Introduction: Through my journey as a Christian I always heard reference to a Proverbs 31 woman under the light of her being a good

wife, or perhaps a good mother. Quite frankly, I became overwhelmed with the idea of women only being thought of as house cleaners and good mothers. Indeed, these two qualities are great to have as a mother, but what about her personal fulfillment and joy? Does this woman ever truly do anything for the benefit of her-self and Christ, other than provide for her family? With my own prior knowledge of gender inequalities and biblical studies, I began to dig deep into the topic of what a true Proverbs 31 woman represents. To be perfectly honest, this research has given a whole new perspective of this woman. I have found my own definition and identity as a Proverbs 31 woman. To help my readers understand what is being discussed, below I will include a copy of the Proverbs 31 scripture: Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her house hold, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in 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 arise 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. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. (KJV Proverbs 31)

Literature Review Terms: Proverbs 31 Woman: The Proverbs 31 woman is found in the book Proverbs in the bible. The book of Proverbs is said to be the book of wisdom which many of the verses were written by Solomon. However, Proverbs 31 is written by Solomons mother for him. This chapter is a poem that heeds advice to a man in terms of the type of woman he should pursue and marry. This woman is said to be a woman of strength and dignity. She is a leader, businesswoman, care taker, staple in the community, wife, and a woman of God. This poem indicates the type of lady each Christian woman should strive to be. For the purposes of my discussion, the Proverbs 31 woman will be examined closely. Each article has an idea or opinion based on the ideology of this woman and will be used to further my thoughts on the topic, as well as the opposing side. Khayil: Throughout the Old Testament (first part of the Christian bible) Khayil is used several times. In an article written by Megan DeFranza, she discusses the

different translations used for Khayil in many versions of the bible. It was noted that the word was often used in sense of an army when referring to men. However, since women were not allowed to be a part of the army, Khayil is used when referring to women in the sense of strength. In the different versions of the bible, this word is often referred to as wisdom or knowledge. This article will further my discussion and explanation of a Proverbs 31 woman by defining what the true meaning of what this woman is. Megan DeFranza states that this woman is a woman of strength. By comprehending the different terms and definitions of what this woman represents will help me go further in depth with my conversation. Gender Inequality in the Bible: Throughout my study of a Proverbs 31 woman, I found many opinions on the equality of women and men in the bible very current and intriguing. In one article by Hornoks What determines virtue? begins by separating the two sides; evangelical feminist and the complementarian. This article states that the evangelical feminist perspective is focused on the idea that this woman is a successful career woman while the complementarian views her as a stay at home mom that takes care of her family. For the purposes of my conversation, I will use this article to further my conversation by including Hornoks opinion on the gender differentiation of women in the bible. Her opinion in this article does not take a side in the matter; however, she states that there are stages in which this woman progresses from taking care of her home, to being a wife and business woman. For the purposes of my conversation, I will use this article and topic to further my conversation in the terms of identifying those who have strong opinions on both sides of the argument.

Proverbs 31 Man: In light of creating evidence in my argument, I provided several outlooks on the mans perspective of what characteristics a husband should display. Daniel Fan talks about his life taking on the roles that people label as womens work. This article shows that although he stayed at home and took care of his family, he had his own at-home business. This shows if we view this situation closely, anyone can relate to the Proverbs 31 woman, even men. This topic will further my conversation by making my readers aware of the reliability of the Proverbs 31 woman.

Identifying with the Proverbs 31 Woman: The Proverbs 31 Woman is a mother, wife, businesswoman, and staple in her community. Throughout Proverbs 31 this woman shows extraordinary characteristics that some see as impossible to achieve in todays society. Maya Angelous poem Phenomenal Woman displays one characteristic that this type of woman should have. Throughout this very visual piece, Maya tells her audience that they should be proud of the caring and well put together woman that she is. Also, an article on Eve Nunez tells her story of her journey on becoming a Proverbs 31 woman by not only being a good mother and wife, but also helping those in need. I plan to use the identification of a proverbs 31 woman in my conversation by bringing in different perspectives of what it means to be a strong, loving woman.

How is the Proverbs 31 woman characteristics implemented into modern society: A Narrative of the Research Paper In modern society, the standards and characteristics of women have been altered in many different aspects. Women are no longer expected to live at home and complete domestic tasks.

Instead, women in our society maintain careers such as motherhood, and marriage. With the major culture shift we have experienced in this generation, women still have reason to identify with the Proverbs 31 woman. However, due to the opposing argument of biblical women being held to the standards of being a house wife can alter or cause disagreement upon the relatable individuality of this woman in the existing society. Therefore, the scope of this inquiry will focus mainly on the interpretation of the Proverbs 31 woman and her role in society. I also hope to thoroughly explain how this woman can be related to in modern society. Through biblical knowledge and opinion, one may find that the Proverbs 31 woman is multifaceted. To begin, I would like to discuss the historical background on the Book of Proverbs. Through observing my topic, I learned that the Book of Proverbs is merely a collection of collections. This book focuses on wisdom, understanding, the commandments (Gods laws), sin and iniquity (breaking Gods laws), and many different comparisons between Gods way and Mans way of life. Proverbs is typically divided into two sections: one of which focuses on general knowledge and wisdom in verses 1-9, while Proverbs 31: 10-28 describes a virtuous woman. One topic of wisdom that Proverbs is widely known for discussing is the ideal characteristics of a woman and her stance in life. The description of a woman in Proverbs 31 was said to be a lesson written by Lemuels mother for Lemuel (a biblical king); however, other interpreters think it was something repeated amongst many Jews. For the purpose of my conversation, you will often see me refer to this poem being written for Lemuels knowledge by his mother. Moreover, the poem itself is designed to show men what wives they should choose and can also show women how to be wives. A Proverbs 31 woman illustrates many qualities such as: leadership, business driven, care-taker, community activist, and Christian woman. In an article written by Laura Leonard, A Proverbs 31 Woman, discusses the life of Eve Nunez. As the vice president of the National

Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and her work with Help4Kidz (providing low-income children with food, clothing, and ministry) she believes in educating people about making the change that they speak about. Stating that her work in the community centers on Proverbs 31 8-9 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute, Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy, Eve Nunez is a prominent example of what a Proverbs 31 woman represents in our society (Page 2). This goes to say that a Proverbs 31 woman is more than being a wife and a mother. Ideally, this woman is a wellbalanced woman who actively participates in her community. Along with harmonizing the roles discussed above, it is most important that this woman maintains a relationship with Christ. Although many women in society demonstrate the basic qualities of a Proverbs 31 woman, it is only through personal development with God that a woman becomes fit as the woman in Proverbs 31. In todays society, women can take on any responsibility they want with limited amount of gender discrimination. In fact, the amount of single parent households with mothers raising their children has become widely accepted in society. Women in the 21st century can relate to the Proverbs 31 woman by observing her daily life. A single woman who is in the church and fully devoted to Christ can relate to Proverbs 31 by understanding and desiring her admirable ways. However, a married woman who is a Christian can relate to this woman because if her relationship is right with God, so will her marriage with her husband. This goes to say that she understands her duty as a wife, mother, and community activist. Daniel Fans article titled Proverbs 31 Man explains the story of how he found himself walking the path of a Proverbs 31 woman. He states that although he isnt capable of reaching all the qualities listed in Proverbs 31 that its okay, because Proverbs 31 isn't meant to be read as a checklist. It is a compilation of

individual virtues, each of which is worthy of celebration (11). This means that no man or woman is perfect; however, it is within the effort to do right by Christ, your significant other, and the community that matters. Daniel also states It was not by choice, but by calling, that I found myself a Proverbs 31 man. And perhaps, if you look carefully, you will find yourself one as well (11). This goes to say that regardless of gender, anyone can relate to the woman found in Proverbs 31. Her whit, nature of caring, and ability to maintain her works in the community are traits all can desire to have. If Daniel Fan can relate to a woman, who was originally created for man, surely woman in this generation can as well. So What? Why is it Important That Women Relate to the Proverbs 31 Woman? After digging through the meaning of Proverbs 31 and the implications, the remaining question isso what? Why does this woman even matter? In short, this topic is vital to the modern community because we all have to have morals and certain standards to live by. Having a world full of Proverbs 31 Women would benefit our society in many ways. We would have better taken care of families and a community full of activists. Also, having a sense of belonging or values helps encourage our society to be the best that they can be. Everyone can take pride in being a good person, successful business owner, or community leader. Moreover, it is important that women connect to this chapter in the bible because it helps you grow your faith in God. So many young girls wonder why their Mr. Perfect hasnt come along, or perhaps they worry about past mistakes they have made. This is something that only Christ can handle. His most precious gifts to us are one of his sons/daughters that he sends to love us. Therefore, he will only do so in the circumstance that we are ready to handle the responsibility of taking care of someone else. It is important that we all connect to this woman in some way because we all need

to have core values that help shape and mold our lives. After all, you know the saying Those who stand for nothing, fall for anything.

Works Cited Burn, Shawn Meghan, and Julia Busso. "Ambivalent sexism, scriptural literalism, and religiosity." Psychology of Women Quarterly 29.4 (2005): 412-418.

DeFranza, Megan K. "The Proverbs 31 "Woman Of Strength": An Argument For A PrimarySense Translation." Priscilla Papers 25.1 (2011): 21-25. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.

Erre, Francine. "The Proverbs 31 Woman." Mutuality 15.1 (2008): 23-25. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.

Fan, Daniel. "Proverbs 31 Man." Mutuality 20.2 (2013): 10-11. Academic Search Complete. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.

Hornok, Marcia. "THE PROVERBS 31 WIFE: What Determines Virtue?." Journal Of Dispensational Theology 17.51 (2013): 143-158. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.

Interview with Operations Manager at Unplugged Charlotte, Ishmael Lowry.

Laura Leonard. "A Proverbs 31 Woman." Christianity Today 54.2 (2010): 96. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.

Leithart, Peter J. "The Warrior Wife." Touchstone: A Journal Of Mere Christianity 24.5 (2011): 9-10. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.

Phenomenal Woman. Perf. Maya Angelou. Oprah Winfrey Network. Harpo Productions, 12 May 2011. Web. 26 Feb. 2014.

Sellers, Tina Schermer, et al. "Women Called: A Qualitative Study of Christian Women Dually Called To Motherhood And Career." Journal Of Psychology & Theology 33.3 (2005): 198-209. Academic Search Complete. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.