No, we are not discussing her cooking ability, her beauty, education, or political beliefs. What would the ideal woman would be like if we searched the scriptures to find her qualities? Consider these characteristics of the Bible’s ideal woman:
The Courage of Esther
Faced with the possibility of severe punishment from the king, Esther’s concern for her people put her in danger. But she knew that she must do what needed to be done, and her response was:
“And so will I go in unto the king… and if I perish, I perish,” Esther 4:16.
God’s ideal woman will do God’s will even if the rest of the world refuses to do so.
The Benevolence of Dorcas
Acts 9:36 describes this woman as being “full of good works”, giving aid to those in need. She was known for her works of kindness and the garments she made for others. Truly, her example deserves imitating by all of us.
Sarah’s Respect For Her Husband
In today’s woman’s quest for equality, some have forgotten that God desires and honors a woman who shows genuine respect for her husband, like Sarah. In 1 Peter 3:6, she is said to have been, as other godly women, in “subjection unto their own husbands.” She certainly was not Abraham’s “slave,” but she loved and respected him, “calling him lord.”
Ruth’s Loyalty to God and Family
Living in a foreign land and having lost her husband, she never lost her faith in God or her love for family. Her well-known statement in Ruth 1:16 is familiar to millions today:
“...whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.”
Loyalty to Jesus Christ will always be a noble quality for all of us – men and women.
Martha’s Industry
The story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10 is familiar. Jesus was visiting in their home. Mary was tending to Jesus while Martha was tending the chores of the house. She is concerned that Mary was slack in her chores, and Jesus corrected her. He did not rebuke her efforts to provide for the guests, for that is a worthy task. Mary, on the other hand, had “chosen that good part,” Luke 10:41-42.
Martha was doing a good work, but there was something better under the circumstances.
The “worthy” woman found in Proverbs 30 is “worthy” partly because of her industry, working with her hands. God’s ideal woman has hands that are not allergic to work.
The Modesty of Vashti
Vashti was queen of Persian king Ahasuerus. We read of her in Esther, chapter one where the king ordered her to appear before a group of men who had drunk wine in “abundance” and had become “merry with wine,” Esther 1:7-8. Vashti was required to display herself before this group of “merry” men who were obviously quite drunk. Her refusal cost her the throne she had occupied as queen.
The gospel calls for women who are “modest”, 1 Timothy 2:9, but modesty will always be a desired quality in a woman who seeks to please God. If today’s woman would rather please the gazing eyes of today’s man, she does so without God’s approval and contrary to her own best interests. Today’s world needs women like Vashti!
Mary Magdalene’s Desire to “Tell”
The life of Mary Magdalene is full of interesting questions, but there is certainly one very significant quality about this woman that is memorable. When she discovered that her Lord had been resurrected from the dead, she and others went immediately to tell the good news to others, Matthew 28:1-10. In the narrative it is said that she and the “other” Mary did not hesitate, and they “did run to bring His disciples word,” Matthew 28:8.
There was danger in the words they spoke, but they were overjoyed to know that He was alive again, by the power of God.
All these qualities of women in the Bible need to be seen in every Christian woman today. Courage, benevolence, respect, modesty, industry, loyalty – all are qualities needed by those who love the Lord today. Let us all read these good stories again and again, learning how God’s people should live.
