Seeing Proverbs 31 Come To Life

March 28, 2026

While in Minnesota for my uncle's funeral, I was reunited with a group of friends and cousins I've known for nearly three decades.

We're all within a year or two of each other in age, but our lives have unfolded differently. Many of them started their families by the age of 20. Today, their children are grown, and one has even become a parent herself.

As I looked around the room, I wasn't just seeing old friends.

I was seeing the fruit of years.

Years of marriage.
Years of motherhood.
Years of sacrifice.
Years of showing up day after day, whether anyone noticed or not.

There was something beautiful about watching them interact with their children—now young adults—and seeing the relationships they had built over time. The seeds they planted decades ago were visible.

Even in the midst of grief, their character shined through.

When our friend needed support after the loss of her father, no one hesitated. We stepped in. We checked on one another. We shared responsibilities. We carried what burdens we could. There was no keeping score and no expectation of recognition. There was simply love expressed through action.

As I watched these women, I found myself thinking about legacy.

Not the kind measured in money or possessions, but the kind measured in people.

The kind built through faithfulness.

A day later, I arrived home around 4 a.m.

The house was quiet. The dining table still held the remnants of family life—crumbs, dishes, and little reminders that four children had occupied the space before bedtime. As I cleaned, I felt grateful.

Grateful for food.

Grateful for a home.

Grateful for warm beds where my children were sleeping.

I even stopped to wipe down Blu's ears and brush his coat, taking care of one more thing entrusted to me.

And in those quiet hours, my thoughts turned to my husband.

How could I better support him?

He carries a great deal on his shoulders. I know I carry my own burdens, but I wanted to understand what it means to truly help carry his.

Then I remembered something he had mentioned before—Proverbs 31.

After tidying the kitchen and dining room, I sat down with my Bible and journal and began reading.

What struck me immediately was that Proverbs doesn't end with instructions about business, leadership, money, or success.

It ends with a woman.

More specifically, it ends with a prophecy taught by a mother to her son, King Lemuel.

A mother's wisdom.
A mother's instruction.
A mother's vision for what a flourishing life looks like.

As I studied the chapter and reflected on my notes, I realized that many of the qualities described in the virtuous woman were the very qualities I had just witnessed in Minnesota.

A virtuous woman is not lazy.

She rises and works willingly with her hands. She cooks, plants, builds, and produces. She understands the value of her labor and uses it to provide for her family.

She considers a field and buys it.

She understands stewardship.

As someone who works in real estate, that verse stood out to me. She recognizes value. She understands the best use of land and resources. She thinks beyond the present moment and makes decisions that benefit her household in the future.

She prepares for difficult seasons rather than fearing them.

Her diligence creates stability.

Her labor produces abundance.

The chapter also says that the heart of her husband safely trusts in her.

That word—safely—stayed with me.

Trust is one of the most valuable gifts we can offer another person. A virtuous woman is trustworthy not because she is perfect, but because her character is consistent. Her husband knows she is working for the good of the family. He knows she is building rather than tearing down.

The chapter goes on to describe a woman who watches over her household.

She creates culture.

She teaches.

She guides.

She establishes a way of life that shapes her children long after they leave her home.

When I thought about my friends and cousins, this was the part that resonated most deeply. Their children are the evidence of years spent teaching, correcting, loving, sacrificing, and investing.

Those outcomes didn't happen overnight.

They were built through ordinary days repeated faithfully.

And perhaps my favorite verse in the chapter is this:

"She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness."

Wisdom and kindness.

Truth and grace.

Strength and gentleness.

Not one or the other, but both.

As I closed my Bible, I realized that becoming a Proverbs 31 woman is not about accomplishing an impossible checklist.

It is about becoming the kind of person whose life produces good fruit over time.

A woman who serves her family well.

A woman who helps those in need.

A woman who manages what God has entrusted to her.

A woman whose words are wise and kind.

A woman whose faith shapes every area of her life.

And as I thought about the women I had just spent the weekend with, I realized something else.

I don't have to imagine what that looks like.

I've been blessed to witness it for nearly thirty years.

The prayer now is simple:

Lord, continue transforming me into that kind of woman.

One day.
One choice.
One act of faithfulness at a time.