Proverbs 31:25a. Strength and dignity are her clothing.
We already know what the excellent woman’s actual clothing is made from – fine linen, scarlet and purple, the materials of honor and even royalty. Now we hear of the inner clothing of her character. Her strength and her dignity.
Strength: This word is mostly used in the Bible to describe God. People are strong as God is with them. God shares his strength with us as we trust in him.
Dignity: This word means to be honored or raised up. She is recognized for her hard work and her integrity by those around her.
In our western culture, we can get caught up in caring way too much about our outer clothing than our inner clothing. How a person dresses on the outside has always been a status symbol, even in ancient times. We’ve already seen how the excellent woman clothed her family in rare and expensive materials. Why did she do that? Because she knew what we all know, how you dress influences how you feel about yourself. God knew that from the beginning of time. When Adam and Eve sinned and the shame and guilt came crashing down on their psyches, they clothed themselves with fig leaf aprons, but God clothed them with animal skin robes.
Maybe you spent a lot of time picking out your clothes for today. Did you think about how they would make you look, or what other people might say about them? Do you want clothes that you know will make you look current, confident, celebrated? Do you choose clothes that will raise your apparent status? Are your clothing choices covering up something more than physical nakedness?
In the New Testament, the Apostle Peter says something similar to today’s proverb. He tells women to not worry as much about what they wear on the outside as what they are like on the inside.
1 Peter 3:3-4. 3Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.
But how do we wear a gentle and quiet spirit? How do we put on strength and dignity? In the New Testament we are told to put on Christ. Like clothing.
Galatians 3:27. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Romans 13:14. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
In Christ, we have already put on Christ (Gal. 3:27) and we must continue to put on Christ (Rom. 13:14). His character. His strength and dignity. His gentle and quiet spirit. But we don’t just put on his character traits through simple imitation. No, we put on Christ’s character by first receiving his strength and dignity, his gentleness and meekness. This goes beyond imitation of Christ to faith in Christ. Trust in the indwelling character of Christ that we have already put on, and the character of Christ that we can continue to put on.
You: How much attention do you pay to your clothing? What do your clothes say about you?
You in Christ: How does knowing that we have already put on Christ allow us to continue to put on Christ’s character each day?
Christ in you: Are you receptive of Jesus’ strength and dignity? Do you consciously embrace it as your own?
Pray: Father, I am dressed in the robes of Jesus’ righteousness. May I put on his strength and dignity today. Amen.
To Live is Christ 