A Soldier Woman Who Can Find?

A sister once told me about a devotion she heard in which the brother started by saying, “A soldier woman who can find? For her worth is far above rubies…” He went on to explain that the Hebrew word for “virtuous” in Proverbs 31 has implications of valor, army, might, and strength. Hence he read, “soldier woman.”

That analogy stands out to me, and I love the imagery. Actually, we are all told to be soldiers of Christ, warring against the flesh, and bringing every thought into the captivity of the Captain of our salvation. But what does that really mean? I decided to stop and think about what it means to me to be a “soldier woman.”

It means waking up with thanks in my heart for another day of life given by God, looking out the window at the sunshine, sky, trees, and birds and marveling at the beauty of creation.

It means going to the ecclesial hall to paint. Seeing the work for the Lord that needs to be done and doing it heartily because it’s for Him, and cheerfully because that’s what the Lord loves to see in me. It’s remembering that even in the jobs I will never get men’s glory for (like tediously painting shutters), God is watching. Even if I am the only one there, I won’t be resentful, because love doesn’t act like that, and besides I am only doing what is my duty.

Being a soldier woman today means using opportunities at work to witness in the smallest ways what is important to me, and not being discouraged when my attempts result in my words falling to the ground with abrupt silence. It means showing the children [I work at a school] love with patience and kindness, and joy for the way in which God made us perfectly as we are.

It means listening to Psalms in the car and singing along with understanding, directing my thoughts to the things of God and giving me things to meditate on — and offering my praise and thanks to God who is ever near me, drawing close to me because I want to be close to Him.

It means washing the dishes for my mom because she’s tired and I know our greatest calling is self-sacrifice.

It means reading God’s word to learn about Him and His ways so I can take them to heart, soul, strength, and mind. I’ll read so I can understand who I am, what I need. And having read, I can sing, praise, worship, and pray with understanding.

It’s praying to my Father in Heaven who wants me to cast my cares on Him (because He cares about me), and wants me to learn how to trust Him and love Him and be thankful for the endless mercies I see from His hand new every day.

It means always fighting the war against anything inside myself or in my environment that is in opposition to God, be it my own pride, selfishness, vanity, jealousy, faithlessness, humanism, false religion, ignorance, or outright wickedness. I’m not fighting a person or object specifically, so my line of defense is not something tangible. I fight with faith, with truth, with God’s Word…with God. And because I know that He is with me I will forever be bold and strong – fighting each day to live as I have been called – a soldier woman for my Lord!