Monday September 21, 2009

Biblical womanhood is challenging, intelligent, adventurous, kingdom-building, whole-hearted hard work. It encompasses all kinds of gifts and talents and provides us with an outlet for genuinely purposeful creativity and effort—all within the realm of the fully functioning Christian home.

To start us off, let me share what is by no means an exhaustive list of the traits and talents of the godly women we find in Scripture:

• Helping husbands take dominion through God-ordained roles and tasks (Genesis 1, 2; Acts 18:2-3)
• Serving as midwives (Genesis 35:17; Exodus 1:15-21)
• Playing musical instruments (1 Samuel 18:6; Psalm 68:25)
• Singing (Nehemiah 7:67; Luke 1:46-55)
• Feasting before the Lord with God’s people (Deuteronomy 31:10-13; 1 Samuel 1:1-9)
• Demonstrating hospitality to strangers and saints (Genesis 18:6; Acts 16:15; Romans 12:13; 1 Timothy 5:10)
• Serving God’s prophets (1 Kings 17; 2 Kings 4:8-38)
• Thinking quickly and resourcefully in the face of danger (1 Samuel 25L3-42; Judges 4:18-22, 9:52-53)
• Providing wise counsel (Judges 4:4-9; Proverbs 31:1, 26)
• Facing death for the sake of God’s people (Esther)
• Weaving; creating works of art (Proverbs 31:13, 19)
• Crafting beautiful garments (Proverbs 31:22)
• Producing items in the home for the marketplace (Proverbs 31:18-19, 24)
• Assisting her husband with the family business (Acts 18:3)
• Augmenting the family estate through wise purchases and use of materials (Proverbs 31:16)
• Planning wisely for the future (Proverbs 31:21)
• Selecting with skill the food the family eats (Proverbs 31:14)
• Giving to the needy (Proverbs 31:20; Acts 9:36)
• Being the fruitful mother of many children (Psalm 128:3; Genesis 24:60)
• Teaching children with wisdom (Proverbs 1:8 and 31:1, 26; 1 Timothy 5:10; 2 Timothy 1:5)
• Training the next generation of women in a hands-on manner (Proverbs 31:15; Titus 2:3-5)
• Creating clothing for the poor (Acts 9:36-41)
• Opening the home to the Church (Romans 16:1; Acts 16:14-15)
• Supporting the work of the Gospel (Luke 8:1-3; Romans 16:6, 12)
• Privately exhorting fellow believers (Acts 18:26)