We come to the last of four articles under the heading, “Biblical Feminism,” focusing on four female persona from the patriarchal culture of the Bible, with a notable characteristic of each. First, Sophia, “Wisdom,” challenging us to be knowledgeable and inquisitive; then came Esther, a courageous woman, who answers the risky question, “Who knows that you have been put where you are for such a time as this!” Last week, it was the immigrant, Ruth, with her example of kindness and devotion to her mother-in-law, and who would become a distant ancestor of Jesus!
Today, we witness an unnamed woman in the book of Proverbs, (31:10-31), called, “a good wife,” in one translation, (RSV); “a capable wife,” in another, (NRSV); but the old 16th Century King James Version says it best, without reference to her marital status, simply “a virtuous woman!” I dare to call her, “Awesome!” despite our common downgrading of that term, using it not only to describe the presence of God in a sunset, but the hamburger the waitress delivers to you in a restaurant! Seems like today almost anything can be called, “awesome,” now a synonym for “pretty good.” But our woman here is truly awesome.
In a beautifully written poem, she is described as capable of doing all sorts of things. Not just a good homemaker, in that day, pretty much the exclusive female role, but industrious and generous. It even describes her in ways that encompass the exemplary characteristics of our first three women, declaring, “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come,” (Courageous). “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.” [vv. 25,26]. Beginning with a poetic picture of the wise Sophia, Proverbs ends poetically praising an awesome multi-talented virtuous and charitable woman of faith.
“Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband, too, and he praises her: ‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.’ Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her a share in the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the city gates!” [vv. 28-31].
Awesome may describe this person, but praise is the theme of the poem. Something all of us can learn from – we, whose focus is so often on criticizing one another. Negative eyeballing – a way of life for many of us who fail to see and acknowledge what is good. Husbands and wives, parents and children, employers and employees, teachers and students, and, of course, Republicans and Democrats! What if our observations were compliments instead of critiques? What if teachers started their grading system with “0” instead of “100,” and added points for things done well, rather than subtracting points for mistakes and errors? Or examine your prayers. Mostly praise or petition? “Thanks, God,” or, “Here’s what I want you to do.”
Proverbs sings a new song. Actually it’s an old one. “Accentuate the positive!” Remember that one? “Eliminate the negative!” Praising, of all things, a woman! Attributing to her, along with a few female expectations, attributes the writer of that day would look for and admire in a man: trustworthiness; a good business sense; supporting the poor and needy, while still providing well for her own family; a person of dignity; strong, wise, kind, and confident; a fearless attitude, even in face of the unknown. Worthy of praise. Awesome!
There was a custom in Hudson Falls, NY, where I served as a pastor, of honoring someone every year with a banquet and, what they called, a “Flowers to the Living Award.” “Tell them now,” was the theme. “Don’t wait until it’s too late.” Declaring them “Awesome,” to their face!
Remember “The Honeymooners?” Old Ralph Cramden, often critical of something his wife, Alice, would do or say, was forever exclaiming, “One of these days, Alice, pow, right in the kisser.” It was seen as humorous back then, particularly because he never acted on it, and we knew the show would always end with his arm around her, praising her, “Alice, you’re the greatest.” Praise undoing the critique; declaring her, “Awesome!”
Do we realize that in praising someone we’re, in effect, praising God? Our funeral service has a prayer which says, “We praise you, O God, for the gift of her life, for the grace you have given her, and for all in her that was good and kind and faithful.” We then go on to name particular qualities of that person’s life, thanking God for those gifts and for that person. In praising them, we praise God!
May the awesome woman of the Book of Proverbs call us to praise God by praising God’s gifts in one another.
Jim Graham is a retired Presbyterian minister.
This weekly column is provided to the News Journal on a monthly rotation basis by members of the Wilmington Area Ministerial Association.
