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DAVID L. JOHNSTON
COPYRIGHTNothing But e Truth, Jacksonville, FL, NothingButeTruth.orge Virtuous Woman © 2022 by David L. Johnston. All rights reserved.All rights reserved. is book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher or copyright holder in any form or by any means elec-tronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other, without prior written permission from the publisher or copyright holder as long as it is kept in its entirety and not sold for a prot.Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by omas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights re-served.Scripture quotations marked () are taken from e Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.Scripture quotations marked () are taken from the Amplied Bible Classic Edition® Copyright © 1987. All rights reserved. Permission to quote ob-tained from www.lockman.org. e “Amplied” trademark is registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Oce by e Lockman Foundation. (Use of this trademark requires the permission of e Lockman Foundation.)Scripture quotations marked () are taken from the King James Version, part of the public domain.Scripture quotations marked () are taken from e Living Bible, Copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. e Living Bible, TLB, and the e Living Bible logo are registered trademarks of Tyndale House Publishers.Scripture quotations marked () are from e New Testament in Modern English by J.B. Phillips copyright © 1960, 1972 J. B. Phillips. Administered by e Archbishops’ Council of the Church of En-gland. Used by permission.Cover design by Bill Johnson Interior by Faithe omas Images from DepositPhotos.come Virtuous Woman ISBN: 978-1-965799-14-7 (hardback) ISBN: 978-1-965799-15-4 (ebook)
A Gacios WanWho can nd a virtuous woman ()? For her worth is far above rubies.e heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain.She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.She seeks wool and ax, and willingly works with her hands.She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar.She also rises while it is yet night, and pro-vides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservants.She considers a eld and buys it; from her prots she plants a vineyard.She girdeth her loins with strength (), and strengthens her arms.She perceives that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by night.She stretches out her hands to the dista, and her hand holds the spindle.She extends her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed with scarlet.She makes tapestry for herself; her clothing is ne linen and purple.Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies sashes for the merchants.Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come.She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many daughters have done well, but you excel them a l l .”Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.Porb 31: 10–31Rtains Ho
Ad G id, “I i o go a an shold loe.”GENESIS— 2:18 —Ad G id, “I i o go a an shold loe.”GENESIS— 2:18 —
It is said that when God brought Eve to Adam and Adam saw her for the rst time, he said, “WOW-MAN!” us the term, “Woman.” Since then, however, it seems that women have been viewed unjustly.Some of these judgments (primarily those from a male perspective) have been preju-diced and harmful. As a result, women have been undervalued, underestimated, under-appreciated, underpaid, under-everything. e paradox is that women have been treat-ed as beasts of burden—even while they served and raised their households! For centuries, men have treated women like chattel. A multitude have been used to satisfy men’s lust only to be discarded like tattered coats—with no thought to their well-being. Men have moved from one woman to another, and then another, and THE VALUE OF WOMEN3yet another, using and abusing as they go.Some cultures have tried to dignify this practice by requiring a man to marry each one, establishing polygamy. One woman is never esteemed sucient to complete one man. He needs more. Today this continues in another form: Men still want intimate relationships with women, but they do not want to commit, so they go from wom-an to woman regularly without marrying. Crushed by this reality, in a culture set on legalizing immorality, coupled with an en-tertainment business that shamelessly por-trays disgusting relationships, women have been forced to ght back. Unfortunately, some have reduced themselves to the same shameless behaviors they have seen. What a tragedy!
4An anonymous writer said, “When the men of a society become immoral, that’s one thing. But when the women of that society become immoral, there is no return.” Still, women have been the moral ber holding culture together since time began. Women have been the favorite subject of the poet’s pen, while artists have mixed paint and pigment, brush and canvas to capture their smile and likeness. Adored as moth-ers, they have no rival in some areas. Stem-ming from their caring nature, women have excelled in many ways. ey began nurs-ing and still dominate that vocation. Some even view women as the new and improved version of a man. As someone humorously remarked, “God created man before wom-an—but there is always a rough dra before the masterpiece.” Women are the heart of every family in the world.Even so, recently men have been trying to pull women down o even this pedestal and into their gutter. Today women are judged by a perverted sense of values (or should I say, lack of values). e lengths men have gone to get women to bow to their mon-strous egos and undisciplined libidos is dis-gusting. eir deceit and manipulation has been dreadful, and women have paid dearly.
“MEN,Tkecreno makewe e, fo G coneir ers.”THOMAS S. MONSON“MEN,Tkecreno makewe e, fo G coneir ers.”
HARRIETBEECHER STOWE“WOMENare erelarchiteco ie.”“WOMENare erelarchiteco ie.”
However, chivalry is not altogether dead. ere have always been some real men. ey are not just from the “days of old when men were bold.” ere are still men that maintain high standards of character and conduct. Real men are valiant, courageous, strong, and humble, so they are courteous, loyal, generous, and unselsh—especially towards women. ey are not for sale and cannot be bought by money or a cheap sensual thrill. ey are sound from center to circumference, and need to be leading the way in treating wom-en properly today. So what is the ideal woman? How do we nd the balance in the midst of the polar-ized viewpoints of our time? e world does not oer anything denitive for us to follow.7at’s the question before us. Is there a de-nition? If so, where can it be found? For starters, a virtuous woman is free from vice, immorality, and wickedness, but there is much more. As I’ve searched, I failed to nd any denitions comparable to those found in the book of Proverbs. A proverb is a wise maxim, oen of ancient origin, that teaches us truths on a deep level. ere are twenty-eight characteristics outlined in Proverbs 31 that describe a virtuous wom-an. I’m sure you will agree that this kind of woman is the ultimate in true feminism! Let’s look at Proverbs 31!
PROVERBSMa TuisAticutedand Wiein Smple TrmsPROVERBSMa TuisAticutedand Wiein Smple Trms
Proverbs are: “Written down so we’ll know how to live well and right, to un-derstand what life means and where it’s go-ing; a manual for living, for learning what’s right and just and fair; to teach the inexperi-enced the ropes and give our young people a grasp on reality. “ere’s something here also for seasoned men and women, still a thing or two for the experienced to learn; fresh wisdom to probe and penetrate, the rhymes and reasons of wise men and women. “Start with God—the rst step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.” (Proverbs 1:2-7 )Every proverb has a specic topic aimed to benet the well-being of a specic group of people. e book of Proverbs should be a learning curriculum for every family. Aer all, the home is the real classroom of life! Women’s issues are scattered throughout the Bible and Proverbs, and all of them should be studied diligently. Proverbs 31 primar-ily addresses womanhood, and contains “smarts” that are concentrated, conveyed to women specically. Teachable women will follow its admonition in order to adhere to God’s plan for them in life.THE PURPOSE OF PROVERBSPorb 319Porb 31
e Vrtuos Wan IscarceWHO CAN FIND A VIRTUOUS WOMAN?e Vrtuos Wan Iscarce
WHO CAN FIND A VIRTUOUS WOMAN?Scarce simply means “limited in small quantity in proportion to the demand; not easily to be procured; rare; uncommon”1While there are about four billion women in the world, there is a scarcity of virtuous ones. Even a simple review of commodity theory shows that the scarcer something is, the greater its value. is theory purports that scarcity enhances the value (or desir-ability) of anything that can be possessed or is useful. To put it another way, any com-modity will be valued to the extent that it is unavailable.Now while we know that women can nev-er and must never be referred to as a com-modity, it’s also a fact that virtuous women are scarce. Virtuous women are not for sale, cannot be bought, manipulated, maneu-vered, coerced, used, or abused. In any sit-uation in which she can make a choice, the 11virtuous woman refuses to be the pawn of men, the victim of cultural propaganda, or the slave of immoral coercion. ey were born free and God, their Creator, intends them to stay free. eir femininity is not a disadvantage nor does it indicate inferiori-ty to men. A woman is simply, a “wombed m an .”When there is a scarcity of water, every drop counts. In a culture that has become in-creasing evil, every virtuous woman counts inestimably! Virtuous women not only save lives; they can save a culture. But they are scarce!“e Scarcity of Flowers in the society made guys settle for weeds and grasses.... Trust me, I’ll rather import a Rose than be con-tented with thorns.”2 — Goals Rider
...FOR HER WORTH IS FAR ABOVE RUBIES.e Vrtuos Wan Ivaluablee Vrtuos Wan Ivaluable
...FOR HER WORTH IS FAR ABOVE RUBIES.Not so long ago somebody brought me a ruby ring and asked me what it was worth. I said I didn’t know but that I would take it to a gemologist who was a friend of mine. e stone was about ve carats, and he told me that it was worth a lot if it were real.A genuine ruby of that size would have been worth about six times the price of a diamond of comparable size. Proverbs 31 says: A wom-an’s value is not that of one ruby—but many! As George Chapman declared, “Let no man undervalue the price of a virtuous woman’s counsel.”3 ey are the ones who are valu-able to husbands, children, and society. William Ross Wallace penned it best in his poem entitled, “e Hand at Rocks the Cradle Is the Hand at Rules the World.”4 In this beautiful poem from the late 1800s, Wallace extolled the importance of a moth-13er’s role and the eect she had on every child. I am convinced that the women of the future will determine the future of America and the world. And it is the Bible, the Holy Scriptures, the inerrant Word of God, that places women in the highest place and sta-tus that can be found anywhere. It was Mary that did more for womanhood than all oth-ers. It was in Mary that God placed Himself. What esteem! What regard! What reverence for women!Virtuous women are Bible-thinking wom-en. ey know how to win at life. ey know how to respond to all of life’s situations, and teach others to do the same. at is called wisdom—no small factor in Proverbs. Wisdom and folly are represented by two very dierent women in the Bible. Lady Wisdom (in contrast to Madam Folly) is so valuable she can only be compared to rubies.
