Favor from God and not others
Proverbs 31:30 (ESV)
“Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing; but a woman who fears the Lord shall be praised.”
Sometimes life feels like a contest. We’re trying to see who is the best. Whether it’s about looks, talent or where we are in our social status, everything about us is picked apart by others. With God, we can rest assured that is not the case. He doesn’t care about our past, but He is concerned with how we spend our time here on Earth.
Women feel like they have to improve themselves both inwardly and outwardly. In this specific proverb, women are judged by how gorgeous they are and how they can lure in any man they desire with lust. That should not be the case. A woman should only worry about her eternal relationship with God, rather than a temporary, earthly relationship. A woman should be praised for her faith and not ostracized.
Gaining favor from others and outward appearances are temporary pleasures. We should not worry about what other people think about us. Our relationship with God should matter more. We will receive favor from God if we respect Him and honor Him. We shouldn’t worry about what other people think of us, unless it’s keeping us accountable with our faith. Eternal pleasures should have priority over temporary ones. We should focus more on our relationship with God than what others think of us.
A woman should be true to herself. That is true wisdom. A virtuous woman focuses on enduring, fearful praise and not outward graces. Both men and women should be with someone who cherishes them and respects their faith in God. Trust, happiness and looking out for each other is what a godly relationship should look like. Let’s keep those virtues and apply them to our walk with Christ. He loves us and watches out for us. Let’s do the same with Him.
This week, pray about how you can tune out what the world says about you and hone in on what God says about you. Let His love and encouragement guide you this week to make better decisions in your spiritual walk.