13. The Blessing of a Woman’s Work in Light of Her Nature (Proverbs 31:10-31)

Is there a blessing in a woman’s toil in light of her nature? In light of Proverbs 31, is her work deemed as meaningless, or does the work she does have eternal significance and image the glory of God?

In Proverbs 31:10-31, we’re given a picture of a woman - and not any woman, but a woman who, we’re told, “fears the Lord” (31:30). This woman is unlike the 21st-century woman’s mold we are told we need to squeeze in, and the work she does is very rarely, if at all labeled as “work” in today’s culture. Work is often only accepted as work if it has a paycheck attached to it. But is that the only work that the woman who fears God is said to do? And does the work that has eternal significance only reside in it being paid? Based on Scripture, it is a resounding no.

There is a blessing in a woman’s work, but it’s not because she is defying all odds and breaking through every glass ceiling to finally achieve her dream CEO position, nor is it because she can finally master the art of sourdough and is teaching everyone around her to mirror the ideal 1950’s housewife by doing so. There is a blessing in a woman’s work because as she does it to the glory of God, she is living out the design that God crafted her for: to be a helper and to bless those whom she is around by pointing them to Jesus.

Women were created to be helpers (see Genesis 2:18), and as a helper, the picture we are given of how a woman who fears the Lord is to look does several things that would behoove us to take note of:

• She is trustworthy (31:11)

• She does her husband good all the days of her life (31:12)

• She works hard (31:13)

• She cares for her home (31:15)

• She is wise and considerate financially (31:16)

• She is discerning (31:17)

• She equips herself with strength to complete the tasks God has entrusted her with (31:17,25)

• She is disciplined (31:19)

• She gives to those in need (31:20)

• She trusts the Lord while using wisdom to prepare (31:21,25)

• She is industrious (31:22,24)

• She honors her husband (31:23)

• She speaks words of wisdom and kindness (31:26)

Phew, that was a lot (and there were maybe even some that I missed), but I wanted to give us a little overview of what God’s Word highlights as tasks a woman who fears the Lord does. However, the tasks themselves are not central—let’s now take a look at HOW she does them, for if we are, indeed, being a helper, but we are carrying out our duties as a woman with grumbling and complaining, without love, we’re nothing but a noisy gong and clanging cymbal. So, in light of our nature as a helper, and in light of the picture painted for us here in Proverbs 31, how are we to carry out the tasks God has put in front of us?

• With trustworthiness (31:11)

• With willingness (31:13)

• With self-control (31:15)

• With wisdom (31:16)

• With strength (31:17)

• With selflessness (31:20)

• With abiding trust in her God (31:21,25)

• With honor (31:23)

• With dignity (31:25)

• With wisdom and kindness (31:26)

• With discipline (31:27)

• With the fear of the Lord (31:30)

This passage is not meant to be a measuring stick of some sort to evaluate, “How good am I doing on the virtue scale?” but rather, to point us to a God who gives the mundane, seemingly purposeless parts of our life (making food for our families, doing load after load of laundry, weeding out the garden, changing yet another diaper, etc). We were all created to work, and as a woman, who is designed to help, the work we do should be done with a heart of reverence for the Lord, thankfulness, and humility. As we do this, I believe we will see the blessing that is enjoying the joy that we experience when we live out God’s design for us. Living in alignment with His design brings peace, harmony, and joy to the family (or whoever you are around/living with).

The blessing of a woman’s work also mirrors the help of the Holy Spirit. Would we look to the Holy Spirit’s role as OUR helper and think, “Yeah, that’s great and all, but it just seems lesser than.” NO! Of course not. The Holy Spirit is our Helper, without whom we would be lost. So it is for us women, we get to image the Spirit by helping and doing so that everything points back to the God who created us, the God who sustains us, and the God under whose design we live.