The Glory of Womanhood

Discovering the truth about Women

The challenge to write on the topics of gender roles comes from a question proposed by Ryan O’Dowd when he asks why men don’t “blog with the same fervor as women on the subject of gender-specific vocation and godliness?” Hence, I took that question to heart and wrote, “The Essence of Manliness,” which has been my most popular blog yet. So, now I will respond with “The Glory of Womanhood.”

The tragedy of womanhood

Womanhood has been horrifically misunderstood both within society and the church. For society, womanhood has historically been diminished and enslaved to sexual objectification. Today, this is evidenced by entertainment, fashion, literature, and philosophy. What more alarming evidence do we need that society has plummeted the dignity and glory of womanhood, than when a literary embarrassment of a book about sexual misogyny sells over 100 million books around the world, like that of 50 Shades of Grey? Society limits womanhood to the object of male lust. It robs her glory by promoting lewd and seductive behavior. Thus, womanhood, in our day, has been reduced to a concentration of society’s standard of attractiveness, rather than the promotion of a woman’s true glory.

Unfortunately, the church has not offered a great image of feminine glory either. The church trains men to look for a woman that is “unattainably virtuous” based on poor interpretations of Proverbs 31, and “subservient” like is often misinterpreted from Pauline texts.

What does the Bible say about womanhood?

The Bible offers a definition of womanhood that is very distinct and surprisingly contrary to what many spiritual leaders and church doctrines have presented over the years. However, understaning Biblical womanhood requires an understanding of the contextual and theological undertones from which the Bible speaks.

Proverbs 31 has historically been the most sought out text for understanding biblical womanhood. Ryan O’Dowd encourages a deeper understanding of this passage as he reveals that womanhood and wisdom are closely linked throughout Proverbs. When we reach Proverbs 31, the definition of a virtuous woman completes an evolving theme of Wisdom in the book of Proverbs. That is to say that womanhood, at it’s finest, is the human reflection of God’s depths and power. She is strong, valiant, known for her honor, and treasured by her loved ones. She loathes wickedness and seeks righteousness for herself and for her household. “She is a physical manifestation of Wisdom in action in the world.”

Drawing from another article by Christine Howard Yoder, O’Dowd draws us into a more cosmic definition of womanhood:

Her activities encompass time: Rising early and staying up late, in winter, planting and harvest, her work is unbounded by days or years or seasons. Her wisdom involves the whole body in work: hands, eyes, arms, mouth, tongue, mind…The valiant woman’s activities ennoble place: starting in the home, moving into the local community, out to traders from distant lands, and then returning back home again in the end. Like Woman Wisdom’s vision of the world (8:22–31), this woman’s work touches every part of the known world, and it involves development or care for every area of creation.

The Proverbs 31 woman is not weak and subservient, just raising the family, cooking dinner, and giving pleasure to her husband. Rather, she is a noticeable force in the world and not to be taken lightly according to Proverbs 31.

What does Biblical womanhood look like?

The Bible gives us several women that mirrors the Proverbs 31 woman in their own lives. Ruth is one such woman, and in most Hebrew texts the Book of Ruth follows Proverbs. Which leads us to believe that Ruth was intentionally used to be the perfect roll model for Hebrew women to understand Proverbs 31 womanhood. Ruth was known for her brave devotion to her mother in law, Naomi. She defied her community, moved to a foreign country, and pursued the affection of a wealthy and prominent landowner named Boaz. Her actions and reputation were known throughout her community and even captured the heart of Boaz before they had even met. Her story is even proudly mentioned centuries later as it fits in the genealogy of Christ recorded in Matthew.

But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” (Ruth 2:11–12 ESV).

Other women throughout the Bible show similar characteristics. Esther was a queen who saved her people from the oppression of Haman. Deborah was a judge and general over the people of Israel and defeated her the enemies of her people. In the New Testament, Mary gains universal recognition for her valor as the mother of our Savior. Mary Magdeline defied the social protocol of women in her day and stepped out to wash the feet of a man (Jesus) with her tears. After Christ, women were mentioned for their support of Pauline missions, their prophetic giftings, their impact in their communities, as well as praised for their ability to assist in the discipleship of their pastors .

Discovering Biblical Womanhood

The Bible offers an understanding of womanhood that is quite unique and particularly rewarding. In the beginning of the Bible, the man is incomplete without the support and friendship of the female. The Old Testament seems to elevate a standard of womanhood that stands above the context of cultural norms, as she is a warrior, a prophetess, a queen, and an agent that continually draws us into the rich depths of God’s person (i.e. Wisdom). In the New Testament, Paul recognizes female vocation as a reflection of the Church (Eph. 5:25). Hence, she is called to be powerful, nurturing, and evangelical in her home and in the world just as any man would be proudly regarded. Therefore, Biblical womanhood is extremely powerful and should not be relegated to legalistic stereotypes of insignificance. As women and men seek to reflect the imago dei in their created uniqueness, therein lies the tremendous power to announce God’s redemptive power to all of creation.