Sermon 24 September 2000

David Layman

"A PRAISEWORTHY WOMAN

September 24, 2000

Proverbs 31:10-31

Matthew 6:16-18

Proverbs 31 includes a passage in tribute to "the capable wife". This ancient wisdom literature naturally includes some expressions which we might not use today. Alexander Graham Bells first words over the telephone were "What hath God wrought?" People dont commonly talk like that nowadays. And methinks that Shakespeare used some phrases not commonly employed today. Of course, if Shakespeare, were transported to the 21st century, and met someone who asked "Wassup, man?", hed know he wasnt in Stratford upon Avon anymore! The book of Proverbs dates back perhaps 3,000 years, long before MOST of us were born! So lets consider this section of Proverbs in a not too critical spirit, Ok?

Verse 10 begins "A CAPABLE WIFE WHO CAN FIND?" Now thats something you wont hear many husbands voicing in public nowadays! And there arent many wives who would be thrilled to get a Valentines Day card which begins "To my capable wife". But you can tell the author of Proverbs 31 means well, because of what he says in the following verses. In the Hebrew Bible, the ordering of books is different, and the book of Ruth immediately follows this section of Proverbs. Look at Ruth, the Hebrew scriptures say, and THERE is a "capable" woman!

Proverbs presents a wise and industrious woman, who goes out and finds wool and flax, works with willing hands, brings in food from far away. The capable woman is an apt business person as well, who "CONSIDERS A FIELD AND BUYS IT", and plants a vineyard. Verse 17 says "SHE GIRDS HERSELF WITH STRENGTH, AND MAKES HER ARMS STRONG." I dont believe they had health spas back then. I dont think Proverbs means that women were pumping iron in the weight room. Its hard to picture a Hebrew man in ancient Palestine saying "Yo, Seth, would you look at the biceps on that woman!" But it does sound like women in Bible times were well acquainted with physically challenging labor.

Proverbs 31 continues to describe an industrious woman who provides well for her household, who "MAKES LINEN GARMENTS AND SELLS THEM." But an esteemed woman, Proverbs tells us, is more than a success financially.

"SHE OPENS HER HAND TO THE POOR, AND REACHES OUT HER HANDS TO THE NEEDY." "STRENGTH AND DIGNITY ARE HER CLOTHING.. .SHE OPENS HER MOUTH WITH WISDOM, AND THE TEACHING OF KINDNESS IS ON HER TONGUE." "LET HER WORKS PRAISE HER IN THE CITY GATES." Its not just her family that acknowledges what a worthy person she is. The whole town praises her!

Verse 30 caps off this passage by saying "CHARM IS DECEITFUL, AND BEAUTY IS VAIN, BUT A WOMAN WHO FEARS THE LORD IS TO BE PRAISED." To "fear the Lord" does not mean to quake and tremble. To fear the Lord is to reverence and respect God above all else. We may find some verses in this passage quaint, from our cultural perspective. But there is a vital message here our society needs today. Our society has placed so much emphasis upon outward appearance, and so little upon inner faith and reverence for God!

The Bible consistently emphasizes the superiority of inward virtue, over outward appearance. Were not encouraged to believe appearances dont matter at all. Were not to go out of our way to look bad! Jesus said in Matthew 6:16 "WHENEVER YOU FAST, DO NOT LOOK DISMAL, LIKE THE HYPOCRITES, FOR THEY DISFIGURE THEIR FACES SO AS TO SHOW OTHERS THAT THEY ARE FASTING. . .BUT WHEN YOU FAST, PUT OIL ON YOUR HEAD AND WASH YOUR FACE, SO THAT YOUR FASTING MAY BE SEEN NOT BY OTHERS BUT BY YOUR FATHER

WHO IS IN SECRET.. ." Jesus saw first and foremost our inner heart. That needs to be our emphasis today. Esther was a beauty queen in the Hebrew scriptures, and she used her beauty to serve Gods people. We should do the best with the physical appearance we were born with, but inward rather than outward beauty is to be at the CENTER of life.

Billions and billions of dollars are spent on advertising, and on the beauty industry. Our daughters and women in our society constantly see on the screen and in advertisements, the images of beautiful women, with an occasional handsome man thrown in. Not many of us can compete with the most beautiful people in the world, whose images constantly appear before us. What does that do to the self image of our precious daughters, as they look at themselves in the mirror? It drives some of them to eating disorders, thats what it does. It makes many feel inferior, and of little worth. This saddens Gods heart!

Years ago I took a brief tour of New Orleans, in transit to Guatemala. While riding through the French Quarter, I saw pictures of show girls in the windows. And then I saw a young woman, hobbling along with braces and crutches. I thought to myself, "How must this girl feel about herself when she sees these images of womanhood all over, the kind of women men are supposedly crazy about, and then she considers herself, and her handicapped condition?"

And if a person lives long enough, even if they were striking in appearance in their youth, the years have a way of changing ones outward appearance. Frank Harrington told of staying at the home of an elderly couple in South Carolina while attending a meeting at Presbyterian College. Over the mantle in the living room was a gorgeous portrait of this woman when she was 27 years old. The woman told Frank of how her little granddaughter had visited her, seen the portrait, and asked "Grammy, who is that?" The grandmother said "Well, thats me!" And the granddaughter asked "What happened?" (May 11, 1997 sermon, Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, Georgia.)

We can ruefully laugh about what happens to our outward appearance as the years march on. But what our inward appearance is, be we young or old, is what matters most to God, and should matter most to us! I can think of many beautiful women in the churches I have served, whose youthful appearance I never knew. But in their advanced years, the beauty of their lives in reaching out their hands to the poor and needy, in providing love, Godly wisdom, warmth and compassion for others about them, made them VERY BEAUTIFUL women to God, to me and many others. Have you noticed when you first meet another person, you note outward appearances. But as you get to know that person from the inside out, you hardly begin to see outward appearances, as you cherish and appreciate their inward beauty? I think of some beautiful, Godly women from Old Second and First Presbyterian Churches: Violet Byrum, Bessie Corman, Lib Milligan, Sue Peters, and Anne Withers. There are many more that can be added. Virtuous women, with an inward beauty of spirit that no wrinkles can disguise!

As my mother aged, she naturally experienced changes in appearance common to us all. And she didnt like it. Once when she saw herself on videotape, it really upset her. We tried to comfort Mom and tell her how beautiful she was to us. I was with Mom the night she died. As the struggles of the night began to abate, and her breathing became softer, I sat beside her amazed to watch her countenance change. Breath by breath, as Mom approached the eternal presence of God, her face took on radiance and beauty. She was taken home by the One who put beauty in her heart, which she so freely shared with others. "CHARM IS DECEITFUL, AND BEAUTY IS VAIN, BUT A WOMAN WHO FEARS THE LORD IS TO BE PRAISED."

Rev. David Layman

1st Presbyterian Church

100 North 10th Street

Richmond, IN 47374