The Virtuous Woman

Proverbs 31:10a "Who can find a virtuous woman?"

I know this word "virtuous" has something to do with strength and I know the word in Bible text mostly refers to women. I love the word;  it sounds rich in character.  I much prefer being tagged as "virtuous" than the "weaker vessel"(which is, by the way, also a Biblical reference to women).

So, I've set out to find how I can be both strong and weak! What's funny is: there are days I feel really empowered.  I'm sure I could move mountains, yet when I set out to do so, I quickly realize I'm limited in doing so many things because I am a woman!  It even annoys me at times!  And then you know what is really  embarrassing is when I attempt to show how strong I am, and I fall flat,  showing my weakness that I was trying to prove I didn't have!

So I'm trying to find the secret of this virtuous woman. I've been following her for years and I really have learned a lot yet when I open it up again, there that word jumps out at me and I find some new truth I hadn't discovered before. 

Two words stand out to me today. Though the word "strong" always connects with "virtuous" so do the words "capable" and "efficient". Ironically, the word "virtuous" in Hebrew is used to describe an Army.  Now,  if there's one time I'd like to be described as weak, it's there. I would never want to do military duty! I am the weaker vessel through and through!

However,  I really want to be capable and efficient!  I love being tagged with that! I'm pretty sure I'm capable of handling alot and keep organized in doing it! I'm thinking that those are surely virtuous traits. And I feel good on those days when that is accomplished!. It is so rewarding!

Then there are those days when I wake up and I'm pretty sure I'm the "weaker vessel". And I question how can I have been so strong yesterday and be here today? Those are the days when I am reminded that "strength is made perfect in weakness".  I can only be made strong by being weak. It's when I am weak that God really is able to teach and train me, because that's when I am quiet and ready to learn.

Lord, help me not to be empowered by my capabilities and help me not to use my weakness as an excuse to be lazy.  Round me out with the right portions of both to keep me virtuous. I realize those kind of women are hard to find. I want to be easily recognizable as a woman of God.