Measuring Sticks

Proverbs 31:28-30

Her children stand and bless her.

    Her husband praises her:

29 

“There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,

    but you surpass them all!"

Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;

but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised.

I want to be HER. 

Proverbs 31 tells us she is trustworthy, never spiteful, generous, a lovely knitter, a business gal, up before dawn cooking, sleeves rolled up, never lazy, a great saver, a clothing maker, a hard worker, a wise shopper, crafty and creative, charitable and generous, a non-worrier, looks good in purple, a wonderful mom, the best wife, full of kind words and wisdom and the fear of the Lord. It is suggested [in The Message] that she be "given everything she deserves and festooned with praises."

I am so far from HER.

My dossier would read more like Judith Voirst's,  Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. 

And, also, purple is not my color.

If I had bangs I would be all dramatic and defeated and, I would blow them up in a huff and let them scatter across my eyeballs right now. Phewwwwt!  

Unless it was still 1989, and then they'd look like this. Those puppies weren't going anywhere, folks.

You're welcome. 

We needed a little comic relief.   Because, honestly, if this Wife of Noble Character is our measuring stick, I'm flat-out discouraged. Keeping up with the Joneses is nothing compared to her.  I simply can't do it.

And neither can SHE.

She chooses one thing, and the rest is added: She chooses to fear the Lord. She is the picture of WISDOM, opening her hands and letting God fill her. 

(She has to . . . because, I'm pretty sure the hubs made her crazy too. Maybe he forgot to milk the cow or wash the donkey or something. Maybe while he was sitting with his buddies at the gate, looking so fine, she was at home sewing linens for winter with babies hanging off her breasts and toddlers begging for more corn or whatever.)

To be a virtuous woman, a wife worthy of praise, we need only fear the Lord. His Word says it again and again and again (Proverbs 1:9, Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 1:7): the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. Look back up at verse 30. She is praised for what? Fearing the Lord.

She isn't our measuring stick. (And neither is your neighbor. Or your carpool buddy.  Or any "perfect" girl you know. Because that girl is a unicorn or a yeti or a UFO or whatever other fictitious icon pops into your beautiful brain.) We don't need measuring sticks, girls.  Got one? Snap it over your knee and break it in two--Kapow! 

This is about us--and God. He loves us so much He painted us the portrait of wisdom in the Wife of Noble Character. She is not a measuring stick or a how-to book. She is the embodiment of wisdom.  She is open, hands lifted for filling. She is our inspiration and admiration. She is a woman who fears the Lord. Let the festooning begin!

Teach us, Lord, to fear you and fill us with your wisdom, I pray. Amen.