What is the meaning of Proverbs 31:17? She girds herself with strength The verse opens with a vivid picture: “She girds herself with strength” (Proverbs 31:17a). Picture a woman wrapping a sturdy belt around her waist so she can move freely and work hard. This is not mere positive thinking; it is an intentional, God-centered choice to draw on the strength He supplies. • The source is the Lord. Psalm 18:32 assures, “It is God who arms me with strength.” She does not rely on fleeting human stamina but on Him who “gives strength to the weary” (Isaiah 40:29). • The action is deliberate. Just as Ephesians 6:14 calls believers to “stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,” she prepares in advance—she girds before the day’s demands hit. • The effect is practical readiness. Like Nehemiah’s builders who “worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other” (Nehemiah 4:17), she is ready for both labor and spiritual battle. Strength is not decoration; it is equipment. and shows that her arms are strong The verse continues, “and shows that her arms are strong” (Proverbs 31:17b). Strength moves from inner resolve to outward evidence. • Visible fruit. Her daily choices manifest in capable hands, echoing James 2:18: “I will show you my faith by my deeds.” • Enduring capacity. Proverbs 20:29 notes, “The glory of young men is their strength.” Here, however, it is a woman’s glory—strength matured by wisdom, honed by service. • Blessing for others. With strong arms she “extends her hands to the needy” (Proverbs 31:20) and “works with willing hands” (Proverbs 31:13). Like the industrious servant of Matthew 25:21 who hears, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” her strength multiplies good for family, church, and community. • God-honoring witness. Isaiah 40:31 promises those who hope in the Lord “will renew their strength… they will run and not grow weary.” Her vigor testifies to the faithfulness of that promise. summary Proverbs 31:17 paints a woman who first secures her strength in God, then lets that strength flow into visible, fruitful action. She prepares intentionally, works diligently, and blesses abundantly, modeling how every believer can live—armed by the Lord within and active for His glory without. |
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