Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold and the skies are gray and I’m ready for a little sunshine, but I’ve had my meeting with the Leader of my Life from inside looking out and my heart and soul are prepared for this new day. No matter what it looks like on the outside, it’s warm and Compassionate on the inside of me, and that’s all that really matters in the Bigger Picture. Each day I read a Proverb that correlates with my calendar so this morning it was Proverbs 31. If there is any scripture that paints the picture of what a Christian woman should look like it’s this one. Although it describes a “wife of noble character” it hit home for me long before I became a wife. It is my heartfelt desire to be a woman of noble character in the eyes of the Living God and the eyes of my family…and now in the eyes of my husband. Shouldn’t we all turn to Words that inspire us to be the Best that we can be for HIM instead of disregarding the Truth that we don’t think applies to us?

It would have been easy to disregard the words of Proverbs 31 completely as I walked through the Journey of Life without a husband…but being a woman of noble character is a beautiful thing in AND OUT of marriage. There is no such thing as a good excuse to choose to be less than what God calls for us to be no matter our marital state. We can’t pick and choose the Rules throughout the Journey of Faith nor can we discount all of the Instructions we find on how to be the best that we can be for God…it doesn’t hinge on marital status.

Although many people take to the streets to “fight for equality of women”, there’s nothing “equal” between the genders by God’s design, and that’s a beautiful thing! What a “woman of noble character” brings to the table is priceless and “worth far more than rubies.” What we bring to the table a man can’t bring (and vice versa) and although we sometimes do the work of a man, we’re still wired to be the soft one, the compassionate one, and the one who gives without limitations day after day after day.

The Christian community sometimes gets things twisted up by way of doctrine and the division between what God expects of a man and what He expects of a woman can so easily get modified to suit a belief system. A man is a man and He is supposed to provide for his family along with a host of other things God calls for him to do. But some are quick to judge women who work outside the home even when they have no husband at all. The woman of noble character described in Proverbs 31 clearly did her part financially too and she did it without checking into a 9-to-5 job. She didn’t just feed the family and clean the home and then attempt to equally distribute the household duties while leaving all of the finances up to him. She did her part in more ways than one. She did it to make her home a better place. She did it to be sure that her children (AND HUSBAND) had what they needed. She did it to “cut the budget.” She did it to bless her husband and to lessen his load. That softer one, the compassionate one, the one who gives without boundaries is also a very strong force to be reckoned with and one who blesses her family far more than she takes. As a result, in the end, “her children arise and call her blessed” and (if she has one) her “husband praises her” too. Now THAT’S what I call a payday!

I celebrate being a woman and I worked hard to be a woman of noble character even in my unmarried state. I painted the picture of marriage for my children and taught them what being a godly wife or husband should look like in the eyes of our God even in my unmarried state. I’ve never been paid less than a man in the workplace just because I’m a woman, and I’m not an underdog in life because of my gender. Paul said “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” so I celebrate who I am in Christ and I embrace my value as a woman. I’m a teacher of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and I share the Gospel often – even though some Christian circles don’t believe a woman has the “right” to ever share with a “mixed” audience…but I answer to God and not man. If we’re all ONE in Christ, sharing the Gospel isn’t a right extended only to man, but a responsibility for ALL who claim to Know Him as Lord and Savior. Just sayin’.

There are so many things a woman of noble character can bring to the table and countless things a man can bring to the table that a woman can’t…and so it is by God’s design. I don’t turn to gender to define who I am in Christ because WE ARE ALL ONE in Christ Jesus. Ladies, it’s time to celebrate who you are and strive to be a woman of noble character no matter what. It’s not a competition, it’s a beautiful “God-thing”..it’s by Design.

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.

She selects wool and flax

and works with eager hands.

She is like the merchant ships,

bringing her food from afar.

She gets up while it is still night;

she provides food for her family

and portions for her female servants.

She considers a field and buys it;

out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

She sets about her work vigorously;

her arms are strong for her tasks.

She sees that her trading is profitable,

and her lamp does not go out at night.

In her hand she holds the distaff

and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

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.

She makes coverings for her bed;

she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

Her husband is respected at the city gate,

where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them,

and supplies the merchants with sashes.

She is clothed with strength and dignity;

she can laugh at the days to come.

She speaks with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

“Many women do noble things,

but you surpass them all.”

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Honor her for all that her hands have done,

and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.