e Vrtuos Wan ItrustworthyTHE HEART OF HER HUSBAND SAFELY TRUSTS HER, SO HE WILL HAVE NO LACK OF GAIN.e Vrtuos Wan Itrustworthy
THE HEART OF HER HUSBAND SAFELY TRUSTS HER, SO HE WILL HAVE NO LACK OF GAIN.This is not a misplaced trust. Her hus-band can really trust her. When you just meet someone, you may think they are really wonderful but you may be wrong. You aren’t acquainted with the choices they make. Not so with the husband of a virtuous woman.Her husband truly knows his wife. rough their close relationship as they live day aer day and year aer year, he can trust her. In fact, “he can safely trust her,” not just trust her, but condently do so. He doesn’t need anything else. e Amplied says it this way: “e heart of her husband trusts in her condently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil.”If a man has a virtuous woman, he pos-sesses a treasure worth far more than many rubies: She is trustworthy. Imagine having no fear of disloyalty or desertion. Instead, she is tried and true, reliable and honest; she is a refuge for her husband.Adjectives fail but here are a few: She is authentic, sincere, consistent, considerate, available, reliable, dependable, principled, upright, steadfast, tested, tried, and prov-en. Best of all, she is an honest and eective communicator.e word reputation refers to the way oth-er people regard us. e word character re-fers to what we really are deep inside. Bil-ly Graham wisely said this: “When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost;when character is lost, all is lost.”5If we were to create a “valuable” character-istics list, trustworthiness would top the list.15
SHE DOES HIM GOOD AND NOT EVIL ALL THE DAYS OF HER LIFE!e Vrtuos Wan Ifaithfule Vrtuos Wan Ifaithful
SHE DOES HIM GOOD AND NOT EVIL ALL THE DAYS OF HER LIFE!as they make their vows to God about one another. ose vows are usually something like this: “I will love you and cherish you un-til death do us part. I forsake all others and will keep myself only unto you, as long as we both shall live.” Vows don’t change with circumstances. “For better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sick-ness or in health” is the vow we made. Psalm 15:4 applauds the one “who keeps his word even when it hurts, and does not change their mind” (paraphrased). In other words, we are to keep our word even if it costs us.Marriage is a sacred covenant. It’s not like one of those contracts in which the large print commits to something that the small print takes away. ere is no small print. To the valiant man or the virtuous woman, the “D word” is not in their vocabulary. Divorce is not an option.Disloyalty, indelity, adultery, cheating, deceit, and desertion have become pretty commonplace. Who can tally the pain of betrayal? Who can you trust? A virtuous woman. She is faith-ful, loyal, devoted, true-blue, and steadfast in all her aections.Faithfulness is not a part-time quality. It is said that a broken clock is right twice a day, but I don’t know anyone willing to actually wear a broken watch. We want to be able to glance at our watch and get the real time.Love never fails—never! “Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope.… It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fall-en” (1 Corinthians 13:7–8a ).In marriage, a man and a woman stand be-fore God and others that gather to witness 17
e Vrtuos Wan IindustriousSHE SEEKS WOOL AND FLAX, AND WILLINGLY WORKS WITH HER HANDS.e Vrtuos Wan Iindustrious
19SHE SEEKS WOOL AND FLAX, AND WILLINGLY WORKS WITH HER HANDS.She is a go-getter! When it says she seeks wool and ax, it means she is looking for work. She doesn’t work because she must. She does it willingly, intentionally. She seeks it because she is stable, careful, and diligent.is doesn’t just describe her mind. She isn’t just entrepreneurial in a business sense; she is also willing to work with her hands. Later in the chapter, it says, “She stretches out her hands to the dista, and her hand holds the spindle” (Proverbs 31:19).A dista is a stick that holds unspun bers so they can be spun onto a spindle. e whole process of weaving cloth took time, skill, and preparation. Before any garment could be sewn, this job had to be complet-ed. A virtuous woman has no problem with tasks like this. She rolls up her sleeves and gets things done. is is the opposite of slothfulness (named aer that famously slow animal that spends most of its life just hanging upside-down). A person called a sloth is lazy and reluctant to work. In contrast, the virtuous woman’s heart follows these biblical admonitions: “What-ever your hand nds to do, do it with your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10) and “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:23).She always rises above—not simply to please others, but to please God. She takes the ini-tiative and follows through. She knows the dangers of mediocrity and settling for wish-ful thinking without action, but consciously chooses to accomplish her calling instead. Her feet are on the ground. She is in motion. Better get out of her way or you might get run over.
e Vrtuos Wan IresourcefulSHE IS LIKE THE MERCHANT SHIPS;SHE BRINGS HER FOOD FROM AFAR.e Vrtuos Wan Iresourceful
21SHE IS LIKE THE MERCHANT SHIPS;SHE BRINGS HER FOOD FROM AFAR.Resourcefulness has many applications. Many of us like the idea of shopping around, and maybe even think: Hey, I must be a virtuous woman. I shop. She is not just a shopper. She is a thriy shopper. She is watchful over the economy of her house-hold and careful not to spend unnecessarily.She examines merchandise to make sure it is good before she purchases it, and looks for the best buy. As a meticulous person, she looks for bargains, demonstrating frugality and resourcefulness. She stretches her mon-ey and researches ingredients for quality as-surance. e “organic” or “natural” designa-tion on a package is not enough. She checks it out.A virtuous woman is nutritionally consci-entious about what she feeds herself and others. She is educated about organic and natural foods.She also makes good use of what others may not value. I had a friend in Houston, Texas, who as a boy picked up junk that others threw away because they could not see its value. He xed what was broken; cleaned what was dirty; painted what was rusty. He salvaged stu, transformed it into something of value, and sold it. Today he is a multi-millionaire plus some. How? Resourcefulness!e resourceful woman is full of practical ingenuity too. She sees possibilities, knows how to overcome lack, and turns decien-cies into eciencies and suciencies! She wastes not!
e Vrtuos Wan IthoughtfulSHE ALSO RISES WHILE IT IS YET NIGHT, AND PROVIDES FOOD FOR HER HOUSEHOLD, AND A PORTION TO HER MAIDSERVANTS.e Vrtuos Wan Ithoughtful
23SHE ALSO RISES WHILE IT IS YET NIGHT, AND PROVIDES FOOD FOR HER HOUSEHOLD, AND A PORTION TO HER MAIDSERVANTS.The Bible warns about too much sleep: “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep—so shall your poverty come” (Proverbs 6:10–11a).e virtuous woman is awake before any-body else—even when it is still dark out, be-cause she is so industrious. She is a woman with a mission. She is a woman with vision and goals. She is going somewhere and gets right on it at the earliest part of her day.Her motivation to do this is her desire to care for others. e reason she is up be-fore everyone else is to get meals ready for her household, for those for whom she is responsible. Interestingly, the Scrip-ture seems to indicate that when the word food is used it’s oen referring to spiritual food—food for the soul, not just physical food. She wants to provide her husband, her children, and all those around her with moral and encouraging spiritual food. She has gone to great lengths to plant healthy and holy thoughts in the hearts of her chil-dren. She maintains an honest and kind re-lationship with her husband. She is going to have something encouraging to say to everyone. She is always preparing spiritual food for those around her.Oh, the power of a sound mind fed with noble and inspiring God-based thoughts! A virtuous woman follows Philippians 4:8. Here’s a paraphrase:Whatever is TrueWhatever is HonestWhatever is JustWhatever is PureWhatever is LovelyWhatever is of Good ReportWhatever is VirtuousWhatever is Praiseworthyink on these things.
