Proverbs 31 as a professional woman - Part 19

Dear loyal readers, I trust you’re blessed and highly favoured.

Wow, I can’t believe that the past five parts have exclusively discussed success principle 6, which says that Proverbs 31 as a professional woman is “nourished and healthy – spirit, soul and body”.

Having focused on the practical approach that Proverbs 31 as a professional woman takes to ensure that her spirit and her soul are “nourished and healthy," we are yet to discuss the body – but stay with me, we’ll get there.

For today I will expand more on the nourishment and health of her soul (please read part 18 for more context).

On the sub-topic of sanctification as a sub-component of the nourishment and health of her soul, last week I mentioned that 1 Thessalonians 5:23 ESV reminds Proverbs 31 as a professional woman that “the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

Why would God be interested in sanctifying her soul?

Because in Genesis 2:7 (KJVAE), after Elohim breathed life into her, she became a living soul and in Psalm 23:3 AMP, God refreshes and restores her soul as He leads her on the right path for His name’s sake.

With this in mind, she knows that her success is not built on forfeiting her soul to gain a profit (Matthew 16:26 ESV). Meaning that “she is aware that her success is actually God’s success expressed through her because her job is from God and only He can help her succeed through the application and revelation of His wisdom” (see parts 2 and 9).

You’re probably thinking – give me biblical examples of this.

Joseph, Ruth, Deborah and Daniel are examples of people who didn’t compromise their souls within the various environments they found themselves in.

Both Joseph and Daniel worked in enemy territory where the work environment didn’t encourage godliness, but even then, they maintained their righteousness and holiness and through consecration, they remained sanctified by God and didn’t compromise their soul for a job or a promotion. At all times they recognised that God had placed them there and He empowered them to reveal His glory through them.

Ruth was a poor woman who didn’t even have a title in Boaz’ field, but she didn’t allow hunger to lead her to compromise her soul.

As a judge and a warrior – Deborah was a leader operating in a male-driven environment and succeeding without compromising her soul.

Proverbs 31 as a professional woman understands all of this from the deeper perspective of being the salt of the earth that Jesus Christ spoke about in Matthew 5:13 NIV. Meaning that she’s aware that salt doesn’t conform to something else but influences that which it is applied to. When you eat meat, you don’t say the salt on the meat is now meat-flavoured, you recognise that the meat is flavoured by the salt.

Thus, as a child of God, she understands that like a city on a hill (Mathew 5:14-16) and like salt (Matthew 5:13 NIV), she’s called to stand out and not to conform to the behaviour and standards of this world (Romans 12:1-2). So, in the workplace, she prays that God guard her against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life and to desire His will above her own (1 John 2:15-17 NIV).

Whether I’m the youngest, the only woman, or the only black person in a meeting – as a professional, I have always focused on the value that I bring to my assignment. With this mindset, for years I glorified myself above God because I didn’t recognise His contribution to my professional success.

In time, my mind was transformed and renewed (Romans 12:2) to understand that it wasn’t about me – since it all comes from Him, it is all unto Him and thus it is about His will being done – for the revelation of His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Shalom.

DISCLAIMER: ‘Proverbs 31 as a Professional Woman’ under the theme ‘Embodying and Manifesting Godly Wisdom, Success Principles and Effortless Femininity in the Workplace’ is not posited on trying to read the professional woman into Proverbs 31 because this will produce an absurd result. However, I have opted to take a principles-based approach that widens the scope to be applicable to any professional woman – regardless of her age or status.

This column has previous articles titled ‘A New Season’, ‘Seeing God’s Glory Through My Tears’ as well as ‘Proverbs 31 as a Professional Woman’ (the introduction as well as parts 1 to 18) – all published by the Namibian Sun newspaper. I welcome your comments, inputs, queries or concerns. Kindly address them to [email protected]