A Godly Woman
Proverbs 31:10-31 are beautiful verses about how a godly woman should act, treat others, work, honor God, and respect her family. The woman that is described in these verses not only is a woman strong in character and has great wisdom and compassion, but she also has many skills and works extremely hard. In Biblical times, women were thought of as dispensable. They could not own property or a business, and if they were widowed, they were driven to find a man to support them. That was the society at the time, but that does not mean that was what God called women to be. We were not called to be dependent on another human being and we were not called to be below anyone else. God made all His people to be dependent only on Him.
This Easter, my pastor preached a very different Easter sermon. He preached on Mary Magdalene going to the tomb to see Jesus’s body and realizing the tomb was empty. He preached about who Mary Magdalene was, how she reacted to Jesus’s death, and her loyalty to Jesus. As I reflected on His sermon and Mary Magdalene’s devotion to Jesus, I was reminded of the Proverbs 31 woman. She was a true follower of Jesus, full of energy, compassion, and impulsiveness. She traveled with Jesus everywhere He went and contributed to the needs of the group by helping financially. She was not just a woman that followed the group around, she played an active role in Jesus’s ministry.
It is quite special that Mary Magdalene was the first one to see Jesus’s resurrected body. She rose early, before dawn, to go to Jesus’s tomb to pay her respects by anointing His body with oils and spices. She was a worker bee. She did not sit around and wait for instruction or for someone else to do the job. Maybe she saw a need and took it in her own hands or maybe her grief was too much to bear, and she just needed to be near Jesus. Whatever the reason, her loyalty to Him shines in this moment. When she sees the tomb empty, she begins to cry. Not only is she grieving the loss of her Savior, but now she is grieving the fact that someone may have taken His body. A man walks up and asks her “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Mary thinks it is the tomb’s gardener and wants to know where they had taken the body. All Jesus does it call out her name; “Mary.” (John 20:11-17) She knows immediately who is speaking to her. Jesus tells us in John 10:27 that we know His voice and He knows us. Mary most certainly knew Jesus.
Do you see the resemblance of the Proverbs 31 woman? Here is a list of some of the characteristics of this particular woman.
Brings good, not harm to those around her.
Works eagerly with her hands.
Brings food to her family and those around her.
Makes purchases that benefit the family financially.
Her body is strong to complete the tasks needed.
Extends her hands to the needy.
No fear for her household when storms come because they are prepared.
She clothes herself appropriately.
Her husband and family are respected.
Has the ability to fend for herself.
Clothed with strength and dignity.
Speaks with wisdom.
Watches over the affairs of her household and is not idle.
He children call her blessed and her husband praises her.
This seems like a lot to live up to. When we see Mary’s life, we do not see every one of these traits, but we know that she was equipped to live each of them out. When Mary Magdalene met Jesus for the first time, He had to cast seven demons out of her. A woman with seven demons was far from perfect. Jesus saw beyond her imperfections and molded her into the woman He created her to be. Some of us may look at the list above and think they are too far gone to live up to those expectations, but if Mary was not too far gone, neither are we. I’m sure Mary’s past haunted her some days and she had to give it all back to Jesus, just like we do.
As women, our strength and dignity does not come from our achievements or even by how many characteristics we can check off this list. They are a result of our relationship with Christ. I like to believe that Jesus did not only choose to appear to Mary Magdalene first after His resurrection because of her sincere loyalty to Him, but also to inspire each of us that we too matter. We matter to Jesus, to our families, and to the world around us. We can make a difference the same way Mary Magdalene did. She was not one of the 12 disciples, but I can guarantee she made a difference in the roles the disciples played while Jesus was alive and after as they spread the gospel across the nations.
Which characteristics of the Proverbs 31 woman do you see God has placed in you? He has equipped each of us, just like Mary. The world may make us bitter, exhausted, and paranoid, but Jesus brings us to life through Him. He completes us so we can display these traits to the world. The world does not bring us down, we make the world a better place. As you look at the woman in Proverbs 31, keep in mind that this may not be one woman but many women and represent the ideal womanhood. Work on those characteristics that God has placed in you and live them out to the fullest. One commentator said, “See her instead as an inspiration to be all you can be. We can’t be just like her, but we can learn from her industry, integrity, and resourcefulness.” Live your life to the fullest and spread Jesus through the woman He created you to be.
“For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.” 1 Thessalonians 4:7
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:27-28
“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” Proverbs 31:25
Digging Deeper:
What characteristics did God place in you that you are thankful for?
How would your family describe you today?
Which characteristics of the Proverbs 31 woman do you need to instill in your life?