“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.”
— Proverbs 31:25 (ESV)
We live in a world obsessed with appearances, what we wear, how we perform, how we’re perceived. But Proverbs 31:25 quietly disrupts that narrative with an image of a woman whose power isn’t on display in designer labels or curated selfies, but in what she wears deep within: strength and dignity.
It’s easy to miss the power in this verse. It’s only a single line from the celebrated “Proverbs 31 woman” passage, a poetic acrostic that has often been both admired and misunderstood. For some, this woman feels like an unreachable ideal. For others, she’s an inspiring model of what it looks like to live with godly wisdom in real life. But here’s the truth: this verse isn’t about perfection. It’s about internal formation, the kind that reshapes how we walk into an uncertain future.
In the Hebrew language, the words for “strength” (oz) and “dignity” (hadar) carry deep weight. Oz isn’t just about muscle, it’s moral strength, spiritual fortitude, and unwavering resolve. Hadar is often used to describe royalty and divine splendor. That means this woman’s identity is wrapped in honor, beauty, and worth, not because of status or looks, but because of who she is in God.
And here’s the key: she doesn’t put these on like makeup. She’s clothed in them. These virtues are her covering. They protect her. They define her. They go with her into every room she enters and every season she faces.
Now pause here.
This part of the verse used to confuse me.
She laughs? At what’s coming? Is she naïve? Overconfident?
No, she’s neither. She’s prepared. She’s anchored. She knows Who holds the future. So instead of fearing aging, change, uncertainty, or hardship, she meets it all with a holy grin, not because she knows what’s coming, but because she knows Whose she is.
Think about that.
When most people brace for what’s ahead, she laughs. Not because life is easy. Not because she’s insulated from pain. But because her identity is not tied to the outcomes. She’s rooted in something deeper, something eternal.
This verse was written in a time when women’s futures were incredibly unstable. Their wellbeing often depended on a husband, land, or male heirs. Yet this woman stands out, not as dependent, but as strong, wise, and entrepreneurial. She buys fields, runs her household, manages staff, and contributes to the poor. But none of these define her. Character does.
Now fast-forward to today.
We may have more opportunities, but many of the same fears still linger:
The woman in Proverbs 31 isn’t fearless because she’s invincible.
She’s fearless because she’s faithful.
Whether you’re a woman, a man, single, married, raising kids, or building something behind the scenes, this verse speaks to how we face what’s ahead.
The world looks at what we wear. God looks at what we’re clothed in spiritually.
Are you putting on strength and dignity? Or insecurity and performance?
Laughing at the future doesn’t mean life is easy, it means we believe God’s goodness is greater than our fear.
This woman works, plans, and leads, yet she still leans into God. Wisdom prepares; faith rests.
Maybe today, you don’t feel strong. You feel tired. Your dignity feels threadbare. The future feels like a looming storm, not a reason to laugh.
Let me gently remind you: you’re not alone. The same God who inspired this portrait of courage and composure is the One who offers Himself to you daily.
Because when we’re clothed in Him, we gain access to His strength, His dignity, and yes, even His joy in the face of what’s coming.
Lord, help me to wear strength instead of stress. Dignity instead of doubt. And joy instead of fear. Clothe me not in what the world applauds, but in what You honor. Anchor me in Your character, so I can laugh, really laugh. at what’s ahead, knowing You’ve already gone before me.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
What are you wearing today?
Not on the outside, but inside.
And when you think about tomorrow, what’s your posture? Fearful? Frantic? Or maybe, just maybe… joyfully fearless?
It’s not foolish to laugh at the future.
It’s faithful.
Just a thought.