e Vrtuos Wan Isavvy in businessSHE CONSIDERS A FIELD AND BUYS IT…e Vrtuos Wan Isavvy in business
25SHE CONSIDERS A FIELD AND BUYS IT…An entrepreneur is “one who creates a product on his own account; whoever undertakes on his own account an indus-trial enterprise in which workmen are em-p l o y e d .”6 ey own and run a business. e virtuous woman does not sit around wast-ing time.Getting into business is relatively easy. Stay-ing in business is a dierent story. It requires business savvy. Savvy means “comprehen-sion; knowledge of aairs; mental grasp.”7 However, her expertise is in business and economics. She has learned the basics of • Envisioning• Planning• Funding • Stang• Directing• MaintainingShe looks at a piece of real estate and with her own hand, increases its worth and sells it for a prot. The Bible clearly attests that a godly woman can buy, sell, and prosper in her business dealings.However, a virtuous woman does not do business at the expense of her home and family. She is a multi-tasker. In fact, this Proverbs 31 gal may have sev-eral businesses going on at one time, in-cluding manufacturing. She understands both macro- and micro- economics which translates into wise domestic and business management skills.She really understands: “If your outgo ex-ceeds your income, your upkeep becomes your downfall.” e virtuous woman lives within her means but also knows how to enlarge her means if needed.
e Vrtuos Wan I horticulturalist…FROM HER PROFITS SHE PLANTS A VINEYARD!e Vrtuos Wan I horticulturalist
27…FROM HER PROFITS SHE PLANTS A VINEYARD!Horticulture is the art of cultivating plants and managing gardens. is includes growing owers, fruits, vegetables, and herbs.e virtuous woman is not a fast food bu. She is smart and properly suspicious of pro-cessed foods or previously cooked foods that have changed in nutritional composi-tion in the process. She knows that sugar is the most delicious poison so she knows the dangers of sugary drinks, candies, and savory snacks.Organic is more than a byword, more than a USDA label. (And she is a label reader—all the time, every time.) She’s on the alert for foods grown with synthetic chemicals, pes-ticides, and genetically modied organisms. Nutrition is fundamental. She knows God is smart and put everything we need, even our medicine, in our food. (See Ezekiel 47:12.)With a shortage of pesticide-free and ad-ditive-free foods, the virtuous woman de-velops an aptitude for growing her own plants. She’s got a green thumb, so named as a description of ngers that oen handled earthenware pots which had algae growing on their underside. Her food is fresher; she controls what goes into and on top of her dishes. Her choices are more cost-eective, and she cares for her garden so she is able to select appropriately to her family’s needs. She benets the whole family and enjoys sharing the work of her hands with many others in her broader sphere of inuence. Horticulture could be spelled H-E-A-L-T-H.
e Vrtuos Wan Iattractiveto her husbandSHE GIRDETH HER LOINS WITH STRENGTH! k j ve Vrtuos Wan Iattractiveto her husband
29SHE GIRDETH HER LOINS WITH STRENGTH! k j vWe live in a culture that seems to be all about sex and sexuality. You don’t have to watch more than a few television commercials before you begin to under-stand the phrase “sex sells.” Yet amidst a highly sexualize culture, the virtuous wom-an can be both attractive and desirable to her husband, be beautiful and live beautiful-ly in the world without compromising her values, her grace, and her style. God created sex for our pleasure. To maxi-mize that pleasure, He has given us guide-lines for how to have a lifetime of intimacy and joy. e virtuous woman knows that she is attractive both inside and out, yet does not feel the need to compare herself to others or to aunt her beauty in a way that draws attention to her frame. When Proverbs says, “she girdeth her loins,” it is referring to the procreative parts of the body that produces ospring, which is also the part we cover by clothing. What high-lights a woman’s virtue when it comes to her desire for intimacy and connection is that it is grounded in love and guided by wisdom. It is not displayed or shared freely with out-siders, but it is guarded and practiced with-in the sacred halls of marriage. e virtuous woman knows the right moral disposition: “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undeled” (Hebrews 13:4a). Marriage is to be esteemed as precious, especially dear, and honored.e virtuous woman is indeed beautiful in-side and out and focuses her desire toward her husband.(More information on this topic can be found here: NothingButeTruth.org/VirtuousWoman)
e Vrtuos Wan Iphysically strong…AND STRENGTHENS HER ARMS…e Vrtuos Wan Iphysically strong
…AND STRENGTHENS HER ARMS…She takes the time to keep herself in good physical condition. Her physical strength and nutrition are very important to her. Why? She wants to be at her best!“For bodily exercise prots a little, but god-liness is protable for all things” (1 Timo-thy 4:8). The Message renders it thus: “Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you t both today and forever.” This woman main-tains a healthy balance in her life. She is both spiritually and physically strong.Some exercise for vain reasons. They want to look good so they are admired. For these motivations, physical beauty can cause more damage than good. However, exercising for good health has many positive benets: It increases our metabolism, controls weight, combats dis-eases, boosts energy, improves one’s mood, develops strength and endurance, keeps us limber, increases coordination and balance, improves digestion, decreases stress, helps us sleep, controls blood pressure, lowers cholesterol, improves self-esteem, provides opportunities to listen to something, and can be a platform for meeting new people. The virtuous woman is a strong woman.31
e Vrtuos Wan Iconscient io u sSHE PERCEIVES THAT HER MERCHANDISE IS GOOD: AND HER LAMP DOES NOT GO OUT BY NIGHT. SHE STRETCHES OUT HER HANDS TO THE DISTAFF, AND HER HAND HOLDS THE SPINDLE.e Vrtuos Wan Iconscient io u s
33SHE PERCEIVES THAT HER MERCHANDISE IS GOOD: AND HER LAMP DOES NOT GO OUT BY NIGHT. SHE STRETCHES OUT HER HANDS TO THE DISTAFF, AND HER HAND HOLDS THE SPINDLE.To be conscientious has two meanings: to be “inuenced by conscience; gov-erned by a strict regard to the dictates of conscience, or by the known or supposed rules of right and wrong” and “character-ized by a regard to conscience”8 in doing one’s work well and thoroughly. It has been said that “the devil is in the de-tails.” However, this woman nds multiple blessings in the details. She deals with each piece, giving attention to the minute partic-ulars of each. She is exacting, discriminating, and precise, minding all her Ps and Qs.She is not careless, indierent, unscrupu-lous, or irresponsible. She does whatever it takes in terms of time and energy to accom-plish a task. ere is no passive resistance, escape mechanisms, side-stepping, shirk-ing, or laziness here.e virtuous woman confronts problems, but does so in a careful manner, so as not to be oensive or obnoxious. She does not use what psychologists describe as maladaptive coping in which a person changes their be-havior to avoid thinking about, feeling, or doing dicult things. She tackles things head on.is remarkable virtue can precipitate a lot of criticism, but it is always from those who aren’t conscientious themselves. How should a husband respond to his conscien-tious wife? How about with gratitude? Ap-preciation? Honor? Respect? Maybe all of the above?is wife is her husband’s helper, lling in for that which he lacks. By now, you are probably wishing there was a book like this for men! ere probably is.
