A Virtuous Woman

Who can find a woman of virtue? For her value is far above rubies.The heart of her husband trusts safely in her, so that he shall have no need of plunder.She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.She seeks wool and flax, and works willingly with her hands.She is like the merchants' ships; she brings her food from afar.She also rises while it is still night, and gives food to her household, and a share to her young women.She considers a field, and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.She binds her loins with strength, and makes her arms strong.She sees that her merchandise is good; her lamp does not go out by night.She lays her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.She stretches out her hand to the poor; yea, she reaches forth her hands to the needy.She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet.She makes herself coverings; her clothing is silk and purple.Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.She makes fine linen and sells it, and delivers girdles to the merchants.Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.She opens her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.Her sons rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. Proverbs 31:1-28 MKJV

How do these verses make you feel? I remember being a young Mother and feeling completely overwhelmed and inadequate when I read these verses. I was adjusting to life as a stay at home mother of young children. How could I consider running a business or making my own clothes or even planning our meals for the day, let alone a week? It seemed impossible, and yet it haunted me because it was in the Bible. I found that I had to "table" this passage for many years, and yet, it was always in the back of my mind just out of reach.

In going through our Crown Financial Ministries study, we were looking at this passage today. My first reaction was anger, remembering how it used to make me feel so inadequate. But then the Lord showed me something, He had been transforming me day after day to become a woman of virtue. As I read through the passage again with an open heart, I saw that indeed I was in there, God had truly worked in an amazing way in my life! How did this happen?

The key was Titus 2:3-5 Let the aged women likewise be in reverent behavior, not slanderers, not enslaved by much wine, teachers of good; that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, subject to their own husbands, that the Word of God may not be blasphemed.

Over the years God has placed Titus 2 women in my life and I have been learning by their example. The most important mentor has been my mother. She has modeled everything that Titus 2 describes, and more! I have had several mentors in my life and they have all encouraged Biblical growth in me.

God knew that we wouldn't just "know" how to be a virtuous woman, and that's why He lovingly gave us the older women to be our mentor's. (A mentor is someone who models the thing you are trying to learn.)

I want to encourage you today to pray and if Prov. 31 seems out of reach, then ask God to give you a mentor. Or, if you are seeing the fruit of this passage in your life, pray and ask God to give you a younger woman to mentor. We must remain proactive and either be learning or teaching in order to keep God's principles going for the next generation.