Have you ever wondered what the Proverbs 31 woman explained in scripture might look like in today’s world? I have wondered many times!
When a modern-day woman reads about the ‘Proverbs 31 woman’ chances are they might feel a bit intimidated. After all, she is a highly ambitious and productive wife, mother and businesswoman. She wakes up early and goes to bed late as she works diligently and sacrificially.
I believe what God intends for His daughters to glean from the Proverbs 31 woman is not merely a business model, but a heart posture that honors God with all that is within her!
Let’s consider together how we can aspire to be a modern day Proverbs 31 woman in a time where Godly principles are less than trendy.
In the article:
- Who Was the Proverbs 31 Woman?
- The Proverbs 31 Woman is a Virtuous Woman!
- Who Can Find a Virtuous Woman?
- There is GRACE For the Modern Woman!
- Characteristics of the Proverbs 31 Woman
- What Can We Learn from The Virtuous Woman in Proverbs 31?
- Who can Learn from The Proverbs 31 Woman’s Example?
- Why Start a Proverbs 31 Woman Project?
- You Were Created for a Purpose!
Who Was the Proverbs 31 Woman?
Did you know the woman introduced to us in Proverbs 31 was not actually a real woman? She was a hypothetical example of a woman who would make an amazing wife, mother, friend, and neighbor.
Proverbs in the Bible is known as “the book of wisdom”, and just as it sounds, it has a deep well of wisdom and knowledge that God wants us to learn from.
King Lemuel’s mother wrote Proverbs 31 as instructions to her son, so he could see the value of a woman who honors the Lord. A virtuous woman!
If you ask me, King Lemuel’s mother made up a super-woman that does it all and apparently never sleeps.
For this reason, many modern women think the Proverbs 31 Woman seems unrealistic. Subsequently, they throw out her example altogether. But do not be discouraged, there is grace for the Proverbs 31 women of today!
However, if we could have a heart posture that desires to learn and grow, (as well as have grace for ourselves along the way) – we will see how God laid out so many beautiful inspirations for His daughters to apply to their lives.
We can be encouraged in our own lives as we read the motivating factor behind the Proverbs 31 woman’s productivity was truly because she was a woman after God’s own heart.
As much as I love and look to her example, it is a relief to know that the pressure to be perfect don’t have to be a weight on my shoulders – and it doesn’t have to be on yours either!
Let’s seek to grow in wisdom as we consider the qualities of this amazing woman. May we ask the Lord to help us apply the truths we find in His word to our daily lives (maybe even future lives) as we consider the Proverbs 31 Woman together.
The Proverbs 31 Woman is a Virtuous Woman!
The word “virtuous” could be defined as having moral goodness and a moral excellence, such as modesty, and purity.
When we consider what a virtuous woman might look like, the first thing I think of is modest, and full of Godly wisdom. The virtuous woman was just that, she was a woman who was pure in heart.
The Greek word for “pure” is defined as “without admixture”, “clean”, “unstained”. God wants us to keep a clean heart before Him as to not allow sin to contaminate the contents of our heart.
The principle of purity is SO incredibly powerful in the kingdom of God!! It’s amazing that Matthew 5:8 tells us that those who are pure in heart would “see” God!
When I looked up “see” in the concordance, the context of this verse means to perceive or experience God. I don’t know about you, but I want to “see” God!
This is a beautiful promise for every believer, to experience God as we purify our hearts before Him. If we ask God to clean our hearts and remove the mixture of sin in our lives, He rewards us with deeper connected relationship with Him.
If our desire is to love and honor God, to grow in relationship with Him, we will ask God to purify our hearts so that we would be able to experience His love in a more personal way than ever before.
I believe women of God who put a premium on having a pure heart carry a Godly beauty that is powerful in the body of Christ. May we have hearts that are unable to be mixed and muddied by the desires of this world because of our love and allegiance to Jesus Christ!
May we shine a pure heart to the world around us!
Who Can Find a Virtuous Woman?
It is rare to find a woman who truly puts God first in a world where Godly principles are not trendy. We live in a trend driven culture and following God leads us in a completely opposite direction than this world. God’s Word leads us to go against the grain in every way.
Romans 12:1-2 tells us not to take our cues from the ways of this world, but to look to the Word of God to learn how we ought to conduct ourselves.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12: 1-2
There is so much value in seeking to become a woman who honors God. The blessings and promises are endless in the Bible for the son or daughter who walk in the way of the Lord. This is a life worth living!