e Vrtuos Wan Isensitive,generous,caringSHE EXTENDS HER HAND TO THE POOR; YES, SHE REACHES OUT HER HANDS TO THE NEEDY.e Vrtuos Wan Isensitive,generous,caring
35e Vrtuos Wan Isensitive,generous,caringSHE EXTENDS HER HAND TO THE POOR; YES, SHE REACHES OUT HER HANDS TO THE NEEDY.Who cares? She does! She really cares. No faking here! She’s the real deal.To care means to give “attention or heed; caution; regard; heedfulness; watchfulness” for another.9 Her caring is not motivated by personal benet or prot.“Some have compassion, making a dier-ence” (Jude 1:22 ). Compassion is her true motivation. She will do what it takes to heal the hurts of another. at means that she is sensitive and has a delicate and pro-found appreciation for the feelings and con-dition of others. She is gentle, not harsh.“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as broth-ers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not re-turning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For ‘He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit’” (1 Peter 3:8–10).e virtuous woman knows the dierence between the truly poor and the slothful per-son, and dierentiates care from enabling. Note that this woman “extends” and “reach-es out”! Her scope for care includes those beyond her own family. She recognizes that all she has really be-longs to God, so it should be used for His purposes. erefore she is not grasping, but open-handed and generous.e Vrtuos Wan Isensitive,generous,caring
e Vrtuos Wan IpreparedSHE IS NOT AFRAID OF THE SNOW FOR HER HOUSEHOLD: FOR ALL HER HOUSEHOLD ARE CLOTHED WITH SCARLET.e Vrtuos Wan Iprepared
37e Vrtuos Wan IpreparedSHE IS NOT AFRAID OF THE SNOW FOR HER HOUSEHOLD: FOR ALL HER HOUSEHOLD ARE CLOTHED WITH SCARLET.“Be prepared” is the Boy Scout’s motto. It means that we should always be ready to do what is necessary to help others. Nobody, absolutely nobody, lls those shoes better than the virtuous woman. “Prepared” means “to t, adapt, or qualify for a particular purpose or condition; to make ready; to put into a state for use or application”10 and can be applied mental-ly, spiritually, and physically. e virtuous woman understands the future actions that may be required and she is up to the task. No surprise there!God helps her. “e preparations of the heart belong to man (or woman), but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. Commit your works to the Lord, and your thoughts will be established” (Proverbs 16:1, 3).She thinks about what she is doing and plans accordingly; and she does so condently be-cause God is her Helper. She has insight into what may be coming. is is helpful overall because it is usually easier to prevent something bad from hap-pening than to deal with the fallout aer-ward.We learn from the Proverbs 31 woman that we need not fear. How does the virtuous woman escape fear? rough preparation. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).“ere is no fear in love” (1 John 4:18). is woman is fearless because she lives love and is prepared to do whatever necessary to help others.e Vrtuos Wan Iprepared
e Vrtuos Wan ImodestSHE MAKES TAPESTRY FOR HERSELF…e Vrtuos Wan Imodest
39e Vrtuos Wan ImodestSHE MAKES TAPESTRY FOR HERSELF…What a woman is within herself always manifests on the outside. Women who dress like prostitutes are indicating their moral condition. If it isn’t for sale, it shouldn’t be advertised. We dress the way we think. We feel the way we dress and we act the way we feel. ink about that for a moment. If you get out of bed in the morning and leave your pajamas on until noon, you are not likely to get a lot of work done. You will act the way you feel: laid-back, casual, even lazy. But if your feet hit the oor, and you scrub your face, get cleaned up, and prepare for the day, you will dress accordingly. at choice will aect how you feel. Clothing is important. e virtuous woman is a modest dresser. Her body is not for sale. It’s not a gratti board, a playground, or an amuse-ment park.We already reviewed the devastation that comes from public undressing when we learned about Madam Folly in Proverbs 7. Dressing to seduce is not part of the virtu-ous woman’s life. She’s not interested in do-ing that.It’s a fact that men are more visually aroused than women. It doesn’t take much for them to give in to their own immoral imagina-tions. She who provokes to lust is surely guilty of the crime of which she is the guilty cause. e virtuous woman covers up, and doesn’t sell herself cheap. Men will have no occasion or cause for temptation by her ap-pearance. If they have a problem, it will be their own.e Vrtuos Wan Imodest
e Vrtuos Wan Iwell-dressedHER CLOTHING IS FINE LINEN AND PURPLE.
41HER CLOTHING IS FINE LINEN AND PURPLE.She’s not just modest, she’s elegant. Fine linen is costly and lasts a long time, and purple is a regal color. ere are four purposes for clothing.First of all, clothing protects us. Shoes protect our feet, while clothes protect our bodies from the elements or whatever may cause injury. Clothing is also a symbol.e policeman’s uniform represents his au-thority. In the hospital, medical health pro-fessionals wear particular clothes that de-note their many and varied jobs. Our clothing also dierentiates gender. e Bible says it is an abomination for a man to wear a woman’s clothing and vice versa. e virtuous woman enjoys being feminine. She dresses in a way that not only conveys her femininity, but symbolizes what she thinks of herself.Another purpose is modesty. We cover the parts of ourselves that are private and more delicate. Because the virtuous woman is condent in her identity as a woman, she does not need to attract others by exposing herself.e pressure on women today to dress im-modestly to be accepted by society is cer-tainly an unrighteous thing. e virtuous woman doesn’t showcase her body. Her value is far above rubies and she knows it. She is self-contained, self-established, and self-fullled because she has virtue. She has class and fashion, and never looks cheap or shabby.
e Vrtuos Wan Iwell-marriedHER HUSBAND IS KNOWN IN THE GATES, WHEN HE SITS AMONG THE ELDERS OF THE LAND.
43HER HUSBAND IS KNOWN IN THE GATES, WHEN HE SITS AMONG THE ELDERS OF THE LAND.The virtuous woman is smart enough to:• Never marry a stranger• Never marry for appearances• Never marry a deceiver• Never marry an atheist• Never marry what she hopes he’ll be• Never trust without verifying She will never say, “is marriage was a mis-take.” She believes this: “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed—better not to vow than to vow and not pay”(Ecclesiastes 5:4-5).Marriage is a lifetime partnership, a cove-nant; she made a vow before God to her husband and in front of witnesses.In ancient times, all cities were walled. e only access to the city was through its gates. Government ocials had oces at the gates so they could control who came in (immigra-tion), what came in (imports), and what le (exports). e gates were political and gov-ernmental centers and elders were in charge.A virtuous woman looks for a man who will have virtuous inuence on others. (We could use a big fat dose of this in our coun-try right about now.)Washington, D.C., is the gate of America. Each state has a capital, a governor, and sta who control the gates. Likewise, our coun-ties, cities, towns, and villages have a similar structure. Each home has “gates” (parental controls) that decide who and what is or is not allowed in: physically or electronically.e virtuous woman wants a valiant man who will stand guard for what is right.
e Vrtuos Wan IentrepreneurialSHE MAKES LINEN GARMENTS, AND SELLS THEM; AND SUPPLIES SASHES TO THE MERCHANT.e Vrtuos Wan Ientrepreneurial
45SHE MAKES LINEN GARMENTS, AND SELLS THEM; AND SUPPLIES SASHES TO THE MERCHANT.We’ve already learned that the Proverbs 31 woman not only delved into real estate, but also had oversight of the manufac-turing, sales, and delivery processes. Virtuous women are well-suited to this be-cause as mothers they have learned to mul-titask. Let’s face it. ey nurse, cook, teach, play, housekeep, babysit, clean, chaueur, wash laundry, and keep accounts, not to mention look aer their husbands, and much, much more.Entrepreneurship is the creation of value. An entrepreneur is an innovator, and runs her business with knowledge, professional-ism, good communication and social skills, and of course, the ability to learn. Zig Ziglar puts it this way: “If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are deter-mined to learn, no one can stop you.”11When working, we learn that the number one requirement in any enterprise is the ability to get along with others. It takes a team. is woman is unwilling to let fear destroy her creativity. Like each of us, she is born with a God-given Embedded Natural Abil-ity (ENA) which God deposited in her be-fore she was born. Upon discovery of her ENA, she applies it to business. Many have never discovered their ENA so they stumble through life without realizing the embedded wealth they have. e giver chooses the gi; and in your case (as in mine), the giing came from the smartest, most loving Person in the uni-verse, God Himself. (Details on your ENA can be found in the author’s book titled Why You Were Born.)
