7 Lessons on How To Be a Proverbs 31 Business Woman

Proverbs 31 is a popular Bible passage that offers a ton of insight and encouragement for Christian women today! In this blog post, I’ll share 7 lessons on how to be a Proverbs 31 business woman, and the easy steps that you can start with right now.

Business woman in the bible

As women in today’s world, there’s a lot of different places that we tend to look for life advice and inspiration. We scroll through Pinterest looking for ideas on how to dress and decorate our house.

We watch endless TikTok videos on the best ways to learn new skills and grow in our career or work. We endlessly compare ourselves to other women that we see on Instagram and how they are raising their kids or living their lives.

But there’s ONE place we so often forget to look for instructions on how to become a happy, successful, strong woman – the Bible.

I grew up in the Christian church, so ever since I was young, I’ve heard about the Proverbs 31 woman, the ideal biblical wife.

proverbs 31 woman explained

She was the model Christian woman that I, and all my friends, were supposed to grow up and try to be. But to be honest – everything about her sounded well… exhausting. 

So I never really took a second look at this passage of scripture, written by King Solomon, until a few years ago. And what I found surprised me!


Snapshot of a Virtuous Woman

I had always been taught that good christian women was a full-time homemaker who stay home, kept quiet, raised their kids and minded their own business. But when we look at the list of characteristics of the Proverbs 31 woman, she is so much more than that! In fact, this woman from the book of Proverbs is actually a business woman.

This popular passage of scripture starts by introducing us to a man named King Lemuel. The first few verses of the chapter recount the wisdom that king Lemuel’s mother shared with him about wisdom, finding the right woman, and living a life that is pleasing to God. (Proverbs 31:1-9)

proverbs 31 woman working

A wife of noble character, as described in Proverbs 31 (verse 10) is a role model for women everywhere, married or not. Because she is someone who doesn’t just sit back idle all the days of her life – she has learned how to make every day count.

And yes, while the affairs of her home are of extreme importance, this Proverbs 31 woman is considered a godly woman AND still has work and business outside of the home!

All throughout this passage of scripture, we see that how she presents herself in her trades and business deals and in the way that she treats her neighbors and her family, are all a reflection of the glory of God to the people around her.

.

Whether you are a single woman or a married woman, young or old, a stay at home mom or a business owner, there is encouragement and wisdom for YOU in this passage of Scripture. It’s so worthwhile to study it and glean from it everything that God would like to show us.  

I was particularly excited to study this passage with new eyes when I realized that this noble woman is worth learning from when it comes to business and entrepreneurship, especially as I’ve worked hard in developing my own career. 

Here are 7 lessons we can take from this passage on how to be a Proverbs 31 business woman. 

proverbs 31 challenge

7 Lessons on How To Be a Proverbs 31 Business Woman

​As we dig through this chapter of scripture verse by verse, there are so many great lessons and takeaways that we can find in this passage. These are a few that have made the biggest impact and been the greatest encouragement for me!

1. She carefully chooses the people she attaches herself to. (Proverbs 31:11-12, 23)

“Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.”

Whether you’re married, single, dating or whatever your status is, the people that you align yourself with in life makes a HUGE difference in how successful (and happy) you will be! If you commit yourself to a guy who does not love Jesus, or a man that doesn’t want you to have your own life outside of him, you will suffer from that choice for years to come.

Like this wife of Proverbs, make sure whoever you attach yourself to aligns with your beliefs and your goals. Marry someone who also finds importance in the Word of God. Find sweet friends who will not only support your business endeavors, but encourage and challenge you to be the best that you can be! The people you align yourself with can make all the difference. 

2. She is wise in her business dealings, creating things that other people need. (Proverbs 31:13-15, 24)

“She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.”

How does this woman find success in business and at home? By being sensitive and aware of the needs of others, and successfully meeting that need! This is such a good reminder for us creative entrepreneurs and modern women who regularly have great business ideas we want to pursue.

The best way to do good work is finding a unique way to meet felt needs of the people around us! If whatever we’re creating, making or selling doesn’t meet a need of someone else, we won’t be successful. Bottom line. The best way to find success is to recognize the needs of the people around us and work to meet them!

3. She works from a long term plan that will make lasting difference for her family. (Proverbs 31:16,18, 21)

“She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.”

A successful business woman doesn’t just make a business plan that temporarily pads her bank account. She is focused on making a plan for long term success that will keep her and her family going for years to come. As business women, it can be easy to think that just because we have enough money right now, that we’ll have enough forever. But unfortunately that’s not how life works!

