Many have said and currently say that the God of the Bible, that Christians, promote weak women – mentally, physically, emotionally. Many have never read the Bible.
Saving the topics of feminine education, business, and emotion for another time, let’s look at the physical attributes praised by Solomon, the king of Israel blessed by God with the greatest wisdom known to man with the exception of Jesus, who is also God.
The book of Proverbs holds the majority of my favorite verses in the Bible such as Proverbs 31: 25*
Strength and honor are her clothing.
Proverbs 31 has long been titled – in Bible, sermons, and discussions – as “the virtuous wife” when talking about character qualities. However, those sermons and discussions often leave out her overall efficiency, business sense and her literal physical strengths. Earlier in the chapter, verse 17, we are told “she girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms.”
Basically, the virtuous wife, the woman to which every girl in church and Christian schools have been taught to aspire to be and every boy has been taught to desire as a wife, is a woman who cares about her physical condition and is known for that action.
Clearly, strength is not always in reference to physical strength when mentioned in the Bible. Proverbs 24:10 states that “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.” I have applied that verse as a challenge to every aspect of my life. In my line of work, I have to be emotionally strong to act as support for my co-workers and patients as well as their families. I have to be mentally strong to know what I am doing and physically strong in order to be able to do my job and keep my people safe. As workload increases, my strength needs to increase to be able to stand in the day of adversity. If you are not spiritually strong – knowing what God says in the Bible, constantly in contact with God, and in-fellowship with other believers – you will faint to temptation of all types in this incessant battle we have with Satan and his followers.
Honor has many definitions, one of which includes “a woman’s chastity or her reputation for this” or the first definition of high esteem**. Neither of those definitions are or should be undesirable. Either the clothing of the virtuous wife are strength and chastity (moral purity) or strength and esteem – both calls for being above reproach and should be natural for a woman.
*All passages from the Scriptures are taken the Holy Bible: New King James Version printed by Thomas Nelson Bibles, Inc.
**Definitions were provided by the Oxford Dictionary via Bing search.
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