The Qualities of a Proverbs 31 Woman

“Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the time to come.”

Proverbs 31:25

I love reading Proverbs 31. The entire chapter is highlighted in my Bible verse by verse. I used to ponder over the words written in that chapter. The words were written about a woman I wanted so badly to be. I used to pray relentlessly, God, let me be this woman. A woman who always rewards with good instead of evil. A woman who has a mind for business but a heart for others. A woman who wakes up before anyone in her household so she can make sure everyone’s needs are being met. A woman who provides, who is not entitled, who is supportive, and who never gives up. A woman who loves deeply, speaks wisdom, and laughs at the time to come.

I would begin at the top of the list of her nobility and work my way down, but halfway through, I would begin to feel overwhelmed, discouraged, and not enough. How in the world did she do it? How could she possess all of her great qualities while managing everything in her life? I couldn’t make it past breakfast without having a meltdown over the kids’ spilled cereal, lost shoes, and homework not completed from the day before. I could go days before I showered, wash a whole sinkful of dishes, or wasn’t the last one in the house to sleep in. Not to mention that I literally worry about everything. How could she laugh at the time to come? Was she not worried about her future? Her kid’s future?

Yes, I wanted so badly to be this woman. To be everything she was and I wasn’t. But it wasn’t until I realized what it was that made her so special that I realized it wasn’t her that I wanted to be like.

All of her endearing qualities that are praised throughout the chapter come down to this one thing: She feared the Lord (v. 30).

She made God the source of her strength. She made Him the source of her wisdom. Everything she was and everything that is praiseworthy about this woman came from God alone. When she put her faith and trust in Him, she learned that she didn’t have to worry about the times to come because He held them in His hands.

Everything we do here on earth prepares us for our eternity. Each of us has been created as image-bearers of God. Who we are and what we do all reflect Jesus because “In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3).

When we draw closer to Him, we can’t help but reflect His goodness. It begins to infiltrate all that we do, all that we say, and all that we are. We begin to possess qualities that we never knew we were capable of. We begin to love people we never knew we could have compassion for. We begin to have patience in situations that we alone couldn’t handle. We begin to laugh at the times to come because we know He holds our future.

As God’s image-bearers, we are being renewed day by day in our knowledge according to the image of our Creator (Colossians 3:10). Each day brings us closer to an eternity spent with Him, and each day we are being renewed to reflect more of Him.

It’s Jesus that we are made to be like so that we can reflect all the endearing qualities of our Heavenly Father in order to point others to Him. The woman in Proverbs 31 is great for sure, but she points us to someone greater.

It turns out she is not the hero of the chapter after all, HE is.

 

- Brittany

 

Have you ever wanted to be like the woman in Proverbs 31 but thought you could never measure up? What has God revealed to you about the qualities she possesses? Let's talk about it in the comments below.

 

About Brittany:

Owner and Founder of Living Truth Collective, Brittany Tate, has a sincere passion for equipping women in God’s Truth. She has mentored women for years while working at a Crisis Pregnancy Center, has served on the Women’s Ministry team at her church, and hand-crafts jewelry for Living Truth Collective. Her passion for biblical studies and psychology led her to pursue a degree in Christian Counseling from Liberty University so she can be better equipped to serve others. Her top three all-time favorite things are podcasts, coffee, and, dark chocolate. When she’s not traveling or spending her weekends at college football games, you can find her relaxing with her husband, Daniel, their five children, and one black lab.

Sign up for our Newsletters to receive our newest blogs as they are published and follow Living Truth Collective on Instagram!

 

Do you need a reminder that your strength comes from God alone? The STRONG bracelet was created to remind you that all the qualities you possess comes from God's strength. If you need a constant reminder of this truth, shop the STRONG bracelet here.