The Stepford Wives, The Proverbs 31 Woman, and You
So often, we tear people apart for their faults and yet, in doing so, we reveal our own.
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"Did you hear about Sylvia? I can't believe she did that!"
"Yes, she's a jerk! Who would act that way? Talking about her best friend behind her back. She's no friend of mine!"
It's ironic, isn't it? So often, we tear people apart for their faults and yet, in doing so, we reveal our own. The often maligned Proverbs 31 woman had something going for her. The Scriptures say that "in her tongue is the law of kindness."
What does that even look like in today's world? It's easy to imagine her as a simpering woman who was some sort of a cross between Martha Stewart and a Stepford Wife. But that's not what the Bible says. The Bible shows us a woman who was doing her best to keep her family running, staying up late at night making sure things got done, and getting up early to get the day started right for her family.
She had a lot of responsibility. Her husband doesn't appear much in the passage. All we know is that he trusted her, he praised her, and that he hung out with city officials. She's the one who ran the family business, providing food, clothing, and money for her family. Instead of growing bitter, she grew kind. That's a rare woman indeed! Maybe she didn't look so picture-perfect from the outside. Have you ever thought that maybe all of her friends thought she had a hard life?
Kindness is hard because it requires vulnerability. Instead of guarding yourself, you are required to be liberal with your praise and affection. Your hands must go out to welcome instead of balling up in fists to protect yourself.
Death and life are in the tongue. We've all seen what happens when a woman cuts down another person - be it a husband, best friend, or child. It gets ugly. At the same time, we've all hopefully known what it's like to have someone believe in us, to be our cheerleader when everyone else has turned their back on us.
I don't think kindness is an act of a Stepford wife. Being kind is an act of faith. You are responding to the person that Christ is forming. Kindness allows your personality to shut up and let the Holy Spirit do his work.
What would it look like if you took the effort to be kind? "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32) You might not change the whole world, but I can guarantee you'll start changing the world around you.
—Caitlin Muir
Caitlin is a writer from the Pacific Northwest. You can follow her online at www.caitlinmuir.wordpress.com or on Twitter @scribblinghappy.
"Yes, she's a jerk! Who would act that way? Talking about her best friend behind her back. She's no friend of mine!"
It's ironic, isn't it? So often, we tear people apart for their faults and yet, in doing so, we reveal our own. The often maligned Proverbs 31 woman had something going for her. The Scriptures say that "in her tongue is the law of kindness."
What does that even look like in today's world? It's easy to imagine her as a simpering woman who was some sort of a cross between Martha Stewart and a Stepford Wife. But that's not what the Bible says. The Bible shows us a woman who was doing her best to keep her family running, staying up late at night making sure things got done, and getting up early to get the day started right for her family.
She had a lot of responsibility. Her husband doesn't appear much in the passage. All we know is that he trusted her, he praised her, and that he hung out with city officials. She's the one who ran the family business, providing food, clothing, and money for her family. Instead of growing bitter, she grew kind. That's a rare woman indeed! Maybe she didn't look so picture-perfect from the outside. Have you ever thought that maybe all of her friends thought she had a hard life?
Kindness is hard because it requires vulnerability. Instead of guarding yourself, you are required to be liberal with your praise and affection. Your hands must go out to welcome instead of balling up in fists to protect yourself.
Death and life are in the tongue. We've all seen what happens when a woman cuts down another person - be it a husband, best friend, or child. It gets ugly. At the same time, we've all hopefully known what it's like to have someone believe in us, to be our cheerleader when everyone else has turned their back on us.
I don't think kindness is an act of a Stepford wife. Being kind is an act of faith. You are responding to the person that Christ is forming. Kindness allows your personality to shut up and let the Holy Spirit do his work.
What would it look like if you took the effort to be kind? "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32) You might not change the whole world, but I can guarantee you'll start changing the world around you.
—Caitlin Muir
Caitlin is a writer from the Pacific Northwest. You can follow her online at www.caitlinmuir.wordpress.com or on Twitter @scribblinghappy.
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