I’m Single, Is Proverbs 31 Meant for Me?

Proverbs 31:30
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” 

When I was single I wanted to be married. As I remember it that was my whole focus in life. To find a man to love me, support me, have children with and live in the house on the corner with the white picket fence.

I found a man, we got married, moved thousands of miles away from my friends and family, had two daughters . . . and a divorce.

What happened to my little plan? That’s the problem; it was my plan, not God’s will.

However it was during this time that I found my true passion and what was missing in my life. It wasn’t a man. It was God.

I spent the next 20 or so years raising my daughters and trying to be a Christian woman. But always in the back of mind, was the “got to have a man” issue.

Looking back over those years I would have focused more on different things. Such as, trying to be a virtuous woman, not just a Christian.

I tried to be the Proverbs 31 woman. I really did. Woke early to make sure my family had food ready for the day. I made a lot of our own clothes. Went to work every day (my fields). I tried to have a noble character too.

Proverbs 31:10-12
“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life”
But there I was single with no husband prospects on the horizon. Did that mean I couldn’t be a Proverbs 31 woman?

Look at the characteristics of the Proverbs 31 woman:

Trustworthy (honest)

Works hard (not lazy)

Resourceful (uses what she has {DYI})

Uses her time wisely (Pinterest every night?)

Good with money (stewardship)

Generous (with heart and hands)

Plans ahead (Time management)

That’s a list of good qualities any woman should have. Married or not. Why wait until your married to do all the things God wants you to do.

Let’s not think about this list of qualities as things we check off our list as “To Do” items, but as a heart issue. If you are truly fearing the Lord and gaining His knowledge then all the other items will follow through naturally, married or not.

The above qualities take knowledge and we can obtain that from God’s word.

Proverbs 1:7

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge”.

Whether you’re single or married you can be a Proverbs 31 woman.

May God Bless You

Sober-Minded

1 Peter 1:13
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

While doing a bible study the other day I read verse 1 Peter 1:13 and wondered what does “sober-minded” really mean. We all know that it means don’t be drunk, but what else does it mean. 

The NKJV uses the term “sober” 11 times, 10 in the New Testament. So I started looking up the word and this is what I found. 

Strongs (3525)

• To be calm and collected in spirit; to be temperate, dispassionate, circumspect.

HELPS Word-studies:

• Properly, to be sober (not drunk), not intoxicated; (figuratively) free from illusion, i.e. from the intoxicating influences of sin (like the impact of selfish passion, greed, etc.).
• Refers to having presence of mind (clear judgment), enabling someone to be termperate (self-controlled). “uninfluenced by intoxicants”) means to have “one’s wits (faculties) about them, “which is the opposite of being irrational.

Webster’s Dictionary:

• Having a disposition or temper habitually sober.

Normally when I read this word sober I thought of “solemn” or “long faced”. A person who is always walking around with a drawn look on their face. I knew that couldn’t be right because that isn’t how God wants us to live. We should be happy and content as Christians. 

My personality is not solemn or long faced and sometimes I try and reign it in thinking that is not the way a “good Christian woman” would act like. I should be more serious. But no matter how much I try, I can’t contain myself sometimes. Laughing and entertaining people is what I like to do. When I make someone smile and laugh I feel like I have done some good in the world. Life is hard enough, let me make you laugh. Maybe that is a “gift” from God. (Yes, let’s just call it that so I don’t feel guilty.)😊

Bottom line I think the Bible is telling us to think clearly about things. Don’t cloud your mind with physical or mental things. I like the expression – “have one’s wits about them”.

So as we go about our daily comings and goings, think on things above. Think clearly and don’t get caught up in your own craziness in life. Let God lead you.

May God Bless.