e Vrtuos Wan Icharacter-basedSTRENGTH AND HONOR ARE HER CLOTHING…e Vrtuos Wan Icharacter-based
47STRENGTH AND HONOR ARE HER CLOTHING…Character describes the moral and men-tal qualities that are strongly developed or strikingly displayed in a person and have become the essence of that person’s estab-lished modus operandi. Each of us has a basic structural motivation, a foundational disposition that determines our thinking and responses to each and ev-ery life situation.For example, if a person has anger issues, their thinking will always be contaminated by their anger. Decisions will be distorted because their anger will manipulate, and even bypass, their logic. is is true of envy, jealousy, malice, and so on.In contrast, the virtuous woman has devel-oped a core of character qualities which em-power her moral compass. Consequently, her every response is controlled and proper, free of selsh mo-tivations, providing the highest possible outcome for all in every situation, whether friendly or hostile. Character is:• Birthed in the heart • Learned from the instruction of wisdom and the example of Jesus• Stored in the mind • Maintained by discipline• e prime controller of all behaviors• e responder rather than the reac-tor to all life situations• Proven to be superlative in real lifeCharacter determines outcomes in the pres-ent and in the future.“Strength and dignity are her clothing and her position is strong and secure; she re-joices over the future” (Verse 25 ).
e Vrtuos Wan Iforward-thinkingSHE SHALL REJOICE IN TIME TO COME…e Vrtuos Wan Iforward-thinking
49SHE SHALL REJOICE IN TIME TO COME…Lazy is not on this woman’s agenda. She’s proactive, forward-thinking, and a planner. She creates or controls situations by taking the initiative over events, antici-pating problems rather than simply reacting to them aer they have occurred. e virtuous woman is an innovator. She makes things happen.Unfortunately, this makes some people feel insecure, even usurped. Sorry, Mister or Missus Insecurity, you should feel blessed and honored to know her. e virtuous woman is the true feminist. She will not intrude forcibly or illegally or with-out just cause. She assumes no unjust rule or authority over others. She does not ap-propriate wrongfully. It’s her creativity that inspires her forward, even to novel achieve-ments. She always stays within her lines of designated authority. She is usually a quick thinker as well as a vigorous performer.Her attitude for the future is positive and optimistic. She believes the promises of God and believes what William Carey, the famous missionary to India, said: “e fu-ture is as bright as the promises of God.”12Because of her faith in the promises of God, she • is a willing and able worker who • doesn’t waste time, • accepts no excuses, and • is not easily distracted.e future of this forward-thinking, well-planned woman is full of joy!
e Vrtuos Wan IwiseSHE OPENS HER MOUTH WITH WISDOM…e Vrtuos Wan Iwise
51SHE OPENS HER MOUTH WITH WISDOM…Wisdom is the ability to see and re-spond to all life’s situations from God’s accurate point of view. e Bible per-sonies wisdom as a woman, not a man. Note this example from Proverbs 4: “Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring you honor, when you embrace her” (Proverbs 4:5–8, emphasis mine).Many a theologian has vainly attempted to explain God’s choice, but if you ask any woman, she could probably give you ten good reasons in short order.ere is no doubt that a virtuous woman is intelligent and wise. She’s just plain smart. Perhaps motherhood demands it, and God embedded these capabilities in women for that daunting task. Wisdom is essential for it.Perhaps it’s because virtuous women listen to God more readily than men. When Jesus was hauled up before Pilate, his wife sent a message to Pilate, saying, “Don’t get mixed up in judging this noble man” (Matthew 27:19 ). Unfortunately, Pilate listened to the mob in-stead of his wife. Men should learn to listen to their wives; their wives are given them as helpers (Genesis 2:18). Men sometimes logically arrive at the wrong conclusions, while women who may not be able to explain something in logical terms, oen come to right conclusions. A man who does not listen to his wife is in grave danger, though he may not know it.
e Vrtuos Wan Ikinde Vrtuos Wan Ikind…AND ON HER TONGUE IS THE LAW OF KINDNESS!
e Vrtuos Wan Ikind53e Vrtuos Wan Ikind…AND ON HER TONGUE IS THE LAW OF KINDNESS!To be kind means to “show tenderness or goodness; disposed to do good and confer happiness; sympathetic.”13 is is shown through her friendly, warm-hearted manner towards others with the intent of being helpful and doing them good.e true feminist is not just kind periodical-ly. For her, kindness is law, a rule of action, a disposition she shows toward everyone in any circumstance, regardless of the way oth-ers treat her. She returns kindness for un-kindness, failing to allow others to reduce her to their level. She returns good for evil, even blessings for curses. She chooses to pray for those who are out of order. is is one of her many godlike character qualities. Here’s what the Lord Himself taught us:“But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the un-thankful and evil. erefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:35–36).She is kind because she loves greatly, and we are taught in that famous love chapter that “love suers long, and is kind” (1 Corinthi-ans 13:4).According to Proverbs 19:22 (), “Kind-ness makes a man attractive,” and this wom-an is exactly that. Note that her kindness comes from her tongue, her lips, her words, her speech. e prophet Isaiah wrote: “e Lord God has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in sea-son to him who is weary” (Isaiah 50:4a). e virtuous woman reects this verse.
e Vrtuos Wan Ifamily-centeredSHE WATCHES OVER THE WAYS OF HER HOUSEHOLD…e Vrtuos Wan Ifamily-centered
55SHE WATCHES OVER THE WAYS OF HER HOUSEHOLD…God did not design baby factories in which you could dump a little protein into a machine, add hydrogen, oxygen, car-bon, nitrogen, and water, crank for two days and pow, out comes a baby. He designed a father plus a mother plus a loving sexual relationship plus 270 days of waiting and months of feeding, dia-per-changing, nourishing, and love. When that part is completed, it’s followed by many more loving years of feeding, clothing, training, instructing, discipline, praying, and educating.No man can do this without a woman, and that woman better be a virtuous one or all is lost for the future. e chain we see of single parenting must be broken by valiant men and virtuous women. e home is the classroom where life is learned. Either virtues or vice is handed on. To “train up a child in the way he should go” (Proverbs 22:6) requires that you go that way yourself. e virtuous woman is the model for her children and friends. Without virtue, here’s what happens: “Indeed everyone who quotes proverbs will use this proverb against you: ‘Like mother, like daughter!’ You are your mother’s daughter, loathing husband and children” (Ezekiel 16:44–45a).A boy learns how to treat women by watch-ing how his father treats his mother. Girls learn how to properly respond to their hus-bands by watching how their mother re-sponds to their father. All family time must be virtue time! e stakes have never been higher!
