GOD’S DESCRIPTION OF GODLY WOMANHOOD

Proverbs 31:10-31
Intro:
 A teacher gave her class of second graders a lesson on the magnet and what it does.
o The next day in a written test, she included this question: “My full name has six letters. The first one is M.
I pick up things. What am I?”
o When the test papers were turned in, the teacher was astonished to find that almost 50 percent of the
students answered the question with the word “Mother.”
 Today is the day when we celebrate one of God’s great gifts to the world: the mother.
 While I will be preaching what could be classified as a Mother’s Day message, I want to include all women under the
umbrella of what I am going to say today.
 The Bible makes it clear that the man is the head of God’s creation!
 If man is the head, what could the role of the woman be?
o If man is the head …then woman must be the crown.
o When God made woman, He was finished with His creation.
o Woman was the last creative act of God.
 Without biases and in all sincerity, you will agree with me when I say that - godly women are the backbone of the
home and the church!
 I want to take this passage, a passage that was written in praise of godly womanhood, and preach about God’s
Description Of Godly Womanhood.

I. v. 10-12 HER STANDING

 v. 10 Her Price – [a]A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies
Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. (KJV)
The word “virtuous” refers to “the strength of an army.”
 It refers to a person who is strong, has character and integrity.
 Such a woman is more valuable than all the wealth of the world.
 This is why Pro. 18:22 says, “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.”
 If God has placed within your life some good, godly women, - He has blessed you with something more valuable that any
material possessions.
 v. 11 Her Perfection – Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
 The godly woman is trustworthy, and she always has the best interest of those she loves on her heart.
 Her husband, and all those around her, are blessed by and benefit from her diligence.
 Pro. 19:14, “House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.”
 She is exactly what God designed her to be, “a help meet” for her mate, Gen 2:18.
 She is his completer!
o Left brain and right brain!
 “left-brained" is often said to be more logical, analytical, and objective
 - Language, Logic, Critical thinking, Numbers, Reasoning
 "right-brained" is said to be more intuitive, thoughtful, and subjective.-
 best at expressive and creative tasks-
 Recognizing faces, Expressing emotions, Music, Reading emotions, Color, Imagination, Intuition,
Creativity
 v. 12 Her Plan – She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
 This kind of woman is an asset, not a liability, to her husband and family.
 Good comes to him that can be directly attributed to her.
 She supports and encourages him. And she is faithful in helping him all her life.
o Pro. 12:4a, “A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband...”
o Abigail - 1 Sam. 25. She did her best to help her husband, but he was a fool because he would not listen to her
advice.(wealthy man- nabal, third wife of david)

I. Her Standing
II. v. 13-18 HER SACRIFICES
14 She is like the merchant ships, 16 She considers a field and buys it;
bringing her food from afar. out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
15 She gets up while it is still night; 17 She sets about her work vigorously;

she provides food for her family her arms are strong for her tasks.
and portions for her female servants. 18 She sees that her trading is profitable,

and her lamp does not go out at night.

  v. 13-14, 16-17 She Gives Of Her Talents –
 She labors, she shops, she cooks, she keeps the home.
 She is a giver of the abilities God has graced her with and her family benefits from her gracious gift of herself to those
she loves.
o What would your house be without the ceaseless and selfless labor of the godly women God has given you?
 v. 15, 18 She Gives Of Her Time
 She takes care of the necessary details of the home.
 She rises early, and she works late.
 She tends to the needs of her children, her husband and the others in her household.
 She is there when they are hungry, when they are sick, when they are broken and when they need someone who
cares.
 She gives her life for those she loves.

I. Her Standing
II. Her Sacrifices

III. v. 19-25 HER SERVICE

19
In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers. 23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
20 She opens her arms to the poor where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24
and extends her hands to the needy. She makes linen garments and sells them,
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; and supplies the merchants with sashes.
for all of them are clothed in scarlet. 25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
22 She makes coverings for her bed; she can laugh at the days to come.
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

 v. 19, 21-22, 24-25 She Labors

 Most men, and children, have no idea of the work a woman does!
 Men, children, we need to be sure we all do our part to help around the house.
 Just for the record, there’s no such thing as “woman’s work.”
 v. 20 She Loves
 The godly woman is moved by her compassion to make a difference in the lives of others.
 Imagine a world without that kind of heart.
 If it was a world filled with men, that kind of compassion would be missing.
 Thank God for good, godly women!

 First, your body is totally transformed and inhabited by another human being.
 core muscles are ripping apart your abdomen.
 Labor was by far the hardest physical activity I have ever participated in.

I. Her Standing
II. Her Sacrifices
III. Her Service

IV. v. 26 HER SPEECH

26
She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

 She Guides –
 She stands by to help those who need the benefit of her intuition and her wisdom.
 She offers counsel to her husband and to her children.
 Wise are the individuals who listen to the counsel of godly women God has placed in their lives.
o “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver,” Pro. 25:11.
 She is Gentle –
 She has a way of soothing the hurts of life.
 Whether it is the boo-boo suffered by the child, or the hard blows of life that have left her mate defeated, she has the
power to lift others with the gentle medicine of her tender spirit.

I. Her Standing
II. Her Sacrifices
III. Her Service
IV. Her Speech
 V. v. 27 HER SELFLESSNESS
27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
 She Watches –
 She keeps her eye on those who have been given to her to love.
 She watches their lives to be sure they have what they need, and that they are walking the right path.
 B. She Works – ‘
 Whatever needs to be done, woman is willing to do it!
 Her primary concern is that the needs of her family are met.

