A Virtuous Woman

Just a short while a note appeared on Facebook from Esther Goodnough. The article struck me for two reasons:

1. A great many young people are obsessed with pop culture. Miley Cyrus, for example, is a virtual goddess (read: idol) for countless young girls, and it is her example that they will be growing up with — despite the underage Cyrus having all sorts of lascivious pictures of herself and her friends. A word of wisdom to parents: Promiscuity, bisexuality, experimentation, and all sorts of other sexual sins are trendy. Disagree with me if you will, but I see far too much of it in Facebook photo albums and out in public to know better.
2. Given the first point, it’s notable to me that Esther is a teenager. She’s about Miley Cyrus’ age, yet her wisdom far exceeds her years. Parents, if you are content to allow perfect strangers to be role models for your children, then may I suggest you choose perfect strangers who will model wisdom rather than their bodies to your children?

Esther has told me that it is encouraging that I enjoyed what she wrote and wanted to share it here; quite frankly, I’m encouraged by what she wrote.

I wish that I could have been so wise when I was her age.

I hope that you will pray for Esther and other young people like her — people who will stand firm in the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of all wisdom. She and others like her are testament to the fact that God has not abandoned this lost and dying world, that He is still in the business of saving souls and changing lives.

So without further ado, I give you this article, “A Virtuous Woman,” by Esther Goodnough — reprinted here with her permission, of course.

A Virtuous Woman

I was reading Proverbs 31:10–31 and it made me think about what a virtuous woman is. The Bible says that if you can find a virtuous woman, her price is far above rubies.

This portion of scripture sums up the Hebrew ideal of honorable womanhood, to be secure in the home where God is obeyed. This woman is someone her husband can trust without a doubt, someone who will do him good not evil. This woman worketh willingly with her hands for the good of her household. She gives to the needy and weak. She keeps her family clothed and warm in the cold times.

I like looking at Verses 25–30.

“Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in the time to come.”

” She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.”

“She looketh well to the ways of her household; and eateth not the bread of idleness.”

“Her children rise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.”

“Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.”

“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.”

Yes this passage of scripture would no doubt trouble the little world of Women’s Liberalism. I am by no chance one of them.

So After reading all these wonderful and inspiring verses I decided to look up more on Women’s submission. Our mission is to honour the Lord and to submit to the leader of our household. Whether we be married or single with father. Our mission is to serve and submit.

I think of 1 Corinthians 14:34–35:

“Let your women keep silence in the churches: For it is not permitted unto them to speak, but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.”

“And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.”

I remember a girl telling me once. “Paul was just one big female demeaning pig! I will speak out in church and become a pastor just to prove him wrong. Us women can preach just as well as the men, sometimes we are even more on fire for the Lord.” But I just couldn’t agree with her. The reason why most women “THINK” they are more on fire for the Lord is because we are moving the men down to a level were we don’t render control to them, to don’t give them their due respect, so of course they aren’t doing to be all gang-ho about your on fire-ness.

Women’s Liberation Movement is not helping the Bible in any way. They are removing the role of the man and putting women in the higher power. Nowadays women work just as much as the men, same pay, most don’t want to stay at home with their family because they think they are better and can do better than the man. I know quite a few girls my age who don’t want to get married because they think that men are good for nothing organisms that are a mistake on this earth, and don’t want to get stuck with having to get a divorce in the future, so they fornicate and have “common law marriages” which is completely against God’s law.

I know young girls who dress like sluts and then turn around and call men pigs because the guys lust after them. Actually I would have to put women in the perspective of reasoning of why our generation has fallen so much. I think back to the early 19 centuries and earlier. Women wore full length dresses up to their ankles and their collars to their upper necks and they were way less rapes and harassments as there is now!

Women lowered their worth so men lowered their worth too. Girls nowadays all just want the excitement of relationships. They don’t want the responsibility. They are becoming dominant and bigoted. Whether or not girls want to admit it or not. We all know what will start up a guy to lust after us. Whether or not we want to admit it, we enjoy hearing “Oh _________, _________ is checking you out!” So we wear less and less, and the guys fall more and more. I really don’t want to be responsible for the fall of men, I don’t want to be accused of being a stumbling block. The Bible does say “Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery already with her in his heart.” Why try God’s wrath? Is that really something we want to be accused of on judgment day?

Modesty is a precious thing. My friend Angelica and I always talk about how precious it is too keep ourselves pure till we are married. We both think how much we will be treasured by whoever we marry because they will be the only ones to hear us say “I love you” too. How when we say out heart is yours we mean it because it hasn’t been given to 100’s of others. How every little thing will truly be HIS and HIS only. We talk about how happiness in relationships can only truly be found if the Lord our God is in control, guiding us and strengthening us to be strong for each other. I have heard the sad stories the heart broken cries. Girls who gave themselves away only for the guy to turn around and say… “whatever” In the end, every woman wants a MAN and every man wants a WOMAN. But nobody wants to wait.

I read a Book called “Stay in the Castle” pretty much a true story. It’s only a small pamphlet. But it has a very good point, it’s about a princess who lives in a huge castle with her father and a few servants. She’s been told by her loving father that a prince from a distant country has been promised to her and she must prepare herself for this prince just like he is preparing himself for her. She’s never met this boy. But after a few years the dream grows distant and she longs for the “happiness” of the people she hear from the village, during their evening parties, she thinks that, that must be living. Why dream for something that might never come… those people are living NOW! One day a young man from the village comes to deliver something and she answers the door. Needless to say she sneaks out of the castle with him and sees the “life” of the villagers and wants to be a part of the gaiety and pleasure. She then confronts her father (who already knew of her outings) and announces that she will be marrying that village boy. The father lets her go.

The Story then changes to a a few months later. The princess in pregnant and her village husband is drunk laying in a corner. She goes outside to clean and sees a gallant figure of a man riding down the road towards her old home the castle. Her heart quickens as he speeds towards the castle. His character makes her stand in awe as he knocks on the castle door and her father opens it. There is no audible dialog between the two but the father points towards her home and shakes his head. The Young prince then hangs his head and despair and catches her glancing at him. They stare at each-other for a short moment, and he gets on his horse and rides sadly away. She is left with no home, no love, and no hope.

Sadly this is the story of most young girls. We all want a prince but don’t want the wait. We want to “live” now we don’t want to know the joy of the future.

I say sadly as a young woman who loves my friends who have been hurt by this experience, that the choices you make now WILL affect your future. We all want a prince, we want someone who will see past out exterior and into our interior. Most of the time we are selfish. My Mama tells me. “For every man there is one woman, and for every woman one man.” doesn’t it scar you thinking that you gave yourself to someone else’s future husband?

Being a pure, holy, unblemished young woman is nothing to be ashamed about. I am ashamed of the girls my age who have given everything away and flaunted it in my face. But I don’t envy them in any way. Because I know that MY prince would be happier knowing that I am that way, and that everything that I have will he his.

I WANT to be a woman that my future husband can say is worth more than rubies and that God can agree with. I WILL be a woman who fears the Lord. And even if you have failed in that department, the Lord would be more than happy to pick you up and dust you off. Because if you are a christian, You are a child of the King.