Notes
But we Christians have no veil over our faces; we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him.
2 Corinthians 3:18 (TLB)
We strive to be a people who display the heart of God to our community, so that He is honored and people can come to know Him. Though we can do this every day no matter the season, Christmas is a special time in our culture. It magnifies the mirror for us. For us to reflect the glory of our Creator, we have to do our part in the relationship.
Proverbs 31 is about what the valorous wife of a king would be like. In the New Testament, the Church is often described as the bride of Christ. We can take the principles from Proverbs 31 to learn how we can do our part in our relationship with Him.
1) Be Trustworthy
Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life.
Proverbs 31:10-11
Being trustworthy means that because of the way we relate to God, people respect Him. It means not doing or saying things that would diminish His character in their eyes. If you are a Christian, God has entrusted to you spiritual gifts - being trustworthy means using those gifts to better the Church and grow the Kingdom.
2) Be Diligent
She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings, she plants a vineyard. She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night … She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.
Proverbs 31:16-18, 25
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.
2 Timothy 4:7-8
Being diligent means that you are willing to go the distance. It is thinking wisely about how to expand and grow. Part of being in a relationship is thinking beyond yourself. As the bride of Christ, we should let His glory flow in us so that it can flow out and impact others. That takes making time to be alone with your Creator; He often speaks in the quiet spaces.
3) Be Confident
Her husband is well known at the city gates, where he sits with the other civic leaders.
Proverbs 31:23
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
John 8:12
This verse means that her husband was a gatekeeper. Gatekeepers were responsible for protecting the city from harm. The wife, knowing of her husband’s protection, was confident in working without worry. Like she was confident in her husband’s ability to protect, we should be confident in who Jesus is, what He has done, and what He has promised. We can work freely to build up the Church knowing that we are secure in Jesus.
Group Questions
- In what ways does Christmas “magnify the mirror”?
- What are the spiritual gifts God has entrusted to you? What spiritual gifts do you see in each other?
- How often do you make time to be with God, without distractions? How can you make these times a priority?
- Why should we be confident in Jesus?
Prayer
We thank you for desiring a relationship with each of us. This Christmas season, we want to be the mirror that reflects your glory to others.