e Vrtuos Wan ImotivatedSHE … DOES NOT EAT THE BREAD OF IDLENESS!e Vrtuos Wan Imotivated
57e Vrtuos Wan ImotivatedSHE … DOES NOT EAT THE BREAD OF IDLENESS!It’s true that direction is more important than speed. But that’s no excuse to go slow! Nevertheless, direction must be the top priority. Imagine if a person is motivat-ed to go in the wrong direction. e conse-quences could be eternal. O-track can be deadly. Facing the constant barrage of temp-tations rampant today requires a strong mo-tivation to do the right thing. e virtuous woman has the right stu.at’s why Priority One for her is “to know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; to receive the in-struction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity” (Proverbs 1:2–3). at’s how she knows the right way, which enables her to zoom, zoom, zoom! Just as in e Warrior’s Creed she can say:“I am not ashamed! I’ve stepped over the line. My decision for virtue has been made. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. “My past is redeemed; my present makes sense; my future is secure. I don’t have to be praised, recognized, regarded, or rewarded. My face is set; my gait is fast; my mission is clear; my goal is heaven; my road is narrow; my way is rough; my companions are few but my God is reliable. “With God’s help I will not inch in the face of sacrice; hesitate in the presence of the Adversary; negotiate at the table of the En-emy; or ponder at the pool of popularity. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, work until He stops me, and teach until all men know Him and His ways! “I am on re!”14e Vrtuos Wan Imotivated
e Vrtuos Wan Ipraise worthyHER CHILDREN RISE UP AND CALL HER BLESSED; HER HUSBAND ALSO, AND HE PRAISES HER.e Vrtuos Wan Ipraise worthy
e Vrtuos Wan Ipraise worthy59HER CHILDREN RISE UP AND CALL HER BLESSED; HER HUSBAND ALSO, AND HE PRAISES HER.Being praised is never the goal of the vir-tuous woman. In fact, she would rather defer praise to those who have contributed to her character, virtue, and well-being.Even so, she will be praised by those who know her well, have spent quality time with her, and beneted by her relationship in ten thousand ways. at means her husband, her children, and those in her sphere will call her blessed.ey bless her because she is a blesser. How did she learn to be such a blesser? From the way God has treated her: “e blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22).She also learned to be a blesser from the instruction of Jesus. Remember how the crowds gathered on the mountainside when Jesus began His instructions in what I call the Ultimate Life Management System, but which is also known as the Sermon on the Mount? He began with, “Blessed are:• e poor in spirit…• ose who mourn…• e meek…• ose who hunger and thirst for righteousness…• e merciful…• e pure in heart…• e peacemakers…• ose who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.”Having learned this, she lives it. Having lived it, everyone is blessed: “Her husband also, and he praises her” (Proverbs 31:28b).“A virtuous … wife [earnest and strong in character] is a crowning joy to her husband” (Proverbs 12:4 ). is is the reason she is praised by her husband. Virtue wins!e Vrtuos Wan Ipraise worthy
e Vrtuos Wan IexcellingMANY DAUGHTERS HAVE DONE WELL, BUT YOU EXCELL THEM ALL.e Vrtuos Wan Iexcelling
61MANY DAUGHTERS HAVE DONE WELL, BUT YOU EXCELL THEM ALL.Mediocre means ordinary, of middle quality, average, run-of-the-mill, so-so, humdrum, uninspired, and in some con-texts, poor quality and second-rate. Its antonyms describe this woman: excel-lent, exceptional, extraordinary, rst-rate and of course, excelling!She is all-in! ere is nothing lukewarm about her. She is not apathetic, neutral, spiritless, or half-hearted. She follows this dictum regarding her behavior: If it is wrong, leave it undone! If it be right, do it boldly!So in what does she excel? It’s in the text: “Many daughters have done virtuous-ly, but thou excellest them all” (Prov-erbs 31:29 ). She excels in virtue, con-forming to the principles of morality in her life and conduct. What virtues? Ar-istotle had his seven: trust, compassion, courage, diligence, patience, kindness, and humility. In contrast to the seven deadly sins are their counterparts: chastity, temperance, charity, diligence, patience, kindness, and humility. A comprehensive list would require page upon page, but the virtuous woman is fo-cused on all of those.She is enthusiastic, eager, fervent, passion-ate, and zealous. Actually the word “en-thusiasm” comes from Greek word theo meaning God, and en meaning “within you.” us authentic enthusiasm means a rapturously intense feeling that comes from God. Enthusiasm about evil is not only a conundrum, but a contradiction. Make no mistake, this woman has a God- driven enthusiasm about virtue!
e Vrtuos Wan IGod- fearingCHARM IS DECEITFUL, AND BEAUTY IS PASSING: BUT A WOMAN WHO FEARS THE LORD, SHE SHALL BE PRAISED.e Vrtuos Wan IGod- fearing
63CHARM IS DECEITFUL, AND BEAUTY IS PASSING: BUT A WOMAN WHO FEARS THE LORD, SHE SHALL BE PRAISED.Vanity is to reach, to clutch, to grasp but to come up empty. What really matters?Everyone must be a thinker at some time in life. e big questions must be answered: Is it right or wrong? Is this good or evil? Is this from God or Satan? Will I go to heaven or hell? Am I going to live for life now or for life eternal?ere is no room for many mistakes. e stakes are too high for being led astray, de-ceived, cheated, duped, hoodwinked, or de-frauded.What will we see when we cross the stage of life, stand near the exit, and look back? is woman will not see wasted years that grew into decades. Why? Because of the God Factor. She knew Him! She followed Him! She did His bidding! She treated others with the same dignity He treated her. erefore, nothing was lost. Nobody damned! She lived well—with or without man’s favor. She ac-knowledged the vanity of mere outward beauty. She walked in the fear of God!e fear of God is the continual awareness that we are in the presence of a just and holy God. Every motive within our hearts and ev-ery thought we think, as well as every word we speak and every action we take is open be-fore Him and adjudicated by Him. God sees us! We give account to Him and Him alone. She walks as she “ought to walk … to please God, so (she) would abound more and more” (1 essalonians 4:1 , addition mine). Max Lucado wrote that “a woman’s life should be so hidden in God that a man has to seek Him in order to nd her!”15
e Vrtuos Wan IhonorableGIVE HER OF THE FRUIT OF HER HANDS; AND LET HER OWN WORKS PRAISE HER IN THE GATES.e Vrtuos Wan Ihonorable
65e Vrtuos Wan IhonorableGIVE HER OF THE FRUIT OF HER HANDS; AND LET HER OWN WORKS PRAISE HER IN THE GATES.To be worthy of honor is more import-ant than to be honored. It’s great to be honored, but whence cometh honor? To be worthy of honor is a matter of choos-ing and living virtuously. To be honored is a choice made by others; the highest form of this is when it comes from God Himself.“How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the hon-or that comes from the only God?” (John 5:44).e most noteworthy attribute of this wom-an is that she has chosen God’s way, all the way. She is honored by God.Honor from others is based on merit. Here’s the proof: “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due; customs to whom customs; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor” (Romans 13:7).e virtuous woman is due the honor she receives. She has earned it; she deserves it, and is not honored briey but for the du-ration: “A gracious woman retains honor” (Proverbs 11:16a).e women of the future will determine the future of this world. It is the Bible that sets women in the highest place and status that they could ever be found, the place of hon-or!“So whoever cleanses himself [from what is ignoble and unclean, who separates himself from contact with contaminating and cor-rupting inuences] will [then himself] be a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and prot-able to the Master, t and ready for any good work” (2 Timothy 2:21 ).e Vrtuos Wan Ihonorable
H BcoeaVirtuous WomanH BcoeaVirtuous Woman
67The rst step to become virtuous is to become vertically connected and re-sponsible to your Creator!Remember, He fathered you. You are here because God wanted you here. It’s true that a man and woman got together and produced a baby, but God is the One who put the per-son, you, inside the baby. People can make babies, but they can’t make people. “Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture” (Psalm 100:3).Jesus taught us to pray like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name” (Mat-thew 6:9).Next, zealously allow Jesus to come into your life as your Lord and Master. He alone must become your Life Manager. We do as He says. We live according to His instruc-tions and power.To do that, ask for and receive forgiveness, cleansing, and recovery from all past sin, pride, narcissism, and iniquity. “Ask, and it will be given to you … for everyone who asks receives” (Luke 11:9–10). “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrigh-teousness” (1 John 1:9).Jesus made all this possible for you. at’s why we call Him Savior.Recognize that you have a fresh start and a clean slate. Everything has become new.“erefore, if anyone is in Christ, he (she) is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17, additions mine).Forgiven + Cleansed = New Life = ReBorn
M e coes fro e Ld, wich ae hevnand er.PSALM— 121:1 —
Begin to daily ask God for His help. at’s called praying. He will give you the power to do right. at is called grace.Now that your heart is right, concentrate on your thinking. Learn to think God’s way about every subject in your life and every person. Read the Bible!Let your new right thoughts on every subject become your meditation day and night, so your emotions align with your new thinking and become the dynamic en-ergy thrusting you forward in the right di-rections. Emotions were never intended to be a guidance system; they are the energiz-ers to help us go the right way.Begin to replan your life based on your vir-tuous condition.en begin inuencing others into the vir-tuous movement so they become what you are. (is is a natural process.)ReBorn + Reink + ReFocused Emotions + RePlan + ReProduce = DiscipleshipGet attached to other virtuous women. Be highly selective of your friends for friends have inuence. “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (Proverbs 13:20). Regularly review the twenty-eight qualities of a virtuous woman. Let them be the focus of your progressive development.If you should fail, do not give up. Contact God! Repent! Be restored! Get back on track! And keep going forward. (More details on discipleship are available at www. NothingButeTruth.org)69
Feeo s o erigh o wog, t epor origh.
