Today’s Reading: Proverbs 31
Proverbs
31 is a wonderful tribute to women. Specifically, to the woman who fears God. The one that God honors because she honors God. The
virtuous woman. The one who is a truly beautiful woman. Her children rise up and call her blessed. Her husband praises
her. What a blessing they are to us. What a value. What a joy. What an asset.
You couldn't buy her with rubies. Her value is far above them. What an asset
they are to their family, and to God.
Here
in verse 30, the author (king Lemuel) contrasts how the world values and
praises women with how women are valued and praised in God’s kingdom. He
summarizes the entire chapter by saying charm can mislead and
beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives
in the fear of God.
Charm is deceitful.
While the world may value “charm,” the reality is that it is deceitful and can
be very misleading. The Hebrew word for “charm” here means to be pleasant and
graceful in appearance. But watch out, that appearance can be disingenuous. This means that someone may
appear to have your best interest in mind, but they are actually tricking you
to get what they want. This, sadly, is the way of the world. This is deceitful. They say one thing, and
mean another. This type of charm is not to be praised.
Beauty is
vain. The word used here
for “vain” is the same word Solomon used in Ecclesiastes – “hevel,” – which literally means “vapor” or “smoke.” Physical beauty is like “smoke” – it may appear as though it has substance, but when you
try to grasp it and hold onto it, it quickly vanishes. A woman’s physical
appearance is temporary and fleeting – like a vapor which appears for but a
moment then disappears.
The woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Don’t praise the woman
whose outward appearance is misleading or fleeting. Instead, praise a woman for
her heartfelt devotion to God. Her reverence for God is genuine (not deceitful
like charm). Her inner beauty is permanent (not like physical beauty which
fades). The Hebrew word for “fear” in this verse is “yir’รข”. When used
of God, this word means to have a deep and somber respect and reverence for
Him. When a woman is filled with this kind of reverence for God, she is truly
beautiful. It is her relationship with God that is a beautiful thing and that
makes her the most beautiful of all of God’s creations.
This is the woman who is to be praised.
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