Poem On The Woman Of
Worth
Who can find a
woman of worth?
Far beyond jewels is
her value.
Her husband trusts
her judgment;
he does not lack
income.
She brings him
profit, not loss,
all the days of her
life.
She seeks out wool
and flax
and weaves with
skillful hands.
Like a merchant
fleet,
she secures her
provisions from afar.
and distributes food
to her household,
a portion to her
maidservants.
She picks out a field
and acquires it;
from her earnings she
plants a vineyard.
She girds herself
with strength;
she exerts her arms
with vigor.
She enjoys the profit
from her dealings;
her lamp is never
extinguished at night.
She puts her hands to
the distaff,
and her fingers ply
the spindle.
She reaches out her
hands to the poor,
and extends her arms
to the needy.
She is not concerned
for her household when it snows—
all her charges are
doubly clothed.
She makes her own
coverlets;
fine linen and purple
are her clothing.
Her husband is
prominent at the city gates
as he sits with the
elders of the land.
She makes garments
and sells them,
and stocks the
merchants with belts.
She is clothed with
strength and dignity,
and laughs at the
days to come.
She opens her mouth
in wisdom;
kindly instruction is
on her tongue.
She watches over the
affairs of her household,
and does not eat the
bread of idleness.
Her children rise up
and call her blessed;
her husband, too,
praises her:
“Many are the women
of proven worth,
but you have excelled
them all.”
Charm is deceptive
and beauty fleeting;
the woman who fears
the LORD is to be praised.
Acclaim her for the
work of her hands,
and let her deeds
praise her at the city gates.
Proverbs 31:10-31
My little sister
in household shared something simple, yet mind-blowing with me today. We were talking about this passage, the
Poem on the Woman of Worth. She
explained to me, as she had learned earlier in class, that the author of
Proverbs personifies wisdom as a woman – “lady wisdom”. The word Sophia actually means
“wisdom”, and it suits then that Sophia is a girl’s name.
My
little sister then continued, saying that the author concluded with the Poem on
the Woman of Worth for a reason.
The author was looking for the perfect example of wisdom; he searched
the towns for the wisdom of the scribes and the elders. Yet, in the end, he recognized wisdom
in the woman, the wife.
My sisters in Christ, let us rid ourselves of self-criticism, insecurity, and self-pity. And let us move into strength, dignity, fear of the Lord, and laughter. This poem on the Woman of Worth is Christ’s praise to us. This doesn’t come without exercising virtue but with Mary as our perfect model and teacher, quickly we will learn. Our value is far beyond jewels…
May Mary’s Heart guide you,
Sierra
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