Who is the Proverbs 31 Woman? Part 6

She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31:26-31

She speaks wisdom and kindness and instructs others in (and using) both. She doesn’t gossip. Encouraging and uplifting is her habit. She doesn’t lie or flatter. She is always willing to share a wise word or to instruct another with Christian kindness.

What is kindness? The interpretation makes it clear: piety toward God, beauty, faithfulness, goodness, mercy, loyalty, lovingkindness, justice. The virtuous woman is these things.

“She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.”

v. 27

She watches over (leans to, peers into, observes) the ways of her household. She is involved in the goings on in her home. She knows what everyone is doing because she is watching and keeping an eye on things. She does not sit idle and wait for things to be done; she is active.

Note: She is not a micro-manager. Watching, leading, and instructing is how she guides her family. She influences, not dictates unless it is necessary to do so.

“Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:”

v. 28

Her children rise up and call her blessed (happy, guided, honest). In essence, they are cheering her on! Her husband praises her (celebrates, makes a show of, boasts, raves). He is crazy about her! This is a family that loves, respects, and appreciates each other in the daily things. The people closest to her know her best and are able to bless and praise her to others. Her heart is to her husband and children first.

“Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”

v. 29

What a compliment from her husband and children! This is praise, not flattery. They see that she isn’t like other women. She is set apart. Her husband knows that she is his and he loves her deeply for who she is.

“Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.”

v. 30

Charm (elegant speech, special standing, privilege, sense of acceptance) is deceitful. It is a lie about a person’s character. Beauty is passing (a sham, fraud, lie, vain). Charm and beauty won’t last. Taking care of your skin and your body is part of taking care of the temple of the Holy Spirit, but the focus is to be on Christ and who we reflect from the inside. The virtuous woman isn’t self-centered. She knows where true beauty comes from and seeks to please God always. She will be praised for her faithfulness.