International Women’s Day 2017 Devotional World Relief

2017 International Women’s Day Devotional Women of Valor — Proverbs 31: 10 - 31

Karen González

Talent Acquisition Strategist, World Relief

International Women’s Day 2017 Devotional World Relief

In the world of the New Testament there was a popular rabbinic prayer that went like this: “Lord, thank you that I was not born a gentile, a slave or a woman!” In ancient Jewish culture, these were the people on the margins: the gentile, the slave, and the woman—they were deemed as having less value than others. In fact, one of the things that’s so radical about Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet is that this task was considered so lowly, so undignified and degrading that only gentile, slave girls were assigned to do it. Some New Testament Scholars believe that Paul’s teaching in Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” is a direct response to that prayer. Good ole’ Paul didn’t have a subtle bone in his body. He is reminding his Galatian readers that Christ ushered in a new day, a new way of being, a new way of relating to one another, and in Christ all of us have value. This may be a “given” to all of us but it was a radical idea in Paul’s day. Equal value for all human beings as God’s image bearers is an important Christian teaching and the central point of International Women’s Day—women’s lives aren’t being elevated above men’s; it’s simply a day to affirm that women’s lives are also valuable. Women’s Day seeks to highlight the accomplishments of women in history; to emphasize the vulnerabilities of women across the globe; and to commit to do the work needed to achieve gender equality everywhere. It’s a day we set aside to address how we can better empower and care for our female neighbors around the world. Because the lives of women have been devalued throughout history, both in and outside the church. And even in 2017 women continue to be more vulnerable to discrimination, violence, and exploitation, even here in our country. That’s why texts like Proverbs 31 are so meaningful. This text doesn’t see women as lowly. Instead, it elevates women by personifying wisdom as a woman. I have to confess that I’ve had a love/hate relationship with Proverbs 31. On the one hand, I hate what I call the “Proverbs 31” industrial complex: the hundreds of conferences and books that promote being the perfect wife, mother, and Pinterest domestic goddess by emulating the Proverbs 31 woman. This bothers me because it doesn’t bless women–it burdens them with guilt and anxiety about the life they should be living but aren’t. Many women and men have read this text as a “to do” list for the ideal woman. The ideal wife and mother. But this was never the intention of the text. Proverbs 31:10-31 is an acrostic poem—meaning that the first word of each verse begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in succession. It’s a poem that celebrates wisdom by elevating the everyday acts of an upper-class Jewish wife and seeing the beauty and glory in them. This woman keeps her household running smoothly day and night by buying, trading, investing, planting, sewing, managing servants, showing charity, providing food for her family and preparing for each season. The text is not prescribing that ALL women engage in these tasks. After all, we are not upper-class Jewish wives in the ancient world! In fact, the target audience of this text is not even women: it’s men. Yes, men are the target audience. The only instructive language in the poem is directed at men in verse 31: “Honor her for all that her hands have done.” It’s important to recognize that this text is directed at men because it highlights the fact that the flourishing of women in our world will not happen without the partnership of men. This isn’t women’s work—it’s work that all of us need to do. In Jewish culture, even today, it is men who memorize Proverbs 31 and they do so to honor the women in their lives. After the Sabbath candles are lit, they sing it or recite it to the women in their families right before they say the blessing over the Sabbath meal. Women are praised with Proverbs 31 by being called “women of valor”—eshet chayil. It’s a way to be honored no matter what kind of week a woman has had. Proverbs 31 celebrates valor. Verse 10 says “A woman of valor who can find?” You may have seen the word virtuous or noble in some translations but the best translation from the Hebrew for eshet chayil is woman of valor, meaning woman of strength or courage. Far from being a “to-do” list that pressures women to live up to an impossible standard, Proverbs 31 is a blessing that celebrates the everyday acts of valor that women perform, eshet chayil. Valor isn’t about what you do but how you do it. It’s the character that you bring to your life and work.

International Women’s Day 2017 Devotional World Relief

When a woman gives birth–eshet chayil. When she performs acts of mercy and kindness for the poor–eshet chayil. When she gets into grad school–eshet chayil. When she’s promoted at work–eshet chayil. When she just gets through a rough day with young children–eshet chayil. Proverbs 31 encourages us to celebrate the everyday faithfulness of the women we know. Now think of the women we serve through the programs offered by World Relief: When a refugee woman gets her first job in the US–eshet chayil. When an undocumented woman commits to attending English classes after working all day–eshet chayil. When a woman in the Congo becomes a peacebuilder in her community–eshet chayil. When a woman in Haiti cooks meals for her family with few resources–eshet chayil. When a woman in Cambodia sits through a training on protecting her family from traffickers–eschet chayil. Women of valor aren’t just found in Proverbs 31—they’re all over the Bible. They’re also in your life and around the world. They bring gifts, insights, passion, and calling to bring hope and healing to the world. Honor her for all that her hands have done. Amen. Sources: The Journey Back to Eden: Restoring the Creator’s Design for Men and Women, Glen G. Scorgie 3 Things You Might Not Know about Proverbs 31, Rachel Held Evans New Bible Commentary, eds. Gordon Wenham, J. Alex Motyer, Donald Carson, R.T. France Eshet Chayil Hebrew for Christians