But I’m Nothing Like the Proverbs 31 Woman … - Encouragement for Today - December 12, 2024

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

Proverbs 31 Ministries banner

Lysa TerKeurstDecember 12, 2024

But I’m Nothing Like the Proverbs 31 Woman …
LYSA TERKEURST

Lee en español

“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30 (ESV)

Do you ever feel like you don’t measure up because of what you’ve been through?

Me too.

When I first read Proverbs 31 — which describes a woman of noble character — several years ago as a young mom, I thought the Proverbs 31 woman was overwhelmingly perfect.

Through many other seasons and hard realities I’ve walked through, I’ve found myself feeling not just intimidated by Proverbs 31 but sometimes even defeated by this woman whose entire life seems full of praises.

That’s why I feel especially tender toward those of you who would rather skip over this passage of Scripture. I know what it’s like to have these words sit heavy on your heart with a resounding declaration of I’m not enough.

But what if I told you the intention behind Proverbs 31:10-31 is celebration and not condemnation?

The first thing I want us to take note of is that this isn’t just a chapter about a wife of noble character. It’s about a woman of valor. A courageous woman. A woman of strength and dignity.

And the fact that you are reading this devotion, seeking God, and pursuing healing for the painful circumstances you’ve walked through is evidence that you are a woman of valor, courage, strength and dignity. So Proverbs 31 is for you and me.

In Jewish culture, these verses are read out loud on the Sabbath as a celebration of women. This in no way condemns women for what they aren’t; it celebrates how each woman, in her own unique expressions, can live out the virtues detailed in this chapter. These aren’t words meant to tell a woman she is supposed to be more. They are a celebration of who she is.

Isn’t that the way it should be?

Courageous women celebrating each other — and being celebrated by those they love. All under the banner of honoring God, serving out of love and smiling at the future. I also love how Proverbs 31:30 reminds us of what’s truly worth celebrating: “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”

It’s not a woman with a spotless house who is to be praised. It’s not the mom with perfectly behaved children. It’s not just a woman who is married and has children.

It’s the woman who fears the Lord who is to be praised. And this type of fear refers to being completely in awe of God. It describes a woman who honors God by seeking Him in everything she does and trusting Him wholeheartedly. Her reverence overflows into a life of spiritual maturity and wisdom.

And let’s not forget to look at today’s verses within the context of why God gave us this book of the Bible. The very first chapter of Proverbs tells us it exists so we can gain wisdom, instruction, understanding, insight, knowledge, discretion and guidance. Proverbs 2:1-5 goes on to remind us that as we receive and apply God’s commands, we will be able to understand how to find the knowledge of the Lord.

Wisdom is both a gift from God and a process of learning. Proverbs 31 can easily trip us up — but what if we take God at His Word and choose to believe these words hold good and pleasant things for us? What if we challenge ourselves to look at this passage closely, receiving it as a gift to us and seeing what verses we need to learn from? What if we speak these words over ourselves and the women in our lives as a form of celebration instead of condemnation, realizing that our stories don’t disqualify us?

God tucked these words into His Word for all eternity, dear friend. And that tells me they are needed and meant for our good. Let’s ask Him to help us learn from them today.

Father God, I confess that at times I look at the Proverbs 31 woman and feel like I will never be enough. But I realize her purpose isn’t to shame me. Her example is there to remind me to look to You and live for You in all that I do. Help me receive these words from You as a gift. And show me how to live them out according to the unique way You purposefully designed me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

Double your impact today! For a limited time only, when you give to Proverbs 31 Ministries, your donation is matched dollar for dollar up to $182,000! Donate today so we can reach more women with God’s Word together. Give now!

width


ENGAGE

Find real-life encouragement when you connect with Lysa TerKeurst here on Instagram.

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Proverbs 31:25, “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come” (NIV).

What does being “clothed with strength and dignity” look like for you? With God’s help, how can you approach the days to come with laughter?

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.