Concentrate on developing the following y character qualities in your life and those of your family. Let these be your fam-ily curriculum. Perhaps concentrate on one character quality each week. Aer memo-rizing, use it as a point of praise and com-mendation whenever it is exhibited. (You can get them printed on individual cards at https://iblp.org/discipleship-tools/biblical-charac-ter so each family member can have his or her own.)Last of all, get involved in a God-honoring, Bible-believing, Bible-teaching church in which you can grow from the presentation of biblical principles and their application. Not all churches are created equal. Beware of fake Christianity!Remember, virtue depends on character.When money is lost, Nothing is lost! When health is lost, Something is lost! When character is lost, Everything is lost!Reputation is what others think we are.Character is what we really are.Character is our foundational core.Character is the essence of our being.Character is our structural motivation.71
Vrtuei btcharacr
You have already learned that one’s charac-ter covers the moral and mental qualities that are entrenched and strikingly displayed in you. ey have become the essence of who you are. For example, we can choose to be one or the other of the following: • Truthful or Deceptive• Gentle or Harsh• Compassionate or Indierent• Humble or Proud• Honoring or DisrespectfulRemember, an excellent character is the norm for a Christian. Our close connection with Jesus Christ cleanses the motivations of our hearts, tames our speech, and is cen-tral to having successful relationships. Since He is the essence of all that is right and the evidence of all godliness, His eect on us is that our character is molded into His in such a way that we become a loving and gentle extension of His Person here on earth. Our lives are not only personally satisfying, but also fruitful: this is the Christian reality. Watch your thoughts for they become feel-ings, which become words, which become actions, which become habits, which be-come character, which determine your des-tiny.On the following pages you will nd a sum-mary of character qualities instructed by wisdom and exhibited by Christ. is is the primary pursuit and agenda of the virtuous woman!73
i vrtuos nd ry industrios wanneeds hysiclstreg nd ailitytoo ewk o e life … ewk o lo!ELIZABETH GEORGETHE CHARACTER QUALITIES OF A VIRTUOUS WOMAN
75THE CHARACTER QUALITIES OF A VIRTUOUS WOMANWisdom instead of following Natural Inclinations: She sees and responds to life’s situations from God’s unbiased and accurate point of view.Discernment versus Judgment: She has the ability to understand why things happen without condemning.Discretion versus Simplemindedness: She has the ability to avoid words, actions, and attitudes which could cause unnec-essary negative reactions.Love versus Selshness: She chooses what is best for others without personal prot as a motive. Reverence versus Disrespect: She esteems the worth and personal value of others regardless of their maturity level.Diligence versus Slothfulness: She uses all her energies and skills to achieve that which is worthwhile.Creativity versus Underachievement: She takes on needs or tasks from a new and dierent perspective.Enthusiasm versus Apathy: She has an ea-ger enjoyment of that which lies before both herself and others.Self-Control versus Self-Indulgence: She has the ability to immediately bring her emotions, desires, and behaviors into line with that which is right.Dependability versus Inconsistency: She is reliable to do what she has agreed to do in spite of unexpected diculties.
A vrtuos wani o rud b e aos t rae e rus e aos!
Patience versus Resistance: She accepts unexpected delays, troubles, or suering with a positive and optimistic outlook. Alertness versus Unawareness: She is watchful of that which is taking place around her in order to respond wisely.Generosity versus Stinginess: She has a readiness to give more of what God has given her than what is strictly necessary.Joyfulness versus Self-Pity: She expresses great pleasure and happiness because of right relationships with God and others.Flexibility versus Stubbornness: She is adaptable to unexpected changes in her life without resentment toward God or others.Availability versus Self-Centeredness: She makes her own schedule and priorities secondary to those she is called to serve. Endurance versus Giving Up: She possess-es inward fortitude to withstand stress and challenges in order to achieve what is best.Security versus Anxiety: She is free from danger or threat because she knows God is with her. oroughness versus Incompleteness: She gives attention to all the details that are necessary for the successful completion of a task or project.Orderliness versus Disorganization: She arranges her thoughts, schedule, and surroundings in order to achieve max-imum eciency.77
eei ojewlin ewld sovlualea haeand vrtuos wan.MIGUEL DE CERVANTES
79Initiative versus Reactive: She proactively does what needs to be done before ne-cessity dictates an action.Responsibility versus Unreliability: She knows and does what both God and others are rightfully expecting from her.Humility versus Pride: She voluntarily takes a lowly position as opposed to be-ing self-exalting.Decisiveness versus Wavering: She naliz-es her decisions based on knowing what is right in any given situation.Determination versus Weak-mindedness: She exercises resolve to achieve godly goals regardless of opposition.Justice versus Partiality: She personally weighs evidence to assure that which is pure, upright, and true.Loyalty versus Unfaithfulness: She uses dicult times or situations as an oppor-tunity to verify her dedication to God, her spouse, her children, and others.Sensitivity versus Indierence: She picks up on the emotions of others in order not to oend, hurt, or disregard.Compassion versus Heartlessness: She shows genuine sympathy for others that is demonstrated in meeting their au-thentic needs.Gentleness versus Harshness: She shows tenderness and genuine care for the feelings of others that result in meeting their needs.Deference versus Rudeness: She demon-strates humble respect for others in or-der not to oend.
Lt oman vluea lile pricea vrtuos wan’s conse; he wnged irit i eeed ote times w hevnywds … nd, likehe bau, avshing and ure.GEORGE CHAPMAN
Meekness versus Anger: She demonstrates long-suering towards the perceived weaknesses of others.Obedience versus Deception: She is joy-fully compliant to orders or requests of rightful authorities.Sincerity versus Hypocrisy: She is free to be transparent because she is free from pretense or deceit.Virtue versus Impurity: She maintains the high moral standards expected by God and dened according to His Word.Forgiveness versus Bitterness: She deliber-ately releases others from the harm they have caused her, intentional or not.Boldness versus Fearfulness: She has con-dence and courage without brashness knowing that her opinion is true, right, and just.riiness versus Extravagence: She shows frugality by not spending for that which is unnecessary, knowing that she will be accountable for the proper use of her time, talent, and treasure.Contentment versus Covetousness: She realizes that God has already provided everything she needs for her present happiness.Punctuality versus Tardiness: She shows her dependability, consistency, and her high value of others by being on time.Caution versus Rash Behavior: She creates a pro/con list before making any deci-sions in order to identify any problems that could come up.81
eei omoe baufu gh an a ong wan woglo w eligh o e Sirit oi cofiet nd corageos bcuseshei vrtuos.ELAIN S. DALTON
Gratitude versus a Lack of anksgiving: She warmly and genuinely expresses to God and others the many ways in which they have or are beneting her life.Tolerance versus Prejudice: She joyful-ly endures the opinions and behaviors of persons or situations with whom or with which she does not agree. Resourcefulness versus Wastefulness: She is wise and knows clever ways of using her skills and assets which others may have overlooked in order to achieve worthwhile goals.Persuasiveness versus Ineectiveness: She convinces others by being able to guide their thinking around mental road-blocks.Truthfulness versus Deception: She under- stands and represents facts according to reality and their authentic, unchanging timelessness.Attentiveness versus Unconcern: She fo-cuses on the words and emotions of others in order to show their worth and respond in applicable and meaningful ways.Hospitality versus Indierence: She is friendly, congenial, and generous in her reception, provision, and entertainment as well as in the spiritual and social re-freshment of her guests, visitors, or strangers.Merciful versus Exacting: She cares about the well-being of others by relieving their personal pain caused by poverty of body, soul, or nances.Faith versus Presumption: She visualizes what is right to do in a given situation and actively participates in it.83
THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE IS THE HAND THAT RULES THE WORLDTHE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE IS THE HAND THAT RULES THE WORLD
When Napoleon Bonaparte was asked what he considered to be the great need of France, he replied, “Let France have good mothers, and she will have good s on s.”16 In an earlier section, I quoted the following poem. Here it is in its entirety.Blessings on the hand of women! Angels guard its strength and grace.In the palace, cottage, hovel,Oh, no matter where the place;Would that never storms assailed it,Rainbows ever gently curled,For the hand that rocks the cradleIs the hand that rules the world.Infancy’s the tender fountain,Power may with beauty ow,Mothers rst to guide the streamlets,From them souls unresting grow—Grow on for the good or evil,Sunshine streamed or evil hurled,For the hand that rocks the cradleIs the hand that rules the world.Woman, how divine your mission,Here upon our natal sod;Keep—oh, keep the young heart openAlways to the breath of God!All true trophies of the agesAre from mother-love impearled,For the hand that rocks the cradleIs the hand that rules the world.Blessings on the hand of women!Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,And the sacred song is mingledWith the worship in the sky—Mingles where no tempest darkens,Rainbows evermore are hurled;For the hand that rocks the cradleIs the hand that rules the world.17THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE IS THE HAND THAT RULES THE WORLD85THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE IS THE HAND THAT RULES THE WORLD
THE MORAL DEGRADATION OF WOMEN IS NOT NEW, AND IT IS THE ULTIMATE FORM OF OPPRESSION.
