"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies."
We live in a world, & particularly in a culture, that breeds and cultivates countless qualities in women...but precious few of them could qualify as 'righteous' or 'godly'. Women of virtue (moral integrity) & of pure heart are rare indeed; therefore it's no surprise that the discovery of such a woman would be akin to finding a treasure.
A woman of 'noble character' is hard to find. To understand this verse, we must first understand the definition of nobility & the meaning of character. Merriam-Webster defines 'Noble' as this: having & displaying qualities that people admire, belonging to the highest social class. Character is the set of qualities/beliefs that impact the way a person thinks, feels, & acts. A woman of Noble Character is one who has a set of beliefs, morals, & virtuous qualities that impact her thoughts, feelings, & actions.
'As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart.' (Proverbs 27:19)
Obnoxious, arrogant, proud, brash, jealous, gossipy, nagging, not-picking, know-it-all women are A Dime A Dozen, but loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, self-controlled women (Galatians 5:22-23) might be classified as One in a Million. They are hard to find, & I believe (to godly men) much desired. Most days I feel like quite a catch for my Lone Ranger (insert sarcasm). Truly, if I'm honest with myself, quite often I fall into the first category of women. I'm short-tempered and spiteful. I'm petulant & proud. I need to work towards becoming a woman who bears and exemplifies the Fruit of the Spirit. I need to be a woman of Noble Character...and that requires effort on my part. I will not simply become her. I will not miraculously wake up one morning with a gentle and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:4). I must, by His grace, cultivate these things. Married or single, young or not so young, we all must strive to be the Proverbs 31 Women (P31W) that He desires us to be. This scripture is proof that the result is worth the effort! Who doesn't want to be a rare & desirable treasure?! Who doesn't want to be more priceless than gems?!
Application: We must begin cultivating biblical Noble Character...these qualities will be the antithesis (opposite) of what the world says we ought to be. Galatians 5:22-23 provides a good place to begin. The passage lists 9 qualities that are evidence of Christ living within. Very practically (& honestly) look at your life and take note of how well or how poorly you live out each one. I can tell you quite honestly that patience and gentleness are not my strong suit. I need to work on it...I WILL work on it.
The following verses in this passage (Proverbs 31:10-31) create a list of traits that we each should strive to make part of who we are...part of our Noble Character. I have read & pondered Proverbs 31 more times than I can count, & each time I am left feeling inadequate & yet excited at the prospect of striving toward the goal of being a godly woman. Verse by verse we'll break down & decipher the character qualities of this amazing biblical woman & consider practical ways to apply these qualities in our daily lives. Women who are married, watch the way this transformation impacts your marriage & family life. This is not about changing your husband...this is about you becoming the woman God created you to be and the wife your husband deserves. Young women, I envy you! You have the opportunity to develop into this women before entering the covenant of marriage...what a blessed gift you will be to the man who wins your heart! Women who are called to singleness, the definition of womanhood does not change with marital status or lack thereof. Great things are in store for you as an ambassador of Christ!
We often seek God's will & then sit back as passive bystanders merely waiting to be caught up in it. Following the Father is not an accidental occurance, it is an intentional agressive decision. We do not have the luxury of being raised up in a society that values the Father's standards nor His vision of what is 'Good'; therefore we must cultivate a new culture by flinging off the stained principalities of the World & by cloaking ourselves in the righteousness God desires for us. Take heart, dear Sisters, & grab the reins! The Lord has laid out His desire for us as women within the Word, & it is our responsibilty to avidly strive towards it's fulfillment. We are daughters of the Most High, The King of kings, & the Lord of lords...we are to have conduct worthy of the highest social class, His Kingdom! Let's cultivate Noble Character! Let's begin the journey of becoming Proverbs 31 Women!
*Please feel free to share this post with any and all whom you feel might receive it*
No comments:
Post a Comment