© 2024 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org

 

Salem News Channel Today

Sponsored Links


September 26 - Phoenix, AZ
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts


November 2 - Detroit, MI
Zion Christian Church in Troy


October 6 - Los Angeles, CA
Pasadena Convention Center


November 5 - San Antonio, TX
Norris Centers – The Grand Red Oak Ballroom


October 8 - Sacramento, CA
William Jessup University


November 7 - Tampa, FL
The Palladium at St. Pete College


October 22 - Minneapolis, MN
Crowne Plaza AiRE


November 15 - San Francisco, CA
Fremont Marriott Silicon Valley


October 23 - Philadelphia, PA
Green Valley Country Club


November 16 - Denver, CO
CU South Denver - Formerly Wildlife Experience


November 2 - Chicago, IL
Chicago Westin Northwest in Itasca


November 21 - Cleveland, OH
Holiday Inn Rockside in Independence



Salem Radio Network Speakers

Larry Elder is an American lawyer, writer, and radio and television personality who calls himself the "Sage of South Central" a district of Los Angeles, Larry says his philosophy is to entertain, inform, provoke and to hopefully uplift. His calling card is "we have a country to save" and to him this means returning to the bedrock Constitutional principles of limited government and maximum personal responsibility. Elder's iconoclastic wit and intellectual agility makes him a particularly attractive voice in a nation that seems weary of traditional racial dialogue.” – Los Angeles Times.

Mike Gallagher Mike Gallagher began his broadcasting career in 1978 in Dayton, Ohio. Today, he is one of the most listened-to talk radio show hosts in America, recently having been ranked in the Talkers Magazine “Heavy Hundred” list – the 100 most important talk radio hosts in America. Prior to being launched into national syndication in 1998, Mike hosted the morning show on WABC-AM in New York City. Today, Talkers Magazine reports that his show is heard by over 3.75 million weekly listeners. Besides his radio work, Mike is seen on Fox News Channel as an on-air contributor, frequently appearing on the cable news giant.

Hugh Hewitt is one of the nation’s leading bloggers and a genuine media revolutionary. He brings that expertise, his wit and what The New Yorker magazine calls his “amiable but relentless manner” to his nationally syndicated show each day.

When Dr. Sebastian Gorka was growing up, he listened to talk radio under his pillow with a transistor radio, dreaming that one day he would be behind the microphone. Beginning New Year’s Day 2019, he got his wish. Gorka now hosts America First every weekday afternoon 3 to 6pm ET. Gorka’s unique story works well on the radio. He is national security analyst for the Fox News Channel and author of two books: "Why We Fight" and "Defeating Jihad." His latest book releasing this fall is “War For America’s Soul.” He is uniquely qualified to fight the culture war and stand up for what is great about America, his adopted home country.

Broadcasting from his home station of KRLA in Los Angeles, the Dennis Prager Show is heard across the country. Everything in life – from politics to religion to relationships – is grist for Dennis’ mill. If it’s interesting, if it affects your life, then Dennis will be talking about it – with passion, humor, insight and wisdom.

Sean Hannity is a conservative radio and television host, and one of the original primetime hosts on the Fox News Channel, where he has appeared since 1996. Sean Hannity began his radio career at a college station in California, before moving on to markets in the Southeast and New York. Today, he’s one of the most listened to on-air voices. Hannity’s radio program went into national syndication on September 10, 2001, and airs on more than 500 stations. Talkers Magazine estimates Hannity’s weekly radio audience at 13.5 million. In 1996 he was hired as one of the original hosts on Fox News Channel. As host of several popular Fox programs, Hannity has become the highest-paid news anchor on television.

Michelle Malkin is a mother, wife, blogger, conservative syndicated columnist, longtime cable TV news commentator, and best-selling author of six books. She started her newspaper journalism career at the Los Angeles Daily News in 1992, moved to the Seattle Times in 1995, and has been penning nationally syndicated newspaper columns for Creators Syndicate since 1999. She is founder of conservative Internet start-ups Hot Air and Twitchy.com. Malkin has received numerous awards for her investigative journalism, including the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) national award for outstanding service for the cause of governmental ethics and leadership (1998), the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award for Investigative Journalism (2006), the Heritage Foundation and Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity's Breitbart Award for Excellence in Journalism (2013), the Center for Immigration Studies' Eugene Katz Award for Excellence in the Coverage of Immigration Award (2016), and the Manhattan Film Festival's Film Heals Award (2018). Married for 26 years and the mother of two teenage children, she lives with her family in Colorado. Follow her at michellemalkin.com. (Photo reprinted with kind permission from Peter Duke Photography.)

