The Strong Woman

I have the greatest of admiration and thanks to God for the strong women in my life. But the word “strong” bears some explanation. By strong I do not mean physical muscles. I refer rather to spiritual and character muscle. A woman after God’s own heart is one who has mental, moral, and spiritual strength. Such strength is measured by a woman’s capacity to impact the lives of others for the glory of God. By God’s mercy He has brought certain women into my life who have impacted me significantly. My two grandmothers, each of whom was a believer in Jesus Christ taught me valuable life lessons. It was my mother’s mother who led my father’s mother to Christ. My grandmother Morris was a faithful evangelist. If you sat next to her on the trolley, you more than likely would hear a lot about God’s wondrous grace in Jesus Christ. When Jehovah Witnesses came to the door she grabbed up her Bible and with great eagerness shared the story of redemption in God’s eternal Son. On one occasion when it was evident that the two Watchtower representatives were unwilling to listen to the gospel any further, she stomped her foot twice on the porch and told them she was shaking the dust off of her feet because of their unbelief (Acts 13:51).

My mother is another kind of story about strength (they now call such people strong-willed). She worked her way through a lot of difficult times in her life and struggled with anger against certain men who failed her. I think I saw her beginning to yield to God’s superior strength in the last years of her life. Disappointment in some professing Christians had jaundiced my mother toward church. It took a lot of stamina to raise five sons. One of the sweetest, strongest Christian women I have ever known was my mother-in-law. She accepted me, loved the Bible, and loved God. She was kind, smiled a lot, and was always interested in what sermons I was preaching. I miss her. Mrs. McClendon gave me a daughter which I have not deserved. My dear wife, Beth, has shown me the graces of the Spirit in incalculable ways. She is a brick. That’s my ultimate accolade for a strong Christian woman. God has given me a “Mrs. Far-Above-Rubies” as my life’s companion. I am blessed. Then there is my precious, strong, Bible-loving and God-honoring daughter, Miriam. She sat through hundreds of my sermons, loves me, and continues to ask me theological and Scriptural questions. I talk to her almost every day and have received countless encouragements from her generosity, love for people, and witness for Christ. She has shown her three children the way to faith in Christ. The song in her voice is a mercy to me from God. I thank God for my daughter-in-law, Cheryl, who has brought further strength into the circle of women around me. Her infectious evangelistic spirit and the Bible instruction she gives to my three grandsons give witness to her strong confidence in God and His Word.

There is no greater portrait of a strong woman than is found in Proverbs 31:10-31. In this acrostic poem (each verse follows the order of the Hebrew alphabet) the godly and effective wife is described in memorable language. The strong woman is invaluable to her husband (31:11, 12, 23, 28). He can trust her and gives her all the freedom she needs to make decisions. She doesn’t try to manipulate him by emotions and threats. There is not another man in her soul and she delights in being her husband’s helper, unselfishly and cooperatively. She makes her husband look good. The strong woman contributes to the welfare of her children (31:15, 21, 27). They are well-fed and properly clothed. They are treated as valuable possessions and not as some penalty of pregnancy. She teaches them and makes all the necessary sacrifices for them. What a pleasure it was to have recently listened to some of the small children in our church tell of their trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sin. It was evident that some fathers and mothers have been investing time in the lives of their sons and daughters. Where would many of us be if it had not been for the Bible-truth that was woven into our lives by faithful, God-loving women? I think of the gospel witness given to me in my earliest years by my grandmothers and my Aunt Betty who, though in her middle eighties now, continues to walk through life by the light of God’s promises.

The strong woman is a wise household manager (31:18, 27). No moss grows under her feet. She has goals and works at planning for rainy days, ice storms, and hard times. She is a wise shopper and has good sense about money. A credit card is not a ticket to debt but to wise living. I was impressed how my Aunt Betty was always ready for emergencies, whether clean-up from eating in the car or injuries from playing in the woods at her house. The strong woman is sensitive to the needs of others (v. 20). She is not so wrapped up in her family that she forgets about people on the outside. Material things are not allowed to seduce her into thinking they are more precious than serving Christ. My grandmother Morris was concerned about the ice man who was making his deliveries with floppy, worn-out shoes. So she found a pair of my grandfather’s shoes and gave them to him. He carried that big block of ice on his burlap-covered shoulder a bit easier because of her kindness.

The strong woman gives appropriate attention to herself (v. 17). She cares for her body because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19, 20). Her figure and food are not allowed to become idols of the heart. She dresses for her husband, not to attract the lustful gazes of other men. The strong woman submits to God’s infinite wisdom (31:26, 30). She lives by the truth that “the fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted” (Prov. 29:25). Therefore, the godly woman is not controlled and driven by her fears but by her steady, quiet confidence in a loving, sovereign God. Who then is a strong woman? She is one who knows the Lord Jesus Christ as her Redeemer. She is in the pursuit of loving God with all her heart, soul, mind, and strength. She has a ravenous appetite for the Word of God. And she sees herself as God’s servant for His glory. How blessed are those men who have the treasure of strong women written into the story of their lives.

Dr. Howard E. Dial
Berachah Bible Church