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Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Wouldn’t it be terrific to laugh at the days to come? While this verse from Proverbs 31 seems flippant at face value, at its core is a woman who seeks her wisdom from God and fears him first.
Being God fearing and wise are both attributes of leadership that help us further show love and faith at work. If we think of Colossians 3:23 where we are implored to work as to the Lord and not man, abiding in God’s Word for us helps us develop a healthy fear and reverence naturally.
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised (Proverbs 31:30).
We talked about our physical presence and how we can clothe ourselves with strength and dignity, but the Word here is clear. We shouldn’t solely rely on this. What does fear of the Lord look like?
Naturally, if we fear God we seek to behave in a manner that is pleasing to him. This could show up in leadership as honesty, being giving of your time, or even through excellence in the work you produce. It can also show up in how you resolve conflicts with others or in how you listen well to your team.
This reliance on God is not arrogant, especially since we know we cannot perfectly predict or control our future. God can.
Proverbs 1:7 tells us, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The fruit of our Proverbs 31 woman’s fear is seen in verse 26.
She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue (Proverbs 31:26).
Being a leader, you are in a position to provide instruction. Maybe this is as simple as on the job, technical training or providing deeper feedback to someone about specific development they need to progress to the next level of their career. In either instance we are called to be faithful. Being faithful with our words and being consistent in how we show up are all good fruits that help us love our teams well.