True and Enduring Recognition

Today's reading: 

• Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. -- Proverbs 31: 30

Thoughts:
First, let me say that I have been somewhat jealous throughout my life that there's such a beautiful passage in the Bible devoted to women. I know I can't really be jealous because so many of the Bible's heroes are men. But to have one passage for men with a poetic portrayal of who we should aspire to be and what kind of character women should hope for in a spouse would be tremendous.

Both men and women share one ideal in common throughout the Scriptures, though: to be a person who fears the LORD.

When we think of women, both back then and now, many times what we value is much less important: charm and beauty. But the writer shuts those values down with deadly simplicity.

Charm? It's deceptive. A woman who is charming while dating may be terrifying once married.

Beauty? It's temporary. All people age. Women are people. Therefore, women age.

What is faithful and true? What can be permanent and enduring? Character. The ongoing choices a person makes. The way someone chooses to decide how to treat people. And the ideal character, for women and for men, is found in someone who fears the LORD.

A woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. She makes her choices based on what will please Jesus. She has the humility to recognize her shortcomings, but through the grace of Jesus is able to leave them behind her and keep growing in wisdom. She is not to be praised because she is perfect, but because she is sojourning into greater depths of Jesus' goodness, kindness, and mercy. With her eyes focused on Jesus, her life is oriented toward ever-increasing beauty. True. Enduring. Beauty.

Which deserves True. Enduring. Recognition.