Womanly Strength

Proverbs 31:10~31

“10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth 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 maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”

There has been a semi recent trend in the Christian community. For women to work out and be strong “like a proverbs 31 woman”, I believe this has been unintentionally misinterpreted however. Women are going out and working in the gym or a at-home gym, working to get strong abs and large strong biceps, under the guise of being a proverbs 31 woman.

Something I think many have missed however is HOW She is gaining her strength. She isn’t going to work out just to have muscle. She is strong BECAUSE of her work, not strong FOR her working. (Though she naturally reaps the benefit of her hard work in many ways including her strength.) She is making fine linen, tapestries, making food, looking over her household, caring for the poor and needy, and tending a garden. I do not think that it is wrong to work out. But i think we should first weigh the benefits, can we strengthen our body while attending to our family? Are we gaining strength that won't benefit our family? Are we actually damaging our body by targeting only a few areas for vanity’s sake?  You can have strength that doesn’t directly help you serve your family. 

I want to be able to knead large pans of bread dough to feed my family.

I want to be able to sew, knit, crochet, and weave clothing for my household. 

I want to grow food and tend animals to benefit my family.

Sure I could go to the gym or work out at home and gain muscle, targeting areas to make myself look the way I or society thinks I would look better. But I don't really want too.

Have you ever milked a cow? It takes a lot of strength! In your hands mostly, but also your forearms. 

Have you ever kneaded a big batch of bread by hand? You knead and knead until there is about a half cup of flour and it seems like that last bit will never incorporate! But finally it does! Then you think this dough will never get smooth! It is so rough and stiff! But you persevere until eventually it is smooth and pliable. That too takes strength.

Or carried a child when it is sleepy and just wants the comfort of your arms? You feel so grateful for this precious child God has placed generously into your life. Yet at the same time your arms start to feel so tired and you feet start to ache, but you know that these moments are precious and you soak it all in. This also takes strength.

Another example of strength (or the lack of) I found in Ezekiel 16:49

“Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.“

Studying the Bible to find biblical examples of a woman and of ungodly women, has been so fascinating to me! Especially recently! I believe that we can learn so much about being a Godly woman by studying his word and seeing the opposite end of the spectrum too! What makes a Godly woman? And a ungodly woman? What examples are we given? What have you found in your studies? What stands out to you in the verses about a woman in proverbs 31? There is so much to expound on and mull over here! Of course study your bible! Weigh what you read! Don’t just accept everything as truth, judge it by the Bible and above all PRAY!💕

In love,

Joelle💗