A percentage of every day’s work should go back to the God who gave us the money, and a percentage should be reinvested into new opportunities. We see this modeled successfully with the Proverbs 31 woman. Whether she’s planting a vineyard to produce income for years to come or she’s making trades that will get her family ready for winter, she thinks ahead​ whenever she can so that she and her family never have to live in fear of what will happen next. 

4. Even in business, she is guided by generosity (Proverbs 31:20)

“She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.”

A portion of everything she does and everything she makes goes back to those in need! There are so many different ways that we can do this today, whether it’s giving regularly to our local church, choosing a charity to support, or even giving little anonymous surprise gifts to people and families in our community that we know are struggling.

THIS is such a huge way that we can be Jesus Christ to the people around us. Not to mention, generosity is a key aspect of business acumen that a lot of people overlook far too often. Stepping out to be generous and give back out of what we’ve been given is always the right decision. 

​

5. She is intentional and careful about what she says (Proverbs 31:26)

“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”

One thing that is true of the 21st century woman is that we like to gossip… a lot. This is something that God is still working with me on, because Lord knows I love to have the latest TEA! But instead of focusing in on conversation that can be hurtful and unproductive, a successful business woman gives careful thought to everything she says.

Her love of Christ keeps her from saying things that are mean, hurtful or that she will regret later down the road. So how do we begin to shift our speech to align with the heart of God? We fill our minds and our hearts with God’s Word – with whatsoever is good, true, honest, and perfect. Eventually we’ll be so full that that is what will pour out of us!

​

6. She is a person of action. (Proverbs 31:17, 27)

“She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.”

The woman of noble character always has willing hands. She doesn’t just sit around hoping that someone else will do her work for her. She doesn’t just wait to see if things will work out. Instead, she creates a plan and works hard at it. The bible says she is like the “Merchant ships bringing food from afar”.

She doesn’t wait for food for her family to show up – she seeks it out. Whether you have a big dream or a great need, ask God how you can begin to take action to work toward it. That doesn’t mean that He won’t help you, because He totally will! But he has given us strength and the ability to work for a reason. Be a person of action and don’t be afraid to try things.You might be amazed by what you can accomplish!

7. She fears the Lord over the opinions of people. (Proverbs 31:30)

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

We unfortunately live in a world where the prettiest, the most popular, the most charming women seem to be the ones who “have it all”. But this is actually the exact opposite of what God tells us is true! In the Kingdom of God, the kingdom that really matters, what’s going on on the inside is actually the most important.

Whether or not we have a close relationship with God is so much more important than if we’re wearing the most stylish clothes or we’re the most popular in our friend circle. In business and in your life, stop worrying too much about how things APPEAR. Focus more on what God says and on being a reflection of Him through everything you do. Then and only then will you find lasting, satisfying success. 

Bible verses for business women

More Great Bible Verses for Business Women

There is so much wisdom in the Bible about everything that we will face in life. This is especially true for those of us who are pursuing creative endeavors or building businesses! If you’re struggling or not sure what to do next in your business, try picking up the Bible before you call a friend or read another business book.

I guarantee you’ll be glad that you did! Whether you dig through the Proverbs or through the New Testament, there’s so much for us to glean on building and living a happy and successful life. 

Here are a few of my other favorite passages from scripture that give us great reminders and direction for business and life. 

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” – Colossians 3:23

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who​ have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” – 2 Corinthians 9:8

“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.” – Proverbs 21:5

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” – Luke 16:10

“Let’s not get tired of doing good, because in time we’ll have a harvest if we don’t give up.” – Galatians 6:9

“​So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” – 1 Corinthians 10:31

“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”- Proverbs 14:23

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” – Matthew 7:7

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” – Proverbs 9:10

Conclusion

At the end of the day, the Bible is probably the best, most helpful business book that we can ever read! Why? Because successful business practices are rooted in the principles of God’s Word. It’s impossible for us to build healthy and successful businesses if we are not in fact healthy and successful people. And that doesn’t start with a few business tips and tricks we find on the Internet. The health and success of our lives all begins with who we are on the inside, so that’s what we should always focus on first. 

While none of us are perfect, reading passages like Proverbs 31 can be such a good reminder of how we can build businesses, relationships and families that will be successful for the long term. Which of these 7 lessons from Proverbs 31 are you planning to focus on in the coming weeks? 


OTHER POSTS YOU MAY LIKE:
THE TOP 21 UPLIFTING VERSES FOR HARD DAYS

12 MUST-READ BIBLE VERSES FOR ENCOURAGEMENT AND HEALING

22 BEST CHRISTIAN SONGS FOR PEACE OF MIND

4 EASY STEPS TO START YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE BLOG