Sponsored by:

But I’m Nothing Like the Proverbs 31 Woman … - Encouragement for Today - December 12, 2024

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

Proverbs 31 Ministries banner

Lysa TerKeurstDecember 12, 2024

But I’m Nothing Like the Proverbs 31 Woman …
LYSA TERKEURST

Lee en español

“Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30 (ESV)

Do you ever feel like you don’t measure up because of what you’ve been through?

Me too.

When I first read Proverbs 31 — which describes a woman of noble character — several years ago as a young mom, I thought the Proverbs 31 woman was overwhelmingly perfect.

Through many other seasons and hard realities I’ve walked through, I’ve found myself feeling not just intimidated by Proverbs 31 but sometimes even defeated by this woman whose entire life seems full of praises.

That’s why I feel especially tender toward those of you who would rather skip over this passage of Scripture. I know what it’s like to have these words sit heavy on your heart with a resounding declaration of I’m not enough.

But what if I told you the intention behind Proverbs 31:10-31 is celebration and not condemnation?

The first thing I want us to take note of is that this isn’t just a chapter about a wife of noble character. It’s about a woman of valor. A courageous woman. A woman of strength and dignity.

And the fact that you are reading this devotion, seeking God, and pursuing healing for the painful circumstances you’ve walked through is evidence that you are a woman of valor, courage, strength and dignity. So Proverbs 31 is for you and me.

In Jewish culture, these verses are read out loud on the Sabbath as a celebration of women. This in no way condemns women for what they aren’t; it celebrates how each woman, in her own unique expressions, can live out the virtues detailed in this chapter. These aren’t words meant to tell a woman she is supposed to be more. They are a celebration of who she is.

Isn’t that the way it should be?

Courageous women celebrating each other — and being celebrated by those they love. All under the banner of honoring God, serving out of love and smiling at the future. I also love how Proverbs 31:30 reminds us of what’s truly worth celebrating: “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.”

It’s not a woman with a spotless house who is to be praised. It’s not the mom with perfectly behaved children. It’s not just a woman who is married and has children.

It’s the woman who fears the Lord who is to be praised. And this type of fear refers to being completely in awe of God. It describes a woman who honors God by seeking Him in everything she does and trusting Him wholeheartedly. Her reverence overflows into a life of spiritual maturity and wisdom.

And let’s not forget to look at today’s verses within the context of why God gave us this book of the Bible. The very first chapter of Proverbs tells us it exists so we can gain wisdom, instruction, understanding, insight, knowledge, discretion and guidance. Proverbs 2:1-5 goes on to remind us that as we receive and apply God’s commands, we will be able to understand how to find the knowledge of the Lord.

Wisdom is both a gift from God and a process of learning. Proverbs 31 can easily trip us up — but what if we take God at His Word and choose to believe these words hold good and pleasant things for us? What if we challenge ourselves to look at this passage closely, receiving it as a gift to us and seeing what verses we need to learn from? What if we speak these words over ourselves and the women in our lives as a form of celebration instead of condemnation, realizing that our stories don’t disqualify us?

God tucked these words into His Word for all eternity, dear friend. And that tells me they are needed and meant for our good. Let’s ask Him to help us learn from them today.

Father God, I confess that at times I look at the Proverbs 31 woman and feel like I will never be enough. But I realize her purpose isn’t to shame me. Her example is there to remind me to look to You and live for You in all that I do. Help me receive these words from You as a gift. And show me how to live them out according to the unique way You purposefully designed me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

OUR FAVORITE THINGS

Double your impact today! For a limited time only, when you give to Proverbs 31 Ministries, your donation is matched dollar for dollar up to $182,000! Donate today so we can reach more women with God’s Word together. Give now!

width


ENGAGE

Find real-life encouragement when you connect with Lysa TerKeurst here on Instagram.

FOR DEEPER STUDY

Proverbs 31:25, “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come” (NIV).

What does being “clothed with strength and dignity” look like for you? With God’s help, how can you approach the days to come with laughter?

We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.

© 2024 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org

 

Salem News Channel Today

Sponsored Links

On Air & Up Next

See the Full Program Guide