Girls, we’re talking to you today. (But fellas, you can connect with our word today, too.)
Grab your Bible and journal and open up to Proverbs 31.
Proverbs 31! You gasp. Or sigh. Or maybe if you’ve never read the chapter before, you hyperventilate while looking at the scary long list of responsibilities you see assigned to “a wife of noble character.”
This chapter carries with it some strong feelings for Christian women, and those feelings aren’t always good. Some of us have been told we should be a “P31 girl” and somehow attain all these qualities to become a godly woman or someday a perfect wife and mother.
But the point of this chapter is not an impossible list of things to become. (This superwoman isn’t even real.) It’s not even just for wives and moms. The woman described here is the capstone to Proverbs, a book on wisdom. So today, we’re talking about two verses that offer wisdom to girls like you, right where you are in your life.
And wisdom invites you into a way of life you might not expect.
Let’s read verse 25: “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” Proverbs 31:25
Did you catch that? The secret ingredient to a life of wisdom?
Laughter!
If you ever needed an excuse to enjoy life, here it is, in black and white, in the Bible no less. Living wisely means being able to laugh.
But hang on–there’s that pesky little add-ons to the verse: laugh at the days to come?
Laughing at the future, now that feels a bit dicier. And then add to it that first part about clothing ourselves with strength and dignity–well, let’s just say those things aren’t easy to pull out of the closet in the morning. Ask a woman if she feels strong any day of the week and her answer will depend on her mood, hormones, relationships, and life in general. And the same goes for her dignity, which is a fancy word for self-esteem or self-respect.
The truth is that laughing about the future isn’t easy, but it is possible when you know your future is in good hands.
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30
In this world, girls are tempted to charm and flirt our way to popularity. But we can’t muster up happiness through our good looks and success. Also, we can’t muster up our own resilience and confidence.
Instead, our strength comes from God. When we spend time with him, he fills us with the power of the Holy Spirit, the same resurrection power that raised Jesus from the dead. (Romans 6:10-11). He alone gives us our dignity and beauty, not the world. You are a uniquely designed woman of God who is made perfect through Jesus, and you have immeasurable value in Him.
The core of Proverbs 31 is not a list of demands, but an invitation—to trust that God is holding you and your future in His hands. That is the way of wisdom, and it’s available to you right here, right now.
He is all you need. Will you laugh with him?
Prayer
Father, help me laugh! When I’m stressed, remind me to smile because you’ve got the whole world in your hands. You’ve got me in your hands. You go before me and have already worked everything out for good. Show me how I can partner with you to make your saving name known to the world. Amen.
Put it into Practice
Here’s a fun idea. With a dry erase marker, write “strength,” “dignity,” and “laugh” on your mirror so that when you get dressed every morning, you remember to entrust your day to Jesus.
