, respect, obedience and submission. Fearing God also implies living in obedience to God's words. Thus any good woman who does not accept the leading of God and totally refuses God in her life is not a Proverbs 31 woman. The fear of God is the motivation for the Proverbs 31 woman. She understands the dynamics of a God-fearing home, she knows that her husband and children are her ministry. She understands that service to humanity is service to God. She knows that her husband is the head of the home and Christ is the head of her husband. Therefore, she has no problem submitting to the leadership of her husband.
The problem of many 21st century marriages is caused by the flipping of God's original plan of marriage. Ephesians 5:21-24 states this: "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." Unfortunately most women understand submission as a sign of weakness. They assume the headship of their homes causing their husbands to become the second or sometimes the third in command in their homes. Some women even promote their children over their husbands leaving the men as mere tenants in their own homes. The Proverbs 31 woman knows that God's plans are the best for home building. Because she handles her home ministry very well, "her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her (Proverbs 31:28). This is the praises of her husband, “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” (Proverbs 31:29). The husband understands the extent his wife goes to make their home and family run smoothly.
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. (Proverbs 31:30)
Thus, the God factor is very critical in the home of the Proverbs 31 woman. As we saw in our previous post, the Proverbs 31 woman puts effort in making her home and herself look good. She is clothed in fine linen and purple. She knows how to be attractive to her husband. She knows how to make the house attractive and beautiful. In all this, the Proverbs 31 woman also understands this truth: "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised" (Proverbs 31:30). She knows that her appearance, her beauty, her self presentation, her beautiful clothing, keeping fit, being active, indulging in self-care etc. is good but the big factor is that "a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." She therefore makes God her focus in all her ways. The Proverbs 31 woman has both rewards on earth and eternal rewards. Besides being loved and appreciated by her husband and children, she also receives honour. Proverbs 31 ends on this note: "Honour her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." (Proverbs 31:31).
We can take a few lessons from this post:
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7). The wisdom to be the Proverbs 31 woman begins with the fear of the Lord. See Job 28:28, Psalm 111:10 etc.
"Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honour." (Proverbs 15:33).
"Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands." (Psalms 112:1)
"The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. Whoever fears the Lord walks uprightly, but those who despise him are devious in their ways." (Proverbs 14:1-2)
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