Proverbs 31:25
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Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
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A virtuous woman has an eye to the future. She is diligent and makes strenuous efforts to provide for her husband and children. She values integrity and graciousness very highly and does nothing to spoil her reputation. She never sacrifices the future on the altar of the present. She makes the choices now, and applies the efforts now, to yield great rewards in the future. She knows that slothfulness or compromise now will cost her much more later.
The front end of a woman's life requires strength and honour for her latter end to be joyful and peaceful. Early in marriage, a wife carries, births, and raises small children, with a high-maintenance husband, on a small budget! The combination can be fatal for untrained girls! The contrast from the easy life at home during her youth is quite a shock! But a virtuous woman, made so by God's grace and good training, will put forth the effort and investment to get through the difficult early years. She knows and accepts the old saying, "A father works from sun to sun, but a mother's work is never done."
When a woman is young, there are also many temptations for folly, which can ruin her reputation for the future (Ps 25:7; II Tim 2:22; Ezek 23:3,21). She has her own set of fleshly lusts that she must deal with righteously and soberly. Especially in a world obsessed with female freedom and frivolity, young women face many difficult tests in faithfulness, integrity, modesty, and purity. But the virtuous woman is a chaste virgin before marriage, and she is faithful in heart, mind, speech, and body after marriage.
How are strength and honour clothing? She puts on these traits as a person would put on clothes (Eph 4:22-24). She covers herself with them. What is strength? It is diligent labor and strenuous efforts in domestic duties to be the best wife and mother (14:1; 31:13-27). What is honour? It is her gracious and holy life in heart, tongue, and conduct that does not allow folly or sin to spoil her godly reputation (11:16; 31:11-12,26,30; Eccl 10:1).
A virtuous woman fears the Lord (31:30). And she works harder than other women (31:29). At what does she work so hard? First, she seeks to be an efficient and faithful wife and mother in duties at home and for the estate (31:13-27). Second, she works hard at graciousness, which will secure her future honor (11:16; 31:26). She knows godly character makes her beautiful, not clothing or accessories (I Tim 2:9-10; I Pet 3:3-4).
Christian woman! Do not sacrifice your future on the altar of the present! Do not be slack in duties now or compromise righteousness now, for it will destroy your future. Put in the effort and holiness now, and your future will be blessed. A virtuous woman will rejoice in the future from her prudent provision for it, her godly and righteous life that leaves a clean conscience, and the praise of others she has loved and served well (31:28-31).
Even a little folly can ruin a good reputation, like dead flies in good perfume (Eccl 10:1). You must always carefully protect your virtue and family, lest slothfulness bring your family down, or folly destroy your integrity. Today is the first day of the rest of your life, and you can put on strength and honour today. If you are faithful to strength and honour, your husband and children will praise you, and so will the Lord Himself (Matt 25:21,23).
Your future happiness depends on diligence and virtue today. Consider child training. A child trained well today will give you joy and peace tomorrow; but a child neglected today will give you pain and shame (10:1; 17:25; 22:6; 23:13-14; 29:15). Consider sex. If you cheat with romance novels, movies, or fantasies, it will lead to bitterness toward your husband, marital defrauding, and break you down for adultery (Matt 15:19; Jas 1:13-16).
Christian girl! You are not married yet, but you can still put on strength and honour for your future happiness and success. How? Be more diligent than any other girl in obeying your parents, keeping your room, helping around the house, and doing your schoolwork. How about honour? Be more careful than any other girl in holy thoughts, kind speech, pure relationships with boys, graciousness to all, and charity toward your enemies.
Christian reader, whether man or woman, you are the bride of Jesus Christ (II Cor 11:1-2; Eph 5:25-27). It is your duty also to clothe yourself with strength and honour. What is strength? A well fought fight with diligent effort (II Tim 4:7). What is honour? The apostolic faith earnestly kept in spite of heresies and trends (II Tim 4:7). If you have done these two things, at the end of your course is a crown of righteousness (II Tim 4:7-8)!
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