Celebrate

We are all image bearers.  In Genesis chapter one, it says God created mankind in His own image and likeness, male and female (vv26-27).  Image is form (appearance) likeness is function. We were originally designed to look and act like our Creator. This last Mother’s Day weekend, we celebrated moms.  We celebrated the God nature in us.  We are physically designed and spiritually designed to nurture and guide.

Yet, I’d like to take the banner and run further. Regardless of where we (women) fall on the feminine spectrum:  Princess to tomboy.  Small to large.  Young to old.  We are women, we are female (regardless of the world’s confusion).  Proverbs 31 (don’t groan) gives examples of a Godly woman. It can be overwhelming and exhausting reading the list.  BUT.  It is not a job description.  It is a—celebration.  (Stay with me, this is good).

Proverbs 31, at first glance it is strongly assumed it is written by a man. Well, it is … kinda. Most jump straight to the popular verses, beginning at verse ten and neglect the opening (vv1-9).  It is a man telling what his mom taught him.  One Jewish tradition claims (many scholars agree) the mom may have been Bathsheba teaching this to her son, Solomon.  But we really don’t know. Yet, this mother tells her son to not waste himself on wine.  Don’t be passive, be bold, speaking up for the poor and helpless.  She tells her son not to spend himself on women (plural).  THIS is what a king does. 

Mom goes on to say, but this “woman” (singular) she is worth far more than valuable jewels. A woman who is faithful, kind, prepared, charitable, hardworking, smart and confident, as the following verses declare.

Verse 10, (paraphrasing) “Who can find such a woman of virtue.”  Many translations say, “wife” due to the context that she has a husband.  In the Hebrew (virtue) “chayil” (pronounced with a guttural “high-el”) can mean brave, excellent and noble.  It conveys a military tone as well, “one of war” —a warrior.  A warrior fights for a cause, for a standard, even if the standard is as basic as “God said.”

Of the 235 times “chayil” is used in scripture, all refer to either God or men or a man.  All except—three, three women.  Isn’t it interesting that scripture uses the same word to describe both a man of valor AND a strong woman.

Of the three, first, here where Mom tells the son, a good God-fearing woman, a kind, STRONG woman is worthy of your interest, and of your strength.  The second is found in Proverbs 12:4 “A wife of noble (chayil) character is her husband’s crown.”

The third, Ruth. In Ruth chapter three, just before Boaz is about to begin the process of taking her as his wife, he says the people of his village know her to be “eishet (woman) chayil.” “You, Ruth, are a woman of strength.”  Your reputation speaks highly of you. Ruth, unlike the Proverbs 31 gal, when this was said to her, is not married (she was, he died).  She does not have any children. 

Ruth goes on to marry Boaz and together they have a son named Obed.  He had a son named Jesse – he had a son named David.  This “woman of strength” was King David’s great-grandmother.  David went on to have a son named Solomon.  Not to mention (but I will) according to Jesus’ genealogy (in Matthew 1) Boaz’s mother was Rahab.  Take a moment and let that sink in. Rahab is part of the redemptive story!

A Godly woman of noble character as described in scripture, (beyond the stereotyped Proverbs 31) is both married AND single (and a widow).  She has children, while others do not. Some have a messy past that God has redeemed, a past He can redeem.  All women are to be celebrated.  Do not allow others to define you or frame you.  Ladies, we tend to be our own worst critic. May we stop comparing and begin celebrating. What a WIDE variety of women we are.

Be blessed in your image bearing—to the glory of God.

In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love & good deeds” – Hebrews 10:24).

Please note: It is the Jewish young men who are encouraged to memorize Proverbs 31, NOT the young gals.  It is also tradition: at the Shabbat meal the men sing the Eishet Chayil (traditional Proverbs 31 song) to the matriarch and the women of the family, they celebrate them—weekly.