mulling over 31 Proverbs

I’m taking a break from writing – handwriting, that is – my husband has encouraged us, each one, to write out a copy of the Word—the Bible in our own hand—His Words, our writing.  We’ve begun in the New Testament and have set about writing – originally a chapter a day, but now have relaxed that to half for longer chapters or about 25 verses a day.  I didn’t quit writing simply to rest my hand, but because I wanted to continue to look into a matter that really captured my attention earlier today.  I was doing a bit of website updating and writing (rather, typing out a letter pertaining to the life of a faithful woman), and I began to mull over, again and again, 31 proverbs.

I suppose that being a “list person” or needing lists as reminders or prompters has its drawbacks.  Sometimes this list-checking fuels the ‘works vs. grace’ tendencies I try to avoid.  But one of the advantages lists provide is the advantage of seeing progressions or seeing corollaries to each item or quality on that list.  Well, so it is with the “list” of the qualities of the “Proverbs 31 woman.”

But it’s not a check list—the kind you seek to do or knock off so that you can get a gold star at the end of the quarter. It’s sooooo not that at all.  This “list” or this account is a description of what a virtuous woman looks like, acts like, strives toward, accomplishes and believes.

Each description is sort of a facet of the diamond she is—for she is strong; each description is sort of a chapter of a life lived for Christ—for she is faithful;
each description is sort of a gift—for she leaves a legacy worth passing on to her children;
each description is a demonstration of honour—for it is the heart of her husband that safely trusts in her, for he is known in the gates—and the fruit of her work praises her there, too;
and finally each description is sort of a manual for women—for each one is an instruction, each one defines what Titus 2 succinctly directs older women to teach younger women.