Virtue (Proverbs 31)
Power, Beauty, and True Humanity
Moms are incredible. From the earliest days of our lives, they care for us, guide us, and—often without us realizing—shape how we see the world. That’s exactly what we see at the close of Proverbs, where King Lemuel remembers the wisdom his mother taught him. Her lessons weren’t just about good manners or daily living; they were about virtue, about living with power and beauty in ways that honor God.
The Virtue of Power
Lemuel’s mom begins with a warning: don’t misuse your strength. As king, he could easily give in to indulgence—whether through relationships or alcohol—and forget his responsibility to care for others. Power is always tempting because it promises freedom from limits. But she reminds him (and us) that power isn’t for self-indulgence; it’s for service.
Power becomes a virtue when it’s used to defend the vulnerable, to speak up for the voiceless, and to lift up the poor and needy. True power is giving our strength away for the sake of others—just as Jesus, the King of kings, laid down his life for us.
The Virtue of Beauty
Next, she turns to beauty. Proverbs 31 paints the picture of a strong, wise, diligent woman whose worth is “far more precious than jewels.” For generations, this passage has sometimes been misread as an impossible checklist for women. But in context, it’s not advice for women—it’s counsel to men about how to rightly see beauty.
Beauty is not charm or outward appearance. True beauty is found in character, diligence, and relationships. It’s the beauty of trust, hard work, kindness, and love. In the end, Lemuel’s mom says, “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
The Virtue of Humanity
Here’s the truth: living this way isn’t easy. It’s hard to give away power. It’s hard to see beauty beyond the surface. Religion tells us to just try harder. Secular culture tells us to define virtue however we want. Neither approach leads to life.
What we really need is Jesus. He is the perfect union of power and beauty—the King who rules by serving, and the Bridegroom whose glory is shown through sacrificial love. At the cross, we see power wrapped in humility and beauty revealed in holiness.
As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic.” In Jesus, we see both power and love, perfectly united. And when he washes us clean, like he did with Peter, we become more like him—more powerful, more beautiful, more truly human.
So the invitation is simple: don’t just try harder. Worship Jesus. He is our power. He is our beauty. And he is the one who makes us whole.
Reflection Questions
How do you tend to view power—in your workplace, family, or community? Do you see it as something to protect yourself, or something to give away for the good of others?
When you think about beauty, do you usually focus on outward appearance, or on the kind of inner character Proverbs 31 describes?
What does it mean for you personally that Jesus embodies both perfect power and perfect beauty?
How might worshiping Jesus reshape the way you use your influence and the way you see beauty in others?
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