Proverbs 31... Character Development

 ³⁰ Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, 
      But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

-Proverbs 31:30

Imagine a world in which names did not exist… There were no Joes, Johns, Sues or Samathas… Instead of being referred to by our names, we were called by our actions.  How would people describe you?  (See Luke 6:43-45) While some may welcome this challenge, most of us would tremble!

A Model of Wise Character

Proverbs 31 paints a picture of a woman that would do quite well in the world imagined above.  The author describes her as rare, responsible, proactive, wise, thoughtful. and the list of positive attributes goes on and on and is worth reading  (See Proverbs 31:10-31).

While the way people describe you today is food for thought, the more important questions are…

-How would you like people to describe your actions? 

-And what are you going to do about it?”

Character Development

Here are a few steps you can take to further develop your character...

Study Proverbs 31:10-31

The woman in Proverbs 31 is a great example of wise, godly living in several areas of life.  We not only see her character but we see the way she expresses it in terms of work, family, treatment of strangers, etc.  As you study the verses ask yourself, “Which attributes are present in my life?”  And Praise God for them!  Then ask yourself, “Which attributes are absent?  And what changes must I implement to express them?”

For example, Proverbs 31:8 reads, “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.”  As I read that I thought, “I want godly strength and dignity to that degree.  I want to be able to look at life’s obstacles and rejoice, not after, but while I am overcoming them.  I want to be so confident in God’s ability to lead me to success that I see momentary setbacks as detours and not permanent failures.”

Find Scriptures to Support Your Ambition and Reflect Upon Them…

Continuing the example above… I found a few biblical promises to support my goal of increasing my strength or confidence in God’s ability to victoriously guide me in overcoming obstacles.  Here are two scriptures that I will use as "thought filters" today…

¹ The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

-Psalm 27:1

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

-Ephesians 6:10

Click Scripture Menu to find scriptures that support your ambitions.

Scriptures are food that nourish the soul.  They are literally meant to be our daily bread (Matthew 4:4; Psalm 19:7-9 and Romans 10:17).  Ideas often seep into our minds that reduce our confidence, cloud our vision and distract us from achieving God’s purposes in our lives.  As Christians the Bible declares we are new creations with new identities and possibilities in Christ (2 Cor 5:17; Romans 12:1-2)!  Use scriptures to allow God to define your new identity, sense of possibility and abundant future. 

Commit to your Goals through Prayer and Action

Go for it!  Ask God to be your teacher, your trainer, your tutor… God designed  You for greatness.  After you pray, believe that God will assist you and exercise the discipline required to accomplish your goals!  (John 14:13-14; Mark 11:22-25 and Philippians 4:6-7)

Affirmation

I will Reflect God’s Maturing Power in My Life!