The Proverbs 31 Woman Is Prepared
“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come” (Proverbs 31:25 ESV).
The Proverbs 31 Woman “laughs at the time to come”
There doesn’t seem to be a lot to laugh about these days. Wars, upset, political disagreements . . . if ever there was a time that laughter wasn’t appropriate, it seems today would be that day.
But when we look at the Proverbs 31 woman, “she laughs at the time to come” (Proverbs 31:25 ESV).
Scripture does not say, “she laughs at the good time to come,” or “she laughs because everything is going right in her life.” No . . . it merely says, “she laughs at the time to come.”
The good days. The bad days. The days you want to throw things in anger. The days when the world seems to be crumbling around you.
She laughs at the days to come. And let’s be clear . . . this is not a humorous laugh, but rather a confident laugh—one that declares she cannot be shaken by anything that comes her way.
The Amplified version says, “she smiles at the future [knowing that she and her family are prepared].”
The Proverbs 31 Woman Can Laugh Because She’s Prepared
Is she a superwoman? Well, kind of. But she laughs without fear at the time to come because she’s prepared.
She’s sown fields. She’s made clothing. She’s housed those in need. She’s sold goods. She’s raised her children. She’s honored her husband. She’s taken care of her house.
No matter what comes her way, she’s laid the groundwork and she’s ready. When things go wrong, she doesn’t have to panic. When things are great, she can rejoice. When days pass that don’t meet her hopes and expectations, she can look toward the future and know that good will come.
Are you laughing at the time to come? Are you smiling at the future?
We might not all have fields and sew our own clothing, but what sort of spiritual preparations have you made for when the unexpected happens? (And I’ll tell you from my—ahem—lengthy life experience, that the unexpected will happen.)
Preparedness Helps Us Have Peace
No matter what might come our way, we can face it with peace if we are prepared.
Prayers are the seeds we sow. Faithfulness is the garment we construct. Scripture is the treasure we store in our hearts that gives us confidence that the Lord will see us through.
Take a good, honest look at your heart: Are you trusting or fearful? Are you hopeful or dreading? Are you surrendered or guarded?
What preparations do you need to set in place to be able to laugh at the time to come?
It’s not a passive stance; these habits and safeguards should be your lifeblood.
Proverbs 31:25 says this woman is clothed with dignity and strength. Not something she’s holding loosely in her hand, not something that is picked up and set down again and again. She is enveloped in it, clothed in it, wrapped in it. It is a part of her everyday attire.
So, my friends, let’s get prepared. Let’s set our hearts on things above, on the Word of Life, on the God who holds us in the palm of His hand. And as we prepare, let us stand strong, with a confident glimmer in our eyes, as we face head-first the days to come.
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Cathe Laurie is the founder and director of the Virtue women’s ministry. She is also a featured speaker on The Virtue Podcast, at Harvest events, and the author of As I See It. You can find her weekly articles here on harvest.org.
