strength

i read proverbs 31 today. no particular reason. just did. proverbs typically are uplifting to me, much like reading the psalms is soothing.

there were a few things that really stuck out to me.

first off, you all know that if you read it on a poster in pinterest it's true, right?

i see so many women listing what is wrong with men today. how men should treat women. how men should quit dumping the beautiful smart women for uneducated whores. their word, not mine. what they want in a man. nowhere have i seen women listing what they should be doing for the man. and yet...

proverbs 31 is dedicated to telling women what kind of woman/wife/mother they should be.

i don't get it right. best i can say is i try, about 90% of the time.

verse 12 says she brings her husband good, not harm, all the days of her life. it doesn't say when he is treating her like a princess. it doesn't say when he is watching the bachelorette and holding her hand. as many times as i've read this chapter, i'm not sure this scripture ever spoke to me like it did today. bring him good, not harm, all the days of her life. there are no conditions. no matter what he does, how he behaves, what he says.

verse 17 says her arms are strong. i don't know what the correct theology here is, but i think it means she makes her arms strong. she works hard. she works out to be strong and healthy.

ruth was definitely working

karenswhimsy/public domain images

verse 25 says she is clothed in strength and dignity. i love this one, even though i miss it a lot. but mostly, i've always leaned toward the dignity part. but with sticking on verse 17, i'm thinking about the strength part.

verse 27 says she doesn't eat the bread of idleness. again with my theology, but i take that to mean SHE IS BUSY. she has a full calendar, and she keeps up with it. how many times do we complain about how busy we are? well, life is for living. rest, certainly. take vacations, breaks, sleep. but there is nothing wrong with having a full life.

the biblical model of woman in the bible was strong. dignified. she works hard. she takes care of her house. she takes care of her children. she is good to her husband. she speaks with wisdom. she is not idle. and she fears the lord.

this chapter is a guide for women. how we should behave. and after all, we are only responsible for our behavior. everyone will answer for theirs.