Proverbs 31:30

Charm is deceptive, and beauty if fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

There are few things which last longer than life itself, but our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ does, along with God and the Holy Spirit. We can show so much charm, we can hide our facade of who we really are for only so long, but eventually weaknesses show through, the cover or armour gets chipped, corners get broken. The beauty we have with youth matures and changes with age – some for the better as they get older, and others look rather weathered and worse off.

If a man chooses to marry a woman based simply on her charm and her good looks, he stands to be disappointed some time later – sometimes much sooner than later. I believe that’s why marrying in haste can be disastrous. And if one marries purely for the sake of passion and lust, it will not be long-lasting. Many get married mistaking these feelings for love. It takes time to get to know the real person underneath, and to understand how that person is made up. But, if the woman is someone who fears and loves the Lord with all her heart, then the man who is set on marrying her stands to benefit from a jewel in his life – someone who is worth far more than rubies, as verse 10 in this book tells us. The beauty within goes far deeper than skin, looks and charm, and the heart of this woman is something to be valued and respected, and fully appreciated.  More than that, the man can trust and know that she hears from the Lord and will respect and love her husband as God intended.

Blessed is the man who seeks and marries a woman who understands Proverbs 31 and who seeks to be the best she can be.