if there's not some grand design
how'd this pair of stars align
But the thing about her life is, how utterly ordinary it is!
Ordinary!
That’s why it’s worthy of this poem. That’s why it’s so veritable!
This strong woman, she’s not striding the halls of power or holed up in some ivory tower. No, she’s too busy making herself useful in ordinary ways, to ordinary people all around her!
This woman shows us that the world around us is full of opportunities to live a life of substance!
You want to make a difference?
Start with the people right in front of you!
If you think the people are places that make up your life right now are below your station, you’re not ready to set your sights any higher.
Is it any wonder this poem that ends Proverbs, begins with a lament? “A strong woman who can find?”
Because we need as many as we can get. Don’t we?
The strange thing, though, is that although this poem begins lamenting the difficulty of finding a strong woman, it proceeds to go on and describe her! And by the description, we come to see this woman isn’t so hard to find!
The thing about these strong women we’re so in need of is, they’re all around! You just have to be willing to look into the right places.
Not in movie screens or magazines, but right in front of you! Right next to you, even! And staring right back at you in the mirror!
…In this day and age, this ending to Proverbs has fallen on decidedly hard times. But our general antipathy toward this conclusion is really unfair. And, it robs us of some of the most meaningful experiences we can ever hope to have!
…The critique of the proverb is that is puts too heavy a burden on women. And there’s the not so subtle suggestion, it tries to regulate women to the household. But notice the broad the range of activities this woman is praised for!
She considers a field and buys it…
“She girds herself with strength, and makes her arms strong.”
“She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.”
Not exactly traditional domestic duties. Are they?
And yes, while there are plenty of domestic responsibilities described, they’re not all that’s described! Not by a long shot!
Plus, as any person will tell you, life is civic as well as domestic. And this poem is an ode to real life, and real people!
In fact, the more time you spend with this poem, the more you realize how the portrait that’s painted isn’t an impossible one. It’s a broad one!
It’s a portrait inclusive enough for all the strong women out there!
Anything we read in the Bible, we try and turn into some to-do list. Which is the most boring way to read anything. So, rather than reading this poem as a to-do list, let’s read it for the ode it is!
Here’s to you, ALL you strong women out there.
All you who make sewing machines sing. All you who make feasts out of whatever’s in the cupboards. All you who get up before the sun. And all you who work well into all hours of the night. All you who put in gardens. All you who know your way around the gym. All you social-justice warriors out there. All you who refuse to look away from the vulnerable in our midst. All you planners. All you who make sure the family is fed and clothed. All you who are dressed for success. All you who see the humor in every little thing. All you teachers, formal and informal; here’s to you.
ALL you strong women out there; thank you. Thank you.
This poem isn’t laying out an impossibly high standard. It’s singing praises broad enough to include all YOU strong women out there! Whatever your strength may be!
What’s really wonderful about this conclusion to Proverbs is, how it begins with lament, “A strong woman who can find.”
But ends with thanksgiving!
"Her children rise up and call her happy. Her husband too, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but YOU surpass them all.”
Proverbs ends giving thanks that, lo and behold, hard though it may be, a strong woman has been found! And she’s been found right next to you!
Families that are jewish recite this passage to the woman of the house each sabbath eve. And it’s a good practice, too. One we do well to imitate…
Because, as it turns out, if you want strong woman in your life, and you do, than all you need to do, is treat women with respect!
And, if you want to be strong, just surround yourself with people wise enough to see the strength in you!
It’s that simple!
This lovely capstone to Proverbs confesses that we’re surrounded by strong women! More than we know.
And we need to hear this message. Don’t we? Because we’re surrounded by messages that say if you want to find strong women you must to look to the bold and beautiful. And even worse, if you want to be strong yourself, you have to do this, that and the other thing.
But Proverbs delivers another message; that strong women are all around! That you are one!
Ultimately, this poem is an ode to vocation. Vocation.
And a little word-study is in order here; the root of “vocation” comes from the Latin word, “Vox.” Meaning voice. As in “vocal.” “Vocabulary.” And, a personal favorite, “vociferous;” talkative.
What this means is, our vocations are not something we must search out. They are something called FROM us. Called from us in ordinary ways, by the people and places all around us.
You want to know what your vocation is?
Look no further than you did to find a strong woman. Just look around! And most importantly, listen. Listen to the needs of those your eyes land on.
Look no further than you did to find a strong woman. Just look around! And most importantly, listen. Listen to the needs of those your eyes land on.
Our callings, our vocations, they are something that come through daily life. And Proverbs ends with a lovely poem, praising all those unsung heroes, living out their daily vocation. Showing us their lives, not as Hollywood might, but as they actually are. The way the angels we entertain unawares see them!
*And, let me be clear, this female role-model isn’t just for women. You want to be strong, regardless of your gender? Do like the women praised at the conclusion to Proverbs, make yourself useful to the people around you. Build them up. Admire their strength.
…We need the wisdom Proverbs has to offer. Don’t we?
We’re going around thinking there’s more we need to do. Somewhere else we need to go.
And all that while we’re looking past the strong and courageous people God has put in our midst. Turning up our noses up at the chance to be strong ourselves!
Serving your daily vocations is the most powerful thing you can do!
What you do day-in and day-out matters. It has holy significance. It may not turn up in any magazine or movie, but it is all the entertainment heavens needs! And it is more noteworthy than you know!
Proverbs is full of upside-down wisdom. Showing us the upside-down way God sees things!
And if we could see things the way God does, we’d sing this poem a lot more often! Because the truth is, God has filled our lives with strong women, and opportunities to be strong ourselves!
Thanks be to God, God is vocal. Vociferous, even! Putting calls all around us!
In the people and places that make up our lives!
What you’re doing right now, matters.
It may not look always glamorous; and that’s why it matters.
You may not always feel up to it; and that’s why you are!
A strong bride of christ, (that’s the church) who can find?
Well, let me TELL you; I have. In you all. In your commitment to your vocations. The way you embody quiet, ordinary, daily strength.
Thank you for your witness.
You husbands and wives, who make marriage, not a contest, but a partnership. You moms and dads, who show up to church an hour or two short on sleep. You widows and widowers, who honored your spouse, bringing them to the church one last time before laying them to rest. You aunts and uncles, grandmas and grandpas. You in the middle of your careers, working not for your advancement, but other’s well-being. You retirees, who volunteer to keep making yourself useful to others. You who commit yourself to the great causes of our day. All you, who are giving yourself to the something holy we’re trying to make out of this otherwise ordinary day. Thank you.
Thank you.
…All of heaven is singing an ode to the unsung heroes; and trusting God is making as much out of us and our lives, let’s join the hymn!
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