The Value of a Virtuous Woman

by Christie Henson
(Jacksonville, AR)

Here is Christie's Bible study on the true value of a virtuous woman.

Date of Entry: September 10, 2008

About me ...
I am 37 years old, happily married and the mother of 6. My husband is Active Duty military and recently I was given the blessing of being able to stay home with my children. I am passionate about the word of God and hope to inspire others to be just as passionate.

Scriptures:
Proverbs 31:10, Mark 11:24, Psalms 71:3


My thoughts...
It is very true that finding a wife or a single woman with noble character is truly hard to find today. With the many different temptations that women face on a daily basis we must pull on God’s wisdom and strength so that we can gain noble character. Many women are faced with so many challenges today that putting the effort into being noble may be something on the backburner of their minds.

Does this sound like you?

Not long ago I was one of those women. I had children to tend to, a job that required long hours, dinner to cook, laundry to clean, and a house to keep tidy and in the middle of all that madness I had a husband that needed my attention as well.

Where in all of that chaos was there time to contemplate how I could be noble?

Sound familiar?

If so, I want you to know that there is a light at the end of the chaos tunnel. You can find the time to figure out your nobility, you just have to make the time. Looking at your own life what temptations are you currently fighting that are standing in your way of moving forward as a virtuous woman?

Read Mark 11:24 and Psalm 71:3. No matter what temptation you are fighting God is your refuge. When we believe in God and know that he is our one true God we know that whatever we ask for in prayer we will receive it. We are told that if we believe in advance, we will receive it.

Now you know that no matter what temptation you are fighting, God can help you overcome them.

Do others see you as a person with noble character and if they do how would they describe you? A person of noble character is a person who is dignified. The character of a noble person includes morality, honesty and courage. Are these traits that you see in yourself now? Can you see yourself having these traits in the future?

Now that we have discussed the "generic" description of a woman of noble character, how does Proverbs describe a noble woman? If you take a good look at Proverbs 31: 10 – 31 you will find many different traits that describe a woman of nobility, or a woman of virtue. Take a moment to reread the scriptures and make a list of the traits you see, then come back and compare with my description.

When I read the scriptures I see a woman that has values and is good in the eyes of the Lord. She works eagerly and vigorously with amazing strength. She is dignified and speaks with wisdom. She looks at the future and prepares herself for days to come. She is faithful and her husband and children know it. She does not partake in idleness and cares for her home and her family from morning until night. Because she has these traits her husband and children love her and adore her. She has all of these wonderful traits, but the most important trait of all is that she has true fear of the Lord.

The second part of this scripture reads that she is worth more than rubies. I know when I read this I thought to myself, diamonds are more impressive than rubies right? Why is she only worth more than rubies and not diamonds? After a little research I found that the Hebrew meaning for the term rubies may have referred to pink pearls or red coral which were considered very valuable. Whatever they were referring to, it was very valuable and a virtuous woman is worth more than that!

Because I was over analyzing the difference between rubies and diamonds I had completely missed the true meaning. Being worth more than rubies is being worth more than a priceless gemstone. If you are worth more than priceless gemstones, then you must really be worth a lot. By being a virtuous woman, a woman of noble character, you are worth more than rubies, or any other priceless gemstone. In other words, you are priceless. How wonderful is it to be considered priceless, irreplaceable, a person that is valued?

Not feeling that way right now? Don't worry, I didn't either. Stick around and those feelings will start to overwhelm you. By following God’s word you will begin to feel priceless. You will begin to have that feeling of worth. Your husband and children will see you as priceless. IF you are single, your friends, family, co-workers or boyfriends will also find you priceless. They will notice the difference and have an immense sense of joy when they are with you. You will be that woman of noble character. You know the one I am talking about, the priceless one!

By now you may be wondering exactly how you can become this priceless gem that everyone will adore. The only answer is that you have to start gaining the biblical wisdom to start making changes in your life. How do you gain this wisdom? You pray and you ask God for wisdom. You begin going daily into God's word. Let God speak to you through his word. You will be surprised how much God speaks to you when you sit in silence and allow him to come into your life.
Isn’t it time so sit and listen to God?

Questions it brought to my mind...
What temptations do I face on a daily basis that interfere with my walk with God? What wisdom do I need to gain in order to overcome these temptations?

My closing prayer...
Lord God in heaven, I am reaching out to you. I am searching for your wisdom. I crave the wisdom I am searching for. I ask that you open my heart and mind to your word. I want to be the woman of noble character that you want me to be. I want to be more precious than rubies. I want to walk in your word daily. Speak to me and let me know what I need to do to be good in your eyes. I come to you in your son, Jesus Christ, name and ask for your guidance as I continue to grow in your wisdom. Amen