Well, I can say with enthusiasm, "I've been waiting for this theme." It's the theme of womanhood that is presented in Proverbs. In fact, this is one of the crescendo themes of this book. It's really interesting where it's positioned, and I love the picture of the strength and value of a woman presented in Scripture.
Women show up in the biblical narrative way more than you would probably think, are way more essential to the way that God moved His story than you may think. And sadly, I think often in the church of Jesus Christ, the gifts, the presence, the value of women have been underestimated. And then we have just artifacts of misogyny and instances of abuse that are a horrible devaluing of women.
What is the picture of a woman in Proverbs? Well, she's an excellent wife. When you get done with this description, you would think, who wouldn't want to be married to a woman like this? She is trustworthy, a woman of character, she's willing to work, she provides for her family, she's not just dependent, but she's part of providing for her family. This is a woman with business savvy; she goes out and buys real estate and she plants a vineyard, and she's out there making those kinds of decisions.
She's presented as being strong. I love the picture of the strength of a woman. She's generous. This passage in the Proverbs says, "She opens her hands to the poor." She's fearless. Now, why is she fearless? Because she's prepared. The Proverbs says, "She's known for her strength and her dignity. She's wise; she's capable of teaching." I like this couplet, "wisdom and kindness." She's anything but lazy, and she's respected and praised by her family.
Now, why is she all of these things? It says because, "she fears the Lord." The motivating factor is her deep, abiding confidence in the Lord; and because of her confidence in the Lord, she's able to be strong, and courageous, and make wise decisions and not just think of herself but think of others and be generous and just; it's a beautiful description. She's not timid, she's not unhealthily dependent, she's a leader and an activist. It's a beautiful, beautiful picture.
I love this summary, "Charm is deceitful, beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." What is it that our culture values in women? What is it that the Christian culture values in women? May it be more than her appearance; may it be the value that she has as a child of God, the significance and sensuality of her gifts.
Charles Spurgeon, when he was thinking of the value of women in the body of Christ, said, "Women don't see truth the way men do. They don't experience things the way men do. We need these gifted women in our churches," and he said, "We must not say to our women in the church, 'Go home.'" The church needs this kind of women and we should celebrate that God has placed these women in our lives to contribute what they alone are able to contribute.