Randy Alcorn wrote this: “e twen-tieth century is not the rst to see so-ciety riddled with immorality. e ancient Greeks elevated loose women, homosex-ual relations, and pedophilia. e Romans gradually surrendered the strong families and morals that once made them great, re-placing them with laxity and weakness. e oen-made comparisons between the nal years of Rome and modern day America are striking—self-indulgence, political corrup-tion, adultery, homosexuality, sexual orgies, live sex acts in the theater, brutal sports in the arena, and a creeping family deteriora-tion and moral laziness that led to self-de-struction.”18 British historian Arnold J. Toynbee wrote: “Of the twenty-two civilizations that have appeared in history, nineteen of them col-lapsed when they reached the moral state the United States is in now!”19 e loss of core values in America are par-alleled to those of the fallen civilizations of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. George Santayana wrote that “those who cannot re-member the past are condemned to repeat i t .”20 It seems that we are.We must all get out of the gutters, men and women alike! May all of us (both genders) strive to be what we should be. Peter Mar-shall said, “We need women, and men, too, who would rather be morally right than so-cially correct.”21However, this is not just about our culture as a whole; it is about you and yours per-sonally. You may be thinking, Me? I am only one among so very many. What can I do? e answer to those questions follows as does the moment of decision when you, like all women, must decide for yourself.87THE MORAL DEGRADATION OF WOMEN IS NOT NEW, AND IT IS THE ULTIMATE FORM OF OPPRESSION. 87
Y rea Seby!
89How important are you? How much in-uence do you think you can have? What will be the direction of your inuence? Towards virtue or vice? You get to decide.e truth of the matter is that you will in-uence others for eternity! at’s right—not only in this life but forever!And what about your soul? Did you know that you were born to live forever?Never minimize yourself and certainly don’t let others diminish you. You are someone for whom Christ died! You are notable. Edward Everett Hale wrote:“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, But I can do something. And what I can do, I ought to do. And what I ought to do, By the grace of God, I shall do.”22Go for it! You are a woman of worth! Keep yourself pure! Live love! Love is the purpose of life. I’d like to leave you with this last pas-sage which is my fervent hope for you!“How I long that you may be encouraged, and nd out more and more how strong are the bonds of Christian love. How I long for you to grow more certain in your knowl-edge and more sure in your grasp of God Himself. May your spiritual experience be-come richer as you see more and more ful-ly God’s great secret, Christ Himself! For it is in Him, and in Him alone, that men will nd all the treasures of wisdom and knowl-edge. I write this to prevent you from being led astray by someone or other’s attractive arguments!” (Colossians 2:1-4 ).
1 “Scarce Denition & Meaning.” Webster’s Un-abridged Dictionary. Public Domain. Accessed August 1, 2022. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29765. 2 GoalsRider. “Quote by GoalsRider.” Quotes-lyfe. Accessed August 1, 2022. https://www.quoteslyfe.com/quote/e-Scarcity-of-Flow-ers-in-the-society-246844. 3 Chapman, George. “George Chapman Quotes.” BrainyQuote. Xplore. Accessed August 1, 2022. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/george_chapman_166068. 4 Wallace, William Ross. “e Hand at Rocks the Cradle.” e hand that rocks the cradle - wallace. Accessed August 1, 2022. http://www.potw.org/archive/potw391.html. 5 Graham, Billy. “Billy Graham Quotes.” BrainyQuote. Xplore. Accessed August 1, 2022. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/billy_graham_161989. 6 “Entrepreneur Denition & Meaning.” Web-ster’s Unabridged Dictionary. Public Domain. Accessed August 1, 2022. https://www.guten-berg.org/ebooks/29765. 7 “Savvy Denition & Meaning.” Webster’s Un-abridged Dictionary. Public Domain. Accessed August 1, 2022. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29765. 8 “Conscientious Denition & Meaning.” Web-ster’s Unabridged Dictionary. Public Domain. Accessed August 1, 2022. https://www.guten-berg.org/ebooks/29765. 9 “Care Denition & Meaning.” Webster’s Un-abridged Dictionary. Public Domain. Accessed August 1, 2022. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29765. 10 “Prepare Denition & Meaning.” Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary. Public Domain. Ac-cessed August 1, 2022. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29765. 11 “Zig Ziglar Quotes (Author of See You at the Top) (Page 2 of 15).” Goodreads. Go-odreads. Accessed August 10, 2022. https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/50316.Zig_Ziglar?page=2. 12 Carey, William. “William Carey Quotes.” BrainyQuote. Xplore. Accessed August 10, 2022. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/william_carey_191985. 13 “Kind Denition & Meaning.” Webster’s Un-abridged Dictionary. Public Domain. Accessed August 1, 2022. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/29765. 14 Willis, Avery T. “A Quote by Avery T. Willis Jr..” Goodreads. Goodreads. Accessed Au-gust 10, 2022. https://www.goodreads.com/Ednoes90
quotes/329151-i-m-part-of-the-fellowship-of-the-unashamed-i-have#:~:text=I%20have%20stepped%20over%20the,back%20away%2C%20or%20be%20still. 15 Lucado, Max. “A Quote by Max Lucado.” Goodreads. Goodreads. Accessed August 10, 2022. https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/15202-a-woman-s-heart-should-be-so-hidden-in-god-that. 16 Bonaparte, Napoleon. “A Quote by Napoléon Bonaparte.” Goodreads. Goodreads. Accessed August 9, 2022. https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/281899-let-france-have-good-mothers-and-she-will-have-good. 17 Wallace, William Ross. “e Hand at Rocks the Cradle.” e hand that rocks the cradle - wallace. Accessed August 1, 2022. http://www.potw.org/archive/potw391.html. 18 Alcorn, Randy. “Immorality & Cultural De-cline - Resources.” Eternal Perspective Min-istries, September 5, 2018. https://www.epm.org/resources/1993/Feb/1/immorality-cultur-al-decline/. 19 Toynbee, Arnold J. “Of the Twenty-Two Civi-lizations at Have Appeared in History, Nine-teen of em Collapsed When ey Reached the Moral State the United States Is in Now.” FixQuotes.com. Accessed August 9, 2022. https://xquotes.com/quotes/of-the-twenty-two-civilizations-that-have_4361.htm. 20 Walters, Daniel. “Condon Misattributes Quote to Churchill in the State of the City Speech.” Inlander. Inlander, August 2, 2022. https://www.inlander.com/Bloglander/archives/2016/02/16/condon-misattributes-quote-to-churchill-in-the-state-of-the-city-speech. 21 Marshall, Peter. “Peter Marshall Quotes (Author of Mr. Jones, Meet the Master).” Goodreads. Goodreads. Accessed August 9, 2022. https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/33254.Peter_Marshall#:~:text=It%20needs%20some%20who%20will,moral-ly%20right%20than%20socially%20cor-rect.%E2%80%9D. 22 Hale, Edward Everett. “‘I Am Only One, but Still I Am One. I Cannot Do Everything, but Still I Can Do Something; and Because I Can-not Do Everything, I Will Not Refuse to Do Something at I Can Do.” -Edward Everett Hale.” e Foundation for a Better Life. Ac-cessed August 9, 2022. https://www.passiton.com/inspirational-quotes/3660-i-am-only-one-but-still-i-am-one-i-cannot-do. 91
D L. J lives in Florida with his wife, Judith, whom he adores. His one driving passion is to explain truth in its simplest form to all people. Without the truth, intelligent decisions cannot be made in any area of life. David has authored numerous titles and concentrated on developing Biblical Life Management Systems. You can follow David at www.NothingButeTruth.org.
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE VIRTUOUS WOMEN IN MY LIFE:M Me Jnee MBain Bo JnstoM Wfe Jdi Ane JnstoM Dughr Fi-Ane RidM Dughr Carity Ane Kiand Y, Dar Rae
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