Proverbs 31:30 (NASBStr)
Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
It is appropriate that the book that began with the motto of, "The Fear of The Lord is the beginning of Wisdom," should end with the characteristics of the virtues women, who, fears The Lord. In verse 26 we see that wisdom comes out of the mouth of this women: What's in the heart comes out through the tongue (also one of Solomon's themes ... Proverbs 4:23). Solomon is not forbidding charm or beauty as much as he is pointing out their most certain emptiness. The Hebrew word for "vain" here has a dual meaning. Not only does it refer to the fact that something is empty but also fleeting. Perhaps the reason it is empty is because it is fleeting. The passing of beauty and charm (charisma) pales in comparison to the long lasting, eternal focus of the Fear of The Lord. Those who fear The Lord are not concerned with the attraction of beauty and charm. Both may get you into the right groups and on the covers of the right magazines, or popular with the "in" crowd, but neither will last and deserve praise. Willingness to follow God and Fear Him bring wisdom that last's forever. The virtuous women is not concerned with the temporal. She is absorbed by the eternal and weighty things of the world. Hence, she will be praised.
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