In this episode of The Illustrious Podcast my friend CeCe has prepared a teaching on the Proverbs 31 Woman. Don’t worry, there’s something for everybody in today’s episode whether you love the Proverbs 31 Woman or can’t stand her CeCe has a word for you.
CeCe is a wife, a mother, a speaker and a woman on fire for God’s word and women. So let’s dig into today’s episode! We have got a lot to cover in a short amount of time on all things Proverbs 31.
Proverbs 31 for Every Woman…And Man?
Bailey: Proverbs 31 is one of those verses that is a little bit ubiquitous. It’s all over Bible studies, there are endless blog posts, there are teachings, and sermons, and even ministries that are founded just on this one verse. I myself am a particular fan because I am the typical Type A perfectionist. I love it. I love the checklist. I love to have that measuring stick of my performance as a wife, a follower, and a woman.
But, of course, there are other women who don’t take so kindly to this verse for a multitude of reasons. So, CeCe, I would love to get your take on this famous chapter of the Bible. Is this something you teach often?
CeCe: Traditionally I have sort of steered away from this text not that I haven’t enjoyed it not that I haven’t lean into it but I just I hadn’t really chosen it as a topic to teach the women only because I too was nervous that it might be saying to gals hey get your proverbs 31 list on. I spend my life with women, my family first, but next to that my passion is women and the Word and so I get to a lot of feedback from them. I get a lot of information on how their day goes, how their relationships are going, and a lot of feedback on how they feel about themselves.
The areas of worth and identity are just common struggles for women at every age. It doesn’t matter if you’re 13, 33 or 83 it can still be an issue. Traditionally I had stayed away from Proverbs 31 so as not to add pressure to women, but as of recently after you asked me about this, Bailey, I found myself in a situation where I did dig in and I lead a group of women through this text. I was very pleasantly surprised that it’s not a to-do list that’s a burden and I’m excited to talk about that.
Hannah: One thing I always find interesting is how we do shy away or warm up to certain passages of the Bible. I’m always amazed when I, myself, take that step of bravery just to dive in and say “hey I’m gonna dive in and see what God has to say” because the entire word is spoken by God, so I’m just wondering CeCe if you could share a little bit of the back story on Proverbs 31.
CeCe: That was some of the best fun I had in studying this chapter. I’ll go broad first. It’s clearly written. It’s counsel from a mother to her son. A queen to a prince.
Most commentators are in agreement that it is Solomon and his mother Bathsheba. The opening says that this passage is written by King Lemuel. Lemuel means [devoted to or belonging to] God. So most people believe that it’s a pet name that his mom called him very fondly. So Solomon and Bathsheba are kind of the number one in agreement that it was penned by, but second to that would be King Hezekiah. Some believe that this passage was penned by a fictitious queen mother and her prince son giving good wisdom.
What’s fun for me, and I didn’t read this anywhere, I just sat and thought through it. If it Bathsheba and Solomon, Bathsheeba had been through a lot. If you read the story of David which I really suggest that you do in the Old Testament its a wonderful epic story of failure and success and joy and passion and worship and sin.
