Four Steps to Being a Proverbs 31 Woman
Oh the infamous Proverbs 31 passage. For years I would gaze upon the text and feel worn out just thinking about this woman and feel defeated before I even began to imitate her! Sound familiar? As I read all of the tasks and duties she completed each day, I began to focus my attention on the qualities she must have possessed to be able to take care of her home and family. In doing so, I narrowed it down to four. Now that’s something we can all strive to achieve! Four characteristics needed to be a Proverbs 31 woman! Before I share with you the “genius” of my discovery, please note that this article is in summation to the series over the Proverbs 31 woman we have been doing this month on Come Fill Your Cup. To get a better, in depth look on the passage broken down, be sure to check out our other featured articles. Let’s get started!
1.Be loyal. The very first thing this passage talks about when dealing with our friend–we shall call her “Ruby”– is the loyalty she demonstrates to her husband. As we read in Genesis 2:18, our husbands are our very first and most important ministry. It is only fitting that the passage starts off talking about the loyalty she shows to her hubby. We too can strive to do the same! She takes care of his daily physical needs while also taking care of his emotional needs by making sure to show him the utmost respect. In turn, because of his happy home, happy children, and loyal wife by his side, he is a well respected member of the community, and, I am sure, an excellent leader for the family.
2.Be ingenious. Ruby is so resourceful and smart. Verses thirteen through twenty four talk about how she takes care of the things she has been given responsibility over. This example is the one that usually makes me cringe, she is just so busy! I don’t want to be that busy! But then again, aren’t we all? She was making the most of the day she had been given in the time she was living in. We can learn from this example and do the same. We may not be sewing our own clothes, rising at night to get food ready for the next day, or selling handmade goods, but we are just as busy with our own personal lives. The example she is setting for us ladies is the fact that in whatever chore or responsibility given, she was inventive. Being ingenious today means we size up our busy schedules to make sure we are using our time and resources wisely to benefit our households. Be wise in the money spent on clothing for your family, preplan meals to fit the time you have in the evenings to cook by planning meals around your weekly activities. Learn to say yes, learn to say no, and find creative ways to serve your congregation and community.