God tells us in Proverbs 31:10 that His daughters who seek to walk uprightly are worth more than rubies.
“Who can find a virtuous wife?
PROVERBS 31:10
For her worth is far above rubies.”
God places a high value on women! Back in Bible times, rubies were extremely rare and precious. Likewise, in today’s world, women who value and live by Godly wisdom and purity can seem to be a rarity. There is true and lasting beauty found in the heart of a woman who fears the Lord!
Women who intentionally desire to be virtuous women, stand out as BRIGHT LIGHTS for Jesus! They do not look like the world; they shine the love of Jesus with a radiant light!!
There is GRACE For the Modern Woman who loves Jesus!
Proverbs chapter 31 describes a woman who goes to bed after everyone in the household and rises early in the morning before everyone wakes. She works hard for her family and also for her neighbors. She is proactive in buying and selling goods and considers future business ventures.
Proverbs 31 is clear that she is most definitely a go-getter.
While I love encouraging strong women to be their best selves, her greatness is not simply about the activity and actions that make her money or gain her a good reputation. Even those who don’t know God know how to side hustle. So, what makes the Proverbs 31 woman different from the rest?
Everything this woman does is for God’s glory to be seen through her life!
She is intentional to live a life that is devoted to the Lord. And because of that, it is her heart behind her actions that God sees so precious.
A virtuous woman has a heart that seeks to lift up the name of Jesus more than anything else! Many can get things done, but without a pure heart they are achieving for their own name to be acknowledged, and therefore, for their own glory.
God desires that His daughters would honor Him in all that we put our hands to. With God’s strength we can take an ordinary and mundane life, and make it count for eternity. God is so good that He graces us to do our work with great joy and delight!
We might not be buying and selling fields like this woman long ago, but if we are faithful where God has put us, and are pursuing a holy lifestyle, then we too are God’s Proverbs 31 women. A modern-day Proverbs 31 woman has a heart that chases after God!
Characteristics of the Proverbs 31 Woman
While we know the Proverbs 31 woman was a hypothetical example of the perfect woman, we can give ourselves grace to grow. We can also be encouraged that God gave us such a beautiful and practical example to learn from.
25 Characteristics of the Virtuous Proverbs 31 Woman are:
- INTENTIONAL (displayed all throughout her appearance in Proverbs 31:10-31)
- PURE IN HEART (Proverbs 31:10)
- RESPECTFUL (Proverbs 31:12)
- TRUSTWORTHY (Proverbs 31:11)
- HARD WORKING (Proverbs 31:13-14)
- SACRIFICIAL (Proverbs 31:15, 19)
- PROVIDES FOR HER HOUSEHOLD (Proverbs 31:15, 21)
- MAKES WISE BUSINESS DECISIONS (Proverbs 31:16)
- TAKES CARE OF HERSELF (Proverbs 31:17, 22)
- CONFIDENT IN HER ABILITIES, & KNOWS HER WORTH (Proverbs 31:18)
- DILIGENT (Proverbs 31:19)
- CHARITABLE TO THOSE IN NEED (Proverbs 31:20)
- MANAGES THE HOUSEHOLD & PREPARES FOR THE FUTURE (Proverbs 31:21)
- SUPPORTS HER HUSBAND (Proverbs 31:23)
- CREATIVE BUSINESSWOMAN (Proverbs 31:24)
- STRONG AND HONORABLE (Proverbs 31:25)
- FULL OF FAITH (Proverbs 31:25)
- SHE SPEAKS WISDOM (Proverbs 31:26)
- SHE TEACHES KINDNESS (Proverbs 31:26)
- DELIBERATE IN PRODUCTIVITY (Proverbs 31:27)
- HONORABLE (Proverbs 31:28)
- WIFE WORTHY TO BOAST OF (PRAISEWORTHY) (Proverbs 31:28)
- SHINES AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT (Proverbs 31:29)
- FEARS THE LORD (Proverbs 31:30)
- RECIEVES THE BLESSING OF GOD (Proverbs 31:31)
While doing a deep dive on the character qualities of this extraordinary woman, I found her character could be summed up in 3 distinct categories.
The Proverbs 31 Woman’s Character summed up in 3 categories, she is:
- Dependent on God
- Devoted to her family
- Diligent in her work
This virtuous woman is intentional to put God first, love her family and is diligent to do her work of her hands with a sense of purpose in mind.
