I really shouldn't dread any particular passage of Scripture, though. I started to think about that more and more, which got me to thinking about Proverbs 31 more and more. I do love that passage. My husband and I chose Proverbs 31:30 as our daughter's life verse because it speaks volumes to women and how we should live. I do strive to be that wife and mother. Surely though, that particular passage is much more than just instructions for women on how to live and for men on what to look for in a wife.
I may have mentioned previously that reading the Bible is much more enjoyable if you know what the whole thing is about to begin with. Cover to cover, the whole Bible points to Jesus. It's beautiful, really, to read through thinking about how it all comes back to the work Jesus did on the cross and the work still to be done in the future. With that in mind, I looked at Proverbs 31 with a totally renewed perspective. I looked for Jesus in it and then it became so apparent I nearly slapped myself for missing Him before.
The Church (meaning the global body of believers saved by grace through faith in Jesus) is the bride of Christ. If Proverbs 31 is all about what a perfect wife looks like, isn't it also essentially how the bride of Christ can best bring God the glory? I would posit that Proverbs 31 isn't just a set of instructions for wives and mothers, which it is, but I would say that this speaks also to what the Church is supposed to look like. We often hear preachers challenging us not to just go to church but to be the Church. What does that even mean? I see the answer lying in 22 beautiful verses describing the perfect bride of Christ.
Proverbs 31:10-31
10 An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
14 She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
29 “Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.
For her worth is far above jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
And he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13 She looks for wool and flax
And works with her hands in delight.
14 She is like merchant ships;
She brings her food from afar.
15 She rises also while it is still night
And gives food to her household
And portions to her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.
18 She senses that her gain is good;
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hands grasp the spindle.
20 She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
And she smiles at the future.
26 She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
29 “Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.
Some phrases stand out to me more than others. In the first section, the woman is being described as trustworthy. What has God trusted His Church with? Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He talked to His disciples about what they would be doing until He returned. We see what we have been entrusted with in John 21:15-17.
Jesus has entrusted His flock to us. We are to tend them and shepherd them because of our love for Christ. The woman described in Proverbs 31 is able and trustworthy to do just that.
The passage goes on to talk about the work of her hands and how she spends her money. The woman is hardworking and not lazy. She cared diligently for her household and spent her money wisely. Is not the Church asked to do the same? We are to do God's good work. We have been charged with duties to fulfill in each of our lives. We are asked to be good stewards of what God has given us by tithing, spending wisely and investing in good things. 1 Peter 4:10 puts it this way:
"As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."
The most beautiful relationship between Proverbs 31 and being the Church comes in the next sections. The woman cares for the needy and the poor. Aren't we to do the same? We fall short of this a great deal, but I see churches all around (as well as individuals) extending their hands to the poor and needy meeting both physical and spiritual needs.
Take a look at verse 23. A man's reputation begins at home in this context. I hope that you understand how valuable you are to the King of King's reputation at the city gates. We can make our Jesus' name known and respected because of the way we live, what we say and how we love. It is so beautiful that God chose us to bring Him glory. We are called out of the world to look different and draw people back to God. This woman did that for her husband and we are to do that for our Savior.
Verses 25-26 speak to me on so many individual levels. As a police wife, it can be so easy to get caught up in fear and torture myself over all the thousands of things that could happen to my husband just for going to work. The Proverbs 31 woman smiles at the future and as the NIV says, "laughs at the days to come". How beautiful is it to know that I am free from worry because I have my future secured in Jesus Christ? He made sure that none of us would have to worry about anything past this life. The Church today and we individual Christians should be doing as we are instructed in Philippians.
Philippians 4:6
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."
We don't have to be anxious for anything and we, too, can laugh at the days to come because we know that the future return of Christ for His bride will be the best day! Verse 26 just seals the deal by affirming for us what is to be coming our of our mouths. Because we don't have to worry, we can focus on teaching others with kindness and wisdom. We are enlightened because of the Holy Spirit and we are to share our knowledge of salvation with love and kindness so that others also will be saved. That is the culmination of bringing God glory. When our entire lives and everything we say invites people to know God, He will be known.
Lastly, the final section of Proverbs 31 describes the woman who is praised by her husband, who fears the Lord and whose works praise her. Ultimately, we will share in Christ's glory because He will clothe us in His righteousness. I don't know about you, but I don't want to show up to the wedding feast in heaven empty handed. I want my dowry to be full of people who came to know Christ because of me somehow. Whether I actually shared the Gospel with them or they just overheard me singing at the grocery store pushing my sweet baby around, I want people to join me on that glorious day and be able to have my work speak for itself. We are free from condemnation and by no means can works ever save us, but working to share Christ in as many ways as possible will make for a magnificent celebration at the wedding feast of Christ and His bride, the Church. So let's not be lazy and eat the bread of idleness. Let's go and be the Church.
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