Breaking News: “Proverbs 31 Woman Missing”

7/28/14

If we woke up in the morning to a breaking news story saying, “Michele Obama is missing”, the world would be in shock and unbelief wondering how could this happen?  Many people would be in prayer for her safe return and those with little or no faith would begin to talk about the type of woman she was, her character, her work with child obesity and the things she did behind the scenes.  And it’s also safe to say that every news channel and every available form of media would run the story day in and day out until she was safely returned. 

I recently was prompted by an article that I was reading to revisit Proverbs 31:10-31.  As I began to read it I realized this woman was like the superwoman of Biblical times and the poster child for present day Biblical truths.  These verses speak of how a woman of GOD is to be in her marriage, as a mother, in her home, in the marketplace and her place in the community.

As I continued reading these verses, I wondered how can a woman, any woman, do all of these things and do them in excellence?   Do them for a lifetime and a lifestyle?  And do them willingly without complaint? There was a consistent lifestyle, pattern and daily walk that this woman was to faithfully live according to the word of GOD. 

I was born in 1950; my grandmother had a principal role in raising me for the first 12 years of my life.  My grandmother was a Proverbs 31 woman.  She lived those verses in excellence without complaint and I always saw her respect, honor and encourage my grandfather, her husband of 35 years (by 1962) prior to her death in 1963.  There’s not one action in those verses that I didn’t see in my grandmother.  She was the spiritual matriarch of the family.

If we reflect back to the 50’s we’ll see most women of that era portrayed in TV shows like Ozzie & Harriett, Father Knows Best, The Donna Reed Show, Leave It To Beaver, etc. had women that could be perceived as close as you could get to a virtuous women.   As I am writing this it came to mind that there were lessons to be learned through these TV series.  But even as early as the 60’s the tide began to change and society began to see these women as being too submissive, too domestic, too quiet, too accepting, etc.  And then came Norma Rae in 1979, Working 9-5 in 1980, Baby Boomer in 1987, Working Girl in 1988 and First Wives Club in 1996 and we saw a whole new breed of women who were strong, independent and not the traditional matriarchs.  Many of these new breed of women felt they didn’t need a man and could gain success on their own.  These women made the women, mothers and wives of the early 50’s TV series look like domesticated, submissive, stepford wives and we soon saw the picture of the virtuous woman slowly disappear.

My grandmother was an inspiration to me, she is the one who planted the seed and introduced me to JESUS at the early age of 2 through Sunday school and her home teaching of CHRIST.  Because of my grandmother I learned as a woman how to dress, how to look, present myself as a child of GOD.

These corny TV shows were a vehicle used to show us women of honor, women of virtue and what a virtuous woman could look like.  Throughout my life there has been certain aspect of my life that has mirrored my grandmother’s teachings and character.  Things that I have kept close to my heart all these years especially when it comes how I look and dress as a child of GOD.  I’ve continued to realize how the relationship my grandmother has molded me into the best of who I am.  I always thought the memories that I took away from our relationship were the memories of us cooking and baking together, canning and making preserves, gardening, watching her sew, knit and crochet.  Listening to her singing hymns as she cooked or cleaned.  Our watching Kathryn Koolman, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Loretta Young and Bishop Fulton Sheen.  The best times of my life were the years I spent with my grandmother just being in her presence and I’ve thought fondly of each memory and have even tried to share similar experiences with my own grandaughters.  But I now realize the treasure that I should have clung to were the memories of the Proverbs 31 woman that I saw throughout her life. She was always consistent, never compromising and always a disciplined follower of CHRIST. 

The world has kidnapped and hasn’t returned the Proverbs 31 woman.  She has been removed through social interaction, dysfunctional family issues, divorce, domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, abandonment issues, social media, television, movies, music and any other way that you can diminish a person’s character.  She has been missing for years and we’ve made little or no effort to get her back because we’ve conformed to the type of woman that the world dictates.  But NO MORE.  Those of us who are children of GOD have the responsibility of being a part of the search and rescue team that brings her back into our lives as well as the lives of other women.  How do we do this?  As single or married women we must continue to develop characteristics that mold us into the Proverbs 31 woman.  Our pursuit of excellence, service to GOD and our vow to become self-sufficient, obedient care-takers of our homes and GOD fearing women has to be renewed. 

We are capable of being all that GOD has intended us to be.  By faith we are strengthened to steward and maintain our households as GOD desires and care for our family and community.  The fear of GOD is where the search ends and the Proverbs 31 woman can be found. 

We all should read Proverbs 31 and be in search of the Proverbs 31 woman in us and then work towards the goal of full manifestation even if it takes one virtue at a time to attain it.  The breaking news story in our homes, marketplaces, churches, neighborhoods should soon read “ Proverbs 31 Woman Found Alive and Well.”  It all starts with you.  GOD BLESS