From Katye and my talk about Biblical womanhood last weekend in our YOU series, here are the Scripture references we used.
Main passage:
10 Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is more precious than rubies.
11 Her husband can trust her,
and she will greatly enrich his life.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She finds wool and flax
and busily spins it.
14 She is like a merchant’s ship,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household
and plan the day’s work for her servant girls.
16 She goes to inspect a field and buys it;
with her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She is energetic and strong,
a hard worker.
18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable;
her lamp burns late into the night.
19 Her hands are busy spinning thread,
her fingers twisting fiber.
20 She extends a helping hand to the poor
and opens her arms to the needy.
21 She has no fear of winter for her household,
for everyone has warm clothes.
22 She makes her own bedspreads.
She dresses in fine linen and purple gowns.
23 Her husband is well known at the city gates,
where he sits with the other civic leaders.
24 She makes belted linen garments
and sashes to sell to the merchants.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.
26 When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.
27 She carefully watches everything in her household
and suffers nothing from laziness.
28 Her children stand and bless her.
Her husband praises her:
29 “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world,
but you surpass them all!”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last;
but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.
31 Reward her for all she has done.
Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.
Proverbs 31:10-31 (NLT)
About the “responder” characteristic of women
14 But then I will win her back once again.
I will lead her into the desert
and speak tenderly to her there.
15 I will return her vineyards to her
She will give herself to me there,
as she did long ago when she was young,
when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt.”
Hosea 2:14-15 (NLT)
About our responsibility as men to give God-honoring things to respond to.
As far as not being careless and flippant with what we say...
36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,Matthew 12:36 (ESV)
What our goal for our conversations to be...
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:6 (NIV)
It’s not just the words, but where the heart is that they come from…
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14 (ESV)
We should also respond appropriately for each situation...not just what you say, how you say it, but when you say it...does it fit the situation?
29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)
About the beauty characteristic of women
3 Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. 4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.1 Peter 3:3-4 (NLT)
All women are beautiful and the greatest beauty is a heart for the Lord.
As men, do we value that actively in the way we deal with all women (mothers, sisters, nieces, co-workers, friends, etc…)
On what God values…
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.Proverbs 31:30 (ESV)
On the proper place for the physical vs the spiritual
8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
1 Timothy 4:8 (ESV)
On the role of influencer that a woman has…
26 When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.
Proverbs 31:26 (NLT)
4 These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children,
Titus 2:4 (NLT)
Men should receive the influence, not resist it.
12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid.Proverbs 12:1 (NIV)
20 Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.
Proverbs 19:20 (NLT)
20 Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.
Proverbs 13:20 (NIV)
Because of their great influence, men should take care what women they allow to influence them.
33 Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."
1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)
26 The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
Proverbs 12:26 (NIV)
