Journal ~ ProverbsSample

A GOOD WOMAN (AND MAN) IS HARD TO FIND

 For the longest time, I avoided reading Proverbs 31 like the plague. I thought of the passage as irrelevant and downright terrifying. Human beings, not only limited to females, are adept at immersing ourselves in the comparison game. When I compare myself to that of the lady in Proverbs 31, I fall short. I don’t knit, cross-stitch, or sew. I don’t do sunrises unless I'm heavily drugged by caffeine. I don’t make coverings for my bed, and I don’t know what a distaff even means.  I am clothed in jeans and black almost all the time. Oh! And I don't have a husband. Or kids. I used to think that Proverbs 31 is just not for me.

Having somehow get over my phobia for this particular chapter in the Bible, I began to spot some things I really want to adopt in my daily life. I'm not just talking about Proverbs 31:10-31. I’m also talking about the little bit before that: There are lessons that we, both men and women, can learn from this chapter.

Wisdom. Wisdom isn’t just about making the right decisions. Wisdom is most importantly about living our lives in honor of God. Our choices—like not to be too caught up in our pleasure that we forget about others we have the ability to serve (v.4-5)—should be made out of reverence to God. Beauty and style come and go, but living God-honoring lives is foundational.

Compassion. Living under God's authority will ultimately involve caring for others. A godly person takes care of their family (v.15) and the people in need (v.20). Justice and compassion go hand-in-hand (v.8-9), and that—s what Jesus is talking about when he told us to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Influence. What we do and how we live influences others. Our position in life is not a coincidence; we are called to use it to influence others into relationship with God. Lemuel was a king, and he was expected to bring justice and care for the people in need. The Proverbs 31 lady is intentional in her interactions with her family and the people she work with and the people in need. Her words are intentional, wise,
and faithful. 

Perspective. The future can be the most unnerving challenge in a person’s life. Dark clouds of worry and anxiety loom over our thoughts of the future. There's a certain strength in being able to look at the future and laugh. Not in mockery, but in faith. A godly person is able to look at life in this finite world with an eternal perspective and realize that God is in control

There are tons of lessons we can learn from Proverbs 31—from King Lemuel and the Proverbs 31 lady— but one of the biggest reminders for me is that this isn’t a list of requirements or standards that is too lofty for us to reach. It is an invitation to live under the authority of God. We might not work with a spindle or plant vineyards. We might not be able to function well in the morning without our cup of joe. But if we fear the Lord and live under the authority of God, the life of wisdom, compassion, influence, and eternal perspective glorifies God and changes our world.