A Proverbs 31 Kinda Gal...

Proverbs 31 intimidates me. 
I love this chapter and I refer back to it over and over again because I want to be an example of what a Proverbs 31 woman should look like.  But my-oh-my, I still have a long way to go!

Sewing?  Yep.  I can sew.
Cooking.  I make a mean blueberry pie and I'm not bad with frozen pizza.
Cleaning...  Well, it just kind of depends on the week.
Rising early???  Yikes.

But what strikes me about Proverbs 31 is it's consistent emphasis on CHARACTER.
... She works with willing hands.
... She opens her hands to the poor and reaches her hands out to the needy. (vs 20)
... Strength and dignity are her clothing. (vs 25)
... She opens her mouth with wisdom.  (vs. 26)
... She does not eat the bread of idleness (vs 27)

Something else that really struck me the other day:  "The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.  She does him good and not harm all the days of her life."  (vs. 11 & 12, italics mine).

All the days of my life.  That does not mean that when I get married these character traits should become more evident.  That means that those character traits should become evident NOW because the habits that I'm cultivating as a single woman will someday define my marriage.

Am I pouring my heart into the ministry to help those that are not only poor physically, but poor spiritually as well?  Am I consistent in housecleaning?  Do I make wise financial decisions?  Do I renounce idleness and work to be industrious at every opportunity?  Do I guard my heart against relationships that are unwholesome?  Do I easily submit to leadership so that I might submit to my husband?  Do I pray over my future husband and children?

Fact:  God doesn't expect me to be superwoman.  He does, however, expect me to grow daily in Godly character- He's given me all the resources for it.  And as I grow in Godly character, and strive to look more like Him, I'm going to start looking like a Proverbs 31 woman as well.

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain.  But a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised"
Proverbs 31:30