The Top 3 Traits For A Godly Young Woman
by Debbie Waltz
[Disclosure: I apologize for my absence; I attended the virtual Colorado Christian Writer’s conference/Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference this past week. I forgot to post this before things got a little. My dad is doing well; he is home and recovering.
Let me begin this post by wishing all the mothers a happy Mother’s Day. This weekend was full of memorable moments for my family and me. As well as celebrating Mother’s Day, my niece attended her first formal at her Christian school with a friend of hers; they stopped by our house for pictures and then went out to dinner afterward. As the school doesn’t have your typical dances, they went out go-carting. It was neat.
If I didn’t know any better, you’d think my niece was attending a wedding and not a school function. She has grown into such beauty right before our eyes. Not only is Elizabeth beautiful on the outside, but she is always willing to help me out with navigating my wheelchair through tight spaces. So, Elizabeth, may you never lose this heart of gold you have!
This Sunday was the last opportunity to get together to celebrate my birthday, Tim’s birthday, and my birthday as well since dad will be having his shoulder surgery on Friday. Unfortunately, we couldn’t celebrate sooner because of all the activities on our schedules; anyway, they gave me this precious mug with part of Proverbs 31 on it. It says, “She is clothed with strength and dignity.”
Imagine my surprise when the same verse is on my friend’s Facebook page today. That got me thinking – what biblical advice would I impart to my nieces and the generations to follow. For that reason, I’d like to take a closer look at the proverb. I know it has a lot to say about the characteristics of a noble wife, but these characteristics are not inherited. They are LEARNED– passed down from one generation of godly women to another. A healthy fear of the Lord is necessary to produce a godly woman. I’m not speaking of anticipation or awareness of danger but rather to possess a reverential sense of awe for God.
Having a personal relationship with Jesus is essential. Through this relationship, she learns the value of trust not only in God but also in herself. The rest will come naturally if we have some kind of godly role model in our lives. Here are my top 3 qualities from Proverbs 31 that every girl should strive for
1. She Is Dutiful. She understands her role as a part of the household growing up. Later, this will turn into the duties of a wife. But I am speaking to young women now; they understand what is expected of them and do what is asked of them by the older generation; by that, I mean parents, teachers, etc. Young girls rise early and are attentive to their schoolwork.
2. She Is Cheerful. This doesn’t mean we always have to have a smile on our faces. We know we will face adversity because of sin, but because of God, we know how we should react. Now we are not perfect; we are going to fall down sometimes. That is what grace is for! After all, look at what it says in Ephesians 1:7-9, “In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ….”
3. She is kind. Out of all the characteristics I have described, I believe this is the most important. Proverbs 31:20 – 21 says, “She opens her arms to the poor, and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. “ There are two things about this passage I would like to point out.
a. First of all, this is God’s ministry – to serve and heal the needy both physically and spiritually. As his ambassadors, it is our job to continue serving. To use our talents and gifts to minister to those around us about God’s love and mercy
b. Why is the Godly Woman not afraid? Simple. She knows who she is and who provides for her. In their time, purple was the symbol of royalty. Did you notice the use of the word scarlet; I believe that was intentional
PS.I fully intended to post this on Mother’s Day and dedicate it to my mother as well as both my nieces. Mom, you have shown me what it means to be a Godly Woman.