Still at V 10 - Being Virtuous = Woman Power!!

Girl Power..... well, sounds too girly for me. So Woman Power it is.

The word "virtuous" often conjure up an image of a soft spoken, shy, gentle female form, holding a tray of freshly baked cookies in one hand and a broom in the other. Ok, so maybe not everyone thinks that way, but in my once brainwashed mind, I was frightened by the thought of turning into "one of them".

The feminist movement did great damage to the Christian women, causing terrible confusion as to what our true roles are. We are deceived to thinking that being a virtuous woman will strip us of intelligence, dignity and liberty.

After rebelling against myself for so many years, I find myself back where I've always wanted to be *shock, horrors* a housewife! I am now a cookie baking, floor sweeping, clothes washing, baby feeding wife and mother! ............ Asian exclamation coming right up.... now... AIYAH!!!

But is that what being virtuous is all about? A big fat NO! The lies I have been feeding myself over the years. Craaaaaaazy. Could have saved my poor soul a lot of grief.

What does "Virtuous" mean? Simply - Strong in Morals and Character. Nothing there points to being sickeningly sweet, shy and demure. Being virtuous reflects a show of strength in moral conduct and display of wisdom and abilities. We do not have to look far for examples - look at the godly women in the bible and we find that each one of them possess quiet strength that is far greater than all the armies combined.

To borrow a line from an online sermon (http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/homefam/prov31.htm), the first part of verse 10 could be read as "Who can find a woman of strength?" Ahhhh.... I like... Now I just need to learn to apply strength in the right areas... And this is where the rest of the passage comes in handy.

Verse 10 : Ruby Ning? Nah... just plain ol' Ruey

Verse 10 : Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above the rubies.

I remember during my junior college days in Singapore, we had some sort of a inter-class competition going. I must have scribbled my name too quickly (or more likely it was my bad handwriting), that the "E" in Ruey ended up looking like a "B". My friends had such a laugh when a teacher called out for "Ruby Ning". Ewwww.... sounded like I was some cabaret dancer from one of those 80s styled dinner theatre joints.

Now looking at this verse, I can't even imagine myself being worthy enough to be associated with a ruby. This isn't false modesty at work. I don't even know the value of a precious gem such as a ruby.

Of course, "rubies" in this passage do not only refer to the precious red stones. It means precious gems. The rarity of a virtuous woman is as rare as these precious gems.

I don't know if that knowledge makes me feel better or worse. Afterall, if it's that rare, then I suppose I belong to the majority then? Guess even if I'm not a truly virtuous woman, I can't be that bad, because there are many other women like me.

Wrong.

God doesn't want mediocracy from us. He expects His elects to be present themselves faultless, so we should demand nothing less than the best from ourselves in our service to the Lord. Yes, that's what we should do... but can I? Do I dare start this drastic change and find the virtuous woman in me? In any case, what does it mean to be "virtuous".

I can't imagine myself being this demure, gentle, pie-baking, embroidery-sewing, slipper-fetching woman. Is this what being a virtuous woman is all about?

It's too late to ponder upon this right now... off to bed... maybe I'll dream of myself as an un-cut gem, being polished... and maybe, just maybe, a virtuous woman might emerge.....