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This month we’ve been studying scripture’s Wonder Woman. I was taught in Sunday School when I was a teen, that this paragon of virtue was a guideline, but unachievable. I bought into that for a long time. Only after studying this passage with the proper guidance from the Holy Spirit have I realized that the Bride of Christ is really Wonder Woman. Not because she is stronger than a locomotive or faster than a speeding bullet (oh, wait, that’s Super Man—hmm), but because of the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, living God Who dwells within us. Everything that describes this valiant woman is good, and correlates with Jesus’ and the God-inspired writers of the New Testament.

Just as the Bride of Christ will be clothed in bright white linen which are the righteous acts of the saints, so this virtuous woman is clothed in her own righteous acts. Here are the qualities most valued by God because they are fruits of the Spirit: loving kindness, joy, peace, strength and dignity which equals temperance and/or self-control; smiles at the future equals no idle worrying and complete trust that God is in control; wisdom and kindness come directly from the Holy Spirit and are not inbred qualities of the human; keeping her focus on her household keeps her mind and hand occupied so there is no laziness or wasted time. When Paul described women, he most definitely had Proverbs 31 in mind because his admonitions follow so closely to this passage. This illustrates and exemplifies the true Christian heart.

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She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

Jesus tells us what ever is in the heart comes out of the mouth. Therefore, her heart embraces wisdom and kindness because this is what proceeds from her mouth. We know from Proverbs, Isaiah and James – actually, this is stated all through Scripture – that Wisdom is a gift from God. We don’t fall out of the womb stuffed with wisdom. James says this blessing that God bestows comes to those who ask. Proverbs 9:10 Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. She doesn’t indulge in idle gossip but is careful of the example she sets her children and her servants. So often we forget that the respect we receive from those around us comes from how we conduct ourselves, but mostly from what we say. James also notes that the tongue can create a firestorm. The Hebrew word Torah means basically “to sit on her lap and learn her wisdom”. It is interesting that this is the word used for the first five books of the Bible and encompasses all the Law given to Moses from God Himself.

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She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.

This is a Hebrew writing tactic, a reiteration of what has already been said. It is basically an emphasis that she protects her home and manages it with wisdom, as well as industry.

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Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
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”Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”

The blessing is here. All that went before what her actions and her thought processes without guile. It was about how her family benefited from her industry. This is the part where she is blessed. Her children love and cherish her, and her husband praises her saying that she has achieved above the average and excelled beyond all others. It indicates his pride. It reminds me of what Jesus will say as we meet Him in the air, “Well, done my good and faithful servant.” I want so much to hear those words.

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Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
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Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.

Here we see the blessings that result from the godly management of our households and our Christian lives. It is the affirmation that charms and beauty is fleeting; all that men hold dear and hold in high esteem are an abomination to the Lord (Luke 16:15). Outward beauty is not an achievement to be pursued. Beauty that God bestows is what brings eternal and lasting pleasure and glory to the Lord. Only loving and serving God can ever bring about the true acclamation which matters. We do not do in order to gain praise from man, we do in order to please the LORD. Paul exhorted women to put on the kind of beauty that is depicted here in Proverbs 31. A woman with good works will be praised and that clothes her in beauty. It will be better to be clothed in the bright white linen of the righteous acts than to be naked in physical beauty which fades with time and disappears in the presence of God. Working towards that goal, the righteous acts will be rewarded above any imaginable thing here on earth. No eye has ever seen or ear has ever heard the wonderful things to come.

"Inspiration For You" from Randy Mitchell

Honoring A Father