A Fresh Look at the Proverbs 31 Woman

[leaving]

Here is a very refreshing grace perspective of the Proverbs 31 woman. Well worth the read!

http://www.ericpazdziora.com/writing/in-...ingle-man/

[supernova8610]

(05-13-2011 09:18 AM)leaving Wrote:  Here is a very refreshing grace perspective of the Proverbs 31 woman. Well worth the read!

http://www.ericpazdziora.com/writing/in-...ingle-man/

Definitely refreshing! I'm posting this link on my facebook page so more people can see it.

[LutheranEmily]

I am *not* buying it.

this article was a stretch, and I am not fundy, but he reads things into the passage things that are not there.

[Annie Moose]

That was interesting, I agree. A fresh look at it, at the very least.

I've always liked that passage in general, though, because I see it very much as portraying a husband and a wife who have an equal relationship. The woman works to support her family, she's got equal control of finances (how many hardcore fundies do you know that would trust their wife to just go buy property without consulting them first?), and her husband is praised not for his own merits, but because his wife is so well-respected! Pity it is used to reinforce the "wimmenz only in teh kitchen!" point of view.

[Darren]

(05-16-2011 10:44 AM)Annie Moose Wrote:  I've always liked that passage in general, though, because I see it very much as portraying a husband and a wife who have an equal relationship. The woman works to support her family, she's got equal control of finances (how many hardcore fundies do you know that would trust their wife to just go buy property without consulting them first?), and her husband is praised not for his own merits, but because his wife is so well-respected! Pity it is used to reinforce the "wimmenz only in teh kitchen!" point of view.

That is the way I have always viewed that passage. How else can it be viewed, honestly? I remember a staff member preaching in chapel at Fundy U (I'm pretty sure I know who it was, but not 100%, so I won't mention a name) preaching from that passage and gave as an example his wife buying a house before he was able to finalize his move to Wisconsin. That is one of the few FU chapel messages that stuck with me.

Very good thoughts by the blogger. Thanks for sharing, Leaving.

[captain_solo]

(05-15-2011 06:48 PM)LutheranEmily Wrote:  I am *not* buying it.

this article was a stretch, and I am not fundy, but he reads things into the passage things that are not there.

Yeah, I don't see anything regarding the cause/effect thing that is asserted there, the Proverbs 31 woman is praised by her children and husband because of her character and actions, not as a way to create them. I have always found any of the psycho-biblical hogwash about cheerleading your spouse or using some positive reinforcement techniques to get them to do good things as really inane and patronizing. My wife isn't stupid, she does good things, has a very strong and godly character because its who she is, and I praise her for it, and nurture it by appreciating it. I didn't create the way she is by getting out my pom poms. I liked the beginning, about finding this kind of woman, I agree that is the responsibility of the husband, but this passage is about the quality and character of the woman. And yes, from my perspective, my wife is unusual, so I would consider her character rare and extremely valuable, thats why I married her!

The Proverbs 31 woman is so far away from what many fundies characterize as a good wife, I have often wondered at how non-sequitor it seems. Find a woman of character and spirit, encourage her to excel, appreciate her for her value, and don't be a jerk, and I think many of the promises seen in this chapter will come to you, but I don't think the responsibility for creating this type of woman falls to her husband. (Now if you want to talk about fathers we might be able to get somewhere...These are some of the characteristics I love to see my daughter starting to develop)