Haiyophi

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised."

Let's dissect, shall we?

Proverbs 31:30. Very well-known within the church, to be sure. I'd venture most women my age have this verse written on a notecare and taped to their mirror. I don't, but after doing some reading from http://studylight.org/, maybe I should. Here's what Adam Clark wrote in his commentary regarding Prov. 31:30.

Charm is deceptive...

"1. Favour, chen, grace of manner may be deceitful, many a fair appearance of this kind is put on, assumed for certain secular or more unworthy purposes; it is learned by painful drilling in polished seminaries, and, being the effect of mere physical discipline, it continues while the restraint lasts; but it is sheker, a lie, a mere semblance, an outward varnish. It is not the effect of internal moral regulation; it is an outside, at which the inside murmurs; and which, because not ingenuous, is a burden to itself. "

And beauty is fleeting...

"2. Beauty, haiyophi, elegance of shape, symmetry of features, dignity of mien, and beauty of countenance, are all hebel, vanity; sickness impairs them, suffering deranges them, and death destroys them."

But a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

"3. 'But a woman that feareth the Lord,' that possesses true religion, has that grace that harmonizes the soul, that purifies and refines all the tempers and passions, and that ornament of beauty, a meek and quiet mind, which in the sight of God is of great price-

She shall be praised.
This is the lasting grace, the unfading beauty."

WOW. There's a lot here, but let me just focus on a few key points.

 - A woman who fears the LORD possesses true religion. See James 1:27.
 - Physical beauty, referred to here as haiyophi, also includes symmetrical features. The very thing that I sought after is the very thing that will fade with time.. meaning even if I achieved symmetry it would be gone in a matter of decades.
 - Clark writes that charm can be deceptive because it's often put on for "secular or more unworthy purposes." As women, we don't always seek to manipulate with our charm. But other times our need to control rises up and combines with our fear of God not coming through for us, and we use it for "more unworthy purposes." That's why it's deceiving! Because sometimes it's manipulative, and sometimes it's not!

Here's what being a Proverbs 31 woman comes down to. Are we fueled by joy in our own fleeting haiyophi - or in God's?

- Grace Marita