Lessons & Advice from the Proverbs 31 Woman

The Proverbs 31 Woman 

A lot has been said about the Proverbs 31 woman. As women, we look to the description of this woman in Proverbs 31 for inspiration.

Some say she was the mother or wife of Abraham, while others believe she was a composite of many admirable women. What we do know about her is that she was a mompreneur.  And she worked diligently to manage her home and her business well, all to the glory of God.

Below are 8 things we can learn from the Proverbs 31 woman.

1. Her husband has full confidence in her.

That means that she is a woman who can be trusted. Beyond this, she is competent at home and in the work in front of her.

This should inspire us to do things diligently at home and in our business and be women who can be trusted. When we become competent businesswomen, our husbands (and family, friends and clients) will have full confidence in our ability to run a business.

And we bring good to our husband and our home.

2. She works with eager hands.

In this part of the proverb, she is described as using wool and flax to create things with her hands. While a modern woman may not weave, she can diligently use her hands to work.

Whether you do this by keeping your house or by creating and growing a business, a hardworking disposition is of great value for any woman.

3. She gets up while it is still night.

The Proverbs 31 woman gets up early to tend to the needs of her household. Many moms, especially mompreneurs, are familiar with rising early to tend to the family’s needs.

This woman was not only hardworking during the day, but woke up and took care of her household first. She delegated tasks to her household workers in order to ensure that everything was taken care of before she set off to do her own work. Mompreneurs today can see this “family-first” schedule and model it in their own work/home routines.

4. She buys and sells to create profit.

The woman in Proverbs 31 is no wallflower! She manages money by purchasing fields and planting vineyards, creating profit for her family.

Many people use Scripture to try to justify a worldview in which women do not work outside the home. However, Proverbs 31 reminds us that women are called by God to create businesses just as much as men are called. A diligent wife will take what she has and seek to invest it to make more for her family’s comfort and well-being.

5. She extends her hands to the needy. 

The Proverbs 31 woman doesn’t just seek to do good business for her own and her family’s sake. Because of her financial success, she is able to extend help to the poor and needy.  

We’re called to use our wealth to help those around us in need. When we don’t have enough to supply our own needs, we aren’t able to help those around us, either. The call to be a savvy businesswoman is not just about fulfilling our own wants and needs. In fact, we’re called to use what we’ve earned to help those who are unable to fend for themselves.

One big financial reward from owning a successful business is the ability to not only help the needy but to be able to just bless family and people in your community as you desire. Being able to surprise and bless someone monetarily is so rewarding!

6. She has no fear of winter because she provides for her family.

One of the best things about building wealth through business is the ability to rest assured that your family can weather storms (financial or otherwise) ahead. 

Recently a post was being circulated on social media. It read something along these lines: “Wealth isn’t about having a big house and nice car, but wealth is when you can have your bills on autopay without worrying about when they’ll come out.” I will add to that and say being able to help as many people as you can without worrying you’ll run out! By breaking the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle, you and your family can find peace in financial security.

And not just financial preparedness.  The Proverbs 31 woman is prepared for things that come her way, including getting kids ready for back to school! :)

7. She is clothed with strength and dignity. 

Strength and dignity paint two beautiful images of what it means to be a noble woman. Clothing herself with strength and dignity means that this woman is able to work toward a better future for her and her family. Because of this purpose, her life has great meaning.

8. She speaks with wisdom and faithfully instructs others.

The Book of Proverbs has a lot of negative things to say about women who gossip, nag, or use their tongues for less than good :) 😌. In contrast, this woman speaks with wisdom. Instead of hoarding her knowledge, she uses her mouth to instruct others. 

As a mompreneur, this means making sure that the words you say are worth saying. As you build success at work and at home, use that success to help nurture the next generation of godly women.

Conclusion

It can be daunting to read Proverbs 31. I know! This woman seems to have everything together, while we are aware of our own faults and failures. However, this woman was able to work and achieve these things in a different time with different challenges than we have today. She was not weighed down by the distractions of our world, such as TV, social media, and hectic calendars. 

Additionally, she had servants who helped her and likely didn’t work late into the night because lamps weren’t effective tools until much after her time. However, we can emulate some of the characteristics she models. Her priorities, her ability to delegate, and the way she carried herself can serve to inspire us for years to come.

In my KingdomMBA program we walk through many other strategies and tactics you can use to enjoy success in business AND at home.

If you’re like most mompreneurs, you know that there’s a lot of pressure to take care of your business, your children, and your home. Most planners and productivity structures will help you take care of tasks, but often at the expense of important spiritual care.

My Maximize Your Day Planner was created with your faith and your life in mind. This planner is a great resource to help you focus your schedule around what really matters. Download it here.