Eshet Chayil: The Proverbs 31.

We live in a world that idolizes physical beauty, so as women we learn to conform to a certain set of standards.

We filter our instagram shots; we photoshop, lighten our skins because we have been told we are not light skinned enough. We starve ourselves to death to fit in to that size zero dress. Change hair color because it’s said a certain hair color is for the beautiful ones. Sometimes, even fix our noses because we believe it doesn’t look like the nose on the magazine cover.

 Yet no matter how much we try, we just never feel like we are quite enough.

Physical beauty is not a bad thing. In fact, as a woman, I love it when someone compliments me on my beauty, but if beautiful is all we will ever be then we have fallen short of our creator’s intention.

God has made us for more, so much more than hair, lips, hips and dropping it like it’s hot.

He shows us in His word who he made us to be. 

#Eshet chayil  is the epitome of beauty as defined by her creator, not as defined by the world.

Her value: More than sparkling Jewels

Who is he that can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls. (Proverbs 31:10)

We all know that nobody finds precious stones on the ground. It takes a lot of digging, lots of searching and lots of patience to get rubies or pearls. Whoever wants to possess precious stones must be prepared to go to great lengths to acquire them.

She’s not in the streets nor is she in the market places killing time (pun intended). She is hidden and rare just like precious stones.

Her loyalty: the Bedrock of His Heart

The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on, and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of (honest) gain or need of (dishonest) spoil.

She comforts, encourages, praises and does him good as long as there is breath within her. (Proverbs 31:11, 12)

Her loyalty is the bedrock of her husband’s heart; he knows she will always look out for him.

This woman knows that affirming her man is a very important God given task and she takes it seriously. Because of her loyalty .her comfort, her encouragement and her generosity this man is successful and has no need for dishonest success.

She doesn’t do right only when it’s convenient for her. Her actions are not based on how others treat her or what they think about her. She is reliable and dependable.

Her industriousness: A cut above average

She is like the merchant ships; she brings her household food from a far.  She rises while it’s yet night and gets food for her household and assigns her maids their tasks.

She considers a field before she buys or accepts it.

She looks well to how things go in her household and the bread of idleness she will not eat. (Proverbs 31:14, 15, 27)

 These verses portrays a woman who goes an extra mile for quality , she doesn’t settle for a middle –of –the –road kind of service ,her acts of service are first rate .She gives her best to everyone.

She takes good care of those under her authority and doesn’t leave them to figure out their tasks. She is a good steward of her God given abilities.

Because she knows her responsibilities she doesn’t have the time to be discontented about her portion, go around gossiping nor does she have the time to sit around feeling sorry for herself all day.

Her faith: an unfailing treasure

Her lamp does not go out, but it continually burns on continually through the night (of trouble, privation, of sorrow, warning away fear doubt and distrust). (Proverbs 31:18)

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalms 119:105)

It is established through this scripture that her lamp is her faith in the word of God.  Her faith burns through the night of trouble, of uncertainty, of tragedy and it does not go out.

She fears not the snow for her family, for all her household are double clothed in scarlet. (Proverbs 31:21)

Scarlet is symbolic of the blood of Jesus.

 Through His blood, her family is sealed in a covenant with God. It’s also seen in the story of Rahab in (Joshua 2:18) by tying a scarlet thread on her window, her whole family was spared from the destruction that came on Jericho. To Rahab, the scarlet thread was a tangible evidence of the promise of deliverance from death.

Like Rahab, this woman has clothed her house in scarlet and she has no fear of evil days to come.

Her clothing is of linen, pure and fine and of purple (proverbs 31:22)

Linen is symbolically a clothing of purity and righteousness 

“She has been permitted to dress in fine linen, dazzling and white – for the fine linen is the righteousness (upright, just, godly living, deeds and conduct) of the saints.” (Revelation 19:8)

It’s not her beautiful hair, sparkling jewelry or fine-looking clothes that makes her noticeable but the righteousness of Christ in her that makes her stand out. Her beauty is not the worldly kind.

Purple is both a clothing of royalty and priesthood.

In the scripture, kings and priests wore garments of purple. This woman knows who she is and whose she is.

Therefore, she has taken up her role as a priest to her family and those God has put under her. She is a spiritual leader, she teaches them by her example and by her words. She intercedes for her husband, children and all those she loves. She studies the scripture diligently.

As royalty, she crowns her husband king. She’s honorable and respectful. She runs all her affairs with wisdom.

Her wisdom: A fountain of life

She opens her mouth in skillful and godly wisdom. (Proverbs 31:26)

She gives instruction and counsel with great wisdom and through this, she gives life to those who listen to her and who court her wise counsel. Her wisdom is not her own.  It’s not a worldly wisdom, or knowledge from literature, neither is it an opinion of world events. it’s a different kind, from a different source, which leaves a mark on those she touches with her life.

The fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy one is insight and understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

Her fear of God is the spring of her wisdom and from God comes her insight and her wealth of understanding.

Her kindness: a model for her household

And on her tongue is the law of kindness.

She opens her hand to the poor yes; she reaches out her filled hands to the needy (whether in mind, body and spirit). (Proverbs 31: 20, 26)

She not only looks out for the welfare of her house but she stretches herself to the community. She is not absorbed in the me, myself and mine mentality. She opens her doors wide for those without a home, her table has room for the hungry, and she clothes the naked physically and spiritually with a hand of mercy. She mourns with those who mourn and celebrates with those who are celebrating. She gives kindness even when she doesn’t feel like being kind.

By this, she sets a pattern of generosity for her children and all her house.

Her beauty: unfading and enduring

She has beauty; she has charm. However, she is not dependent upon these because she knows physical beauty is short lived; clever conversation and wit grows old. She has staked her worth in something far greater and lasting, God.

Her secret is the fear of God. And for this a woman is to be praised. She cares about what God thinks about her more than what people think about her. Her main concern is God’s will for her life, not her own.

Because of who she is, her husband has reason to boast of and to praise her, her children also know they are blessed and bless her too.

She is praised above all the excellent women ; more than Esther who risks her life for her people, Ruth the woman of valor, Deborah the prophetess who takes an army to battle, Sarah the woman who conceived a generation through faith.

She excels them all just by who she is.

Let us throw away what the world has taught us a woman should be or what beauty is and run with the blueprint of God’s definition of true beauty. When we figure out who he created to be then we can set a different standard for those that come after us. 

You are  Eshet chayil .....live boldly ,live differently.