What Can We Learn from The Virtuous Woman in Proverbs 31?
Does it come to you as a relief that this woman never actually existed? Pressure is off to be everything to all people. Praise the Lord! Rather, let’s learn from the Godly Principles that we glean from her ‘example’.
God desires for all of His daughters to adopt the perspective of this virtuous woman!
Becoming a Proverbs 31 woman is possible with the Lord’s leading.
In every capacity and in every lifestyle, we are called to honor God and follow Him where He leads, and this is simply what it looks like to be a modern-day Proverbs 31 woman. Because if we follow where He leads, we will be exactly where we’re supposed to be. I thank God for all the wisdom He has already shared with us through His Word!
I believe the women of God are a special gift to this world! We are precious to God, and He has given us a very special influence on the world around us. We shine a pure and holy light that shows this world the love of Jesus without any words even being spoken. Afterall, we are worth more than rubies.
Who can Learn from The Proverbs 31 Woman’s Example?
Modern women must wear many hats in different seasons of their lives. Whether single, married with or without children, empty-nesting, or have been upgraded to Grandma – the Godly principles in Proverbs 31 applies to women of all ages.
Our life is made up of seasons, each one meant to glorify God!
We find hope in God’s Plan, when we fill our hearts with His Word and listen intently to hear that small still whisper to guide us right here in our everyday life. As one season leads to another, He is faithful, and He calls us to be faithful in the small seasons of today.
Some may not yet be wives or mothers, but yet God is calling them to be virtuous women who shine His love in purity in ways a mom or wife do not have the capacity to.
Proverbs 31 does talk about the blessing of a Godly wife and an influence of a Godly mother, but I would like to focus on the daughters of God as a whole.
I love taking a step back to see the bigger picture of a thing – and I see that in the woman of God as they surrender their lives for Christ to shine through.
In all of our different roles and responsibilities, God shines through us in unique ways that show His goodness to the world and encourages those coming up behind us.
Why Start a Proverbs 31 Woman Project?
I grew up feeling like I missed a lot of practical wisdom around what a Godly wife and mother looked like. So, God led me to start a “Proverbs 31 Woman Project” in preparation for when I would become a wife and mother.
I started the Proverbs 31 Woman Project while I was still single, before I was ever a wife or a mother. A book that really helped me on my journey is a book written by Elizabeth George, “A woman After God’s Own Heart”.
The Proverbs 31 Woman Project has given me practical goals to reach for and has kept me on track and has encouraged me to be the best version of myself when I forget what that should look like.
At first, it was my personal challenge to learn all the practical life skills that a good woman should know. I knew I had a lot to learn if I was going to reflect the Proverbs 31 woman explained to us in the wisdom book of the Bible! So, I encouraged myself in the Lord, and He encouraged me to get to “work”!
It’s my prayer that as God’s Beloved Brides, we would walk hand-in-hand into all that God has called us to be! For His glory!
You Were Created for a Purpose!
As we surrender our hearts to the One who created us, He is creating beautiful things in us every day. The Potter is molding and shaping us into the women God knew we’d be before the foundations of the world. His masterpiece. The beauty of God’s workmanship always points back to the glory of its Creator.
Remain in God and continue becoming the modern day Proverbs 31 Woman that God has given us grace for in the time we live in today.
May we learn to abide deeper in the Love of God, so that we would SHINE with the radiance of Jesus Christ!!
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Love your sister in Christ, Dawn ❤️
Abiding in the love of Jesus and allowing His light to shine through you!
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I had a very lustful past, and I feel so behind in becoming a woman who reflects God’s design. I am newly wed with a loving husband and just found out we are expecting our first child!! Please pray for me to grow as a woman of God. I need all the prayers I can get..
Wow, glory to God for your beautiful blessing, CONGRATS!! To give some compassion your way, you are NOT behind sis! Not at all.. and you are not alone in that past life-before-Jesus. God has purified my heart like crazy over this last decade following Him!! HE IS FAITHFUL, and HE IS COMPLETING the work within you, as you surrender to His Perfect Love. Ain’t no love like the Love of Jesus!! God Got you.. and that beautiful fam!!
All the Love, Dawn 🙂
YESS AMEN! God is really so good!
Amen Amen, GOD IS GOOD all the time!!!