 The book of Proverbs speaks of a contrast between the wise woman and the foolish woman.
 The Proverbs 31 woman does everything in her power to build up her home, while the foolish woman seems to be
doing everything in her power to destroy the things she has been given.

 “It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house,” Pro. 21:9.
 “It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman,” Pro. 21:19.

I. Her Standing
II. Her Sacrifices
III. Her Service
IV. Her Speech
V. Her Selflessness

VI. v. 28-29 HER SATISFACTION

28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”

 In any loving, properly functioning family, all the members recognize the value of the others in the family.
 In this case, the children and the husband declare the “excellency,” or the “invaluable contribution” the godly woman
had made in their lives.

 v. 28a Her Young Ones Praise Her –

 Those in whom she has invested her life “stand up” and publicly praise their godly mother.
 How long has it been since you said thanks to your mom?
 Only foolish children treat their mothers badly.
 Only foolish children refuse to honor the godly woman who has been such a blessing to their life.
 “For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his
mother; his blood shall be upon him,” Lev. 20:9.

 v. 28b-29 Her Yokefellow Praises Her –

 The husband who has received so much from this special woman in his life also praises her for the blessing she has
been to him.
 husbands, you do have a duty to your wives.
 Here is the Lord’s command to us. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave
himself for it,” Eph. 5:25-26.
 If God has given you a good, godly wife, you should love her selflessly, unconditionally, and sacrificially.

 God did not give you your wife so that you would have someone to dominate.
 He did not give you a wife so that you could oppress her .
 He gave you a woman so that you could demonstrate His love to her like He demonstrated His love to you.
 Some of you men probably need to ask the Lord to forgive you for the way you have acted, then you need to apologize
to your wife, and ask her to forgive you.
 If you have been blessed with a good, godly wife, you need to let her know that you love her, appreciate her, and that
you are thankful for her!
 “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the
weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered,” 1 Pet. 3:7.

I. Her Standing
II. Her Sacrifices
III. Her Service
IV. Her Speech
V. Her Selflessness
VI. Her Satisfaction

VII. v. 30-31 HER SECRET

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31
Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

 v. 30a She Despises Compliment – 30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
 This woman does not do the things she does for the praise of men.
 Her’s is a labor of love!
 She is not seeking the passing praise of others, she is seeking the good of those she has been entrusted to care for.

 v. 30b She Deplores Conceit – 31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
 She knows that true beauty is not the artificial adornment of the face, hair and body.
 She knows that true beauty runs far deeper.
 She knows that outer beauty will fade.
 She knows the body she had in her youth will change.
 So, she pays more attention to the beauty inside,
 She adorns the person she truly is with love, grace, goodness, and peace.
 Because she pays more attention to her inner woman than the one on the outside, her true beauty grows greater and
she becomes increasingly more beautiful in the eyes of her family as the years pass.
 “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on
of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a
meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price,” 1 Pet. 3:3–4.

 v. 30c She Is Devoted To Christ –

 The true secret of her beauty, her love and her ability to be a blessing to her loved ones is found in her faith.
 Because she is a woman who loves the Lord, she has the ability to allow the Lord to love through her.
 She is a blessing to others because she walks with Him.

 The walk of faith is far more powerful that we will understand.

 “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without
the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with
fear,” 1 Pet. 3:1-2.

Conc:
 Verse 31 says, “Give her of the fruit of her hands...” That is, in due time, she will be rewarded!
 Ladies, your husbands and children may never honor you like they could or like they should, but God in Heaven is
taking careful notice of your life and love.
 Nothing you do goes unnoticed, nor will it go unrewarded.
 Isn’t it way past time when we rose up and called our mothers, our wives, the women of our church, blessed?
 They deserve our praise! After all, they already have the Lord’s, v. 31!

Here is the invitation today;

 Is there some special lady in your life that you are thankful for today?
 You should come pray for them, thank God for them and then go tell them what they mean to you.
 There are husbands and wives who need to come before the Lord and ask Him to forgive you for the shape you have
allowed your relationship to be in.
 Come together and recommit to one another to working together to make that relationship everything it should be.
 Maybe you need to ask the Lord to help you with your attitude, or with some other area of your life.
Be an ESTHER, bold and courageous enough to stand for the truth, to voice your opinion and fight for the good of others, even when it means to
sacrifice yourself. If God has put you in a position, it is for a purpose. Never be afraid to heed that inner voice.

Be a RUTH, loyal in all your relationships, walk the extra mile and don’t quit when things get tough. Someday, you’ll see why it was all worth the
effort.

Be a LYDIA, let your homes be open, let your hands be generous, let your hearts be big enough to help anyone in need. Joy is greatest when
shared.

Be a HANNAH, never cease to pray. It will never be in vain.

Be a MARY, humble and submissive. You don’t have to be great for God to use you, you just need to obey.

Be a DORCAS, use your talents, however small it may seem to bring a smile on someone’s face. You’ll never know how much it can mean to
someone.

Be an ABIGAIL, remember how each decision can turn your life around for good or bad. Be wise.

Be an ELIZABETH, never doubt what God can do. He is the God of many miracles.

Be a MARY MAGDALENE, never let your mistakes and judgments of other people stop you from experiencing the joy of Jehovah.

Be a REBEKAH, never forget that true beauty lies within. Draw all your loved ones closer to God through your Christ-like character.

Lastly be a SARAH, age doesn't matter, Trust & believe that all things are possible with God according to His time.