A Woman Worthy of Praise

Here are the Seven Characters of a Woman Worthy of Praise:

1. She walks in the fear of the LORD
   • In the Scripture, walking is a picture of a lifestyle and continuous communion with God. 
   • Ti 2:2-5, 1 Tim 5:2-5 ...be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness
   • Woman not worthy of praise: 1 Tim 5:11-12, 15 ...when their passions draw them away from Christ
2. She maintains a meek and quiet/gentle spirit
   • 1 Pe 3:3-4 …let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 
   • 1 Tim 2:9-10 – …women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. Ornaments do not define women, character does.
   • Women not worthy of praise:
   • Pr 7:10-11 – …dressed as a prostitute… She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home. hardheaded, boisterous…
   • Men are hooked to gentle, industrious, & hospitable women.
   • Pr 21:9, 27:15-16 ...a quarrelsome wife.
3. She reverences her husband with loving submission
   • Eph 5:22-24 – Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord… Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 
   • Woman not worthy of praise: contentious woman – Pr 12:4, 19:13 – she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones. 
4. She raises her children with loving service
   • 1 Tim 5:14, Pr 31:15, 21, 27 …manages [her] households… rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household… looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
5. She keeps her home with cheerful diligence.
   • She devotes her time to the welfare of her home.
   • Women not worthy of praise: 1 Tim 5:11-13 …they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not. 
6. She speaks with wisdom and kindness
   • Pr 1:7 – The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. 
   • Woman not worthy of praise: Pr 11:22 …a beautiful woman without discretion. 
7. She pursues good character and works
   • 1 Tim 5:4 –let them first learn to show godliness to their own household…
   • This is not occasional good deeds but a proactive and deliberate ministry. She is to exercise goodness, hospitality with diligence at all times.
   • Pr 31:20 She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.

Beauty is not measured by physical terms. It is to be measured by clear Scriptural standards. Nevertheless, the quest for physical beauty is not inherently sinful.

Physical beauties are mere ornaments with a season of freshness but will eventually fade away.
Physical enhancement becomes a perversion when we idolize our physical appearance. Don’t waste and spend much of your time on things that have no eternal value.

A woman is worthy of praise not because of who she is, her name, achievements, possessions, or family background. The Scripture is clear. It does not say, “a woman is to be praised” period! But, a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. The fear of God defines and determines her praiseworthiness.

As a woman who fears the LORD, may you develop chronic worship, a conscious worshipping of God and pouring out of your heart to Him at all times. A woman worthy of praise fears the LORD. Neither her physical appearance nor her temporal possessions define excellent womanhood, the fear of the LORD does. A beautiful soul is adorned with Christlikeness. Be that woman, fear the LORD! 

To God be the glory!