Reconsidering Proverbs 31

For more commentary on this week's readings, see the Reflections on the Lectionary page, which includes Copeland's current Living by the Word column as well as past magazine and blog content. For full-text access to all articles, subscribe to the Century.

Proverbs 31 used to be a standard at funerals. That was before we realized that womanly virtue meant more than giving a husband bragging rites in the city gates. I use to think it my pastoral duty to root out both masculine and feminine stereotypes in liturgy, hymnody and scripture. Now I’m not so sure.

There’s a lot to commend this paragon of entrepreneurial enterprise. She makes the ant of Aesop’s fable seem like a slacker. If you translated her self-appointed duties into a modern job description, it would jive with that of the most successful of CEO’s. Today she would be running her own corporation, selling a line of handmade clothing on the Home Shopping Network, and chairing her local United Way. Her husband could brag about her if he wanted, but she would be far beyond the need for that kind of thing. She would be a self-made woman.