Proverbs 11:12 stopped me dead in my tracks this morning. “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.”
Can’t you picture it? There is this ring. This beautiful, priceless, and attractive gold ring is the type that everyone wants. It is the latest and the greatest in the jewelry world and everyone gawks at its beauty. It is the talk of the town and what does its owner do with it? He puts it on a pig. That’s right, smack on the snout of a pig where the ring will be tattered, worn, and muzzled up close with garbage and dung for the rest of its life. What a sad waste.
The dreaded question in my mind was soon to follow, “Am I discreet with my beauty?”
True confession? I am 29 years old and I have spent the majority of my life being anything but discreet with my beauty. I already felt insecure and down about my looks so I thought playing them up would make me feel better. I cringe because I see it everyday in young ladies that remind me so much of myself. “If I put on this outfit, show a little here, and little more there than maybe I will finally feel good.” I still fall into the trap of the pig’s snout, throwing around my beauty as if it were anyone’s to see and admire…a habit I am sure our husbands, future husbands, and Dads don’t enjoy very much. Nor do the insecure women we encounter.
Don’t get me wrong, your beauty has been given to you. Your daughter, your sister, your friend is beautiful and it should never be smoldered! But are we to treat it like the gold that it is or treat it like a swine’s nose ring? Today if someone is wealthy, they are looked down upon and scorned if they squander their wealth away in excessive spending and debt. But if someone is excessively beautiful? Well then the world tells them to flash it around like it is no bodies business! “You show ’em girl!” What happened to our sense of responsibility? Our sense of taking care of a precious gift and treating it as such, instead of flashing it about?
My friend Myquillyn is a such a perfect example, to me, of how God wants us to treat our beauty. You can’t miss it. She walks into the room with the kind of stunning swagger that takes you captive. With her hair slightly curled and her subtle make up you cannot ignore the fact that she is gorgeous. But it is never all in your face like “BAM! Look at me I am a HOTTY!” Myquillyn is perfectly discreet, treating her body with respect, honor, and integrity. Poor lady, I am sure she hates the fact that I am doting over her…but truthfully she deserves every word.
Ironically enough, Myquillyn authors a blog called The Nesting Place with a mantra that I have embedded in my mind “It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.” Amen sister.
To me, this Biblical proverb calls for a redefining of ourselves and how we communicate our beauty to the world. No more, “If you’ve got it flaunt it,” but instead “Since you’ve got it, be careful with it.” Your gold nose ring will thank you someday, so will your husband, friends, and daughters.
oh Maria,
When Chad mentioned your name a few minutes ago it reminded me that I hadn’t stopped by in awhile and I just read this and Oh My. Such kind, kind words that are the most lovely compliment coming from you!
You, my friend have taught me so much. I’m so grateful that we are friends!
xoxo
It’s interesting what you can find on the internet when you want to understand what a Bible verse means. I was trying to find out what Proverbs 11: 22 meant and I came across your article. It really is a word for every lady out there whose struggle is to meet the standards of what the world has defined what true beauty really is.Thank you for being honest. Your article has reminded me that nothing the Lord has created is not beautiful. His creations are magnificent and I as His creation should appreciate and treat it they way He expects me to do so.
God Bless.
You are truly a blessing! I am so thankful that today God reminded you how precious you are to Him and how THAT is the only thing that matters. And yes, you are correct, He makes beautiful things out of ALL things.
Thank you so much for sharing this article. I am doing A Proverbs A Day study to help gain more wisdom and understanding. I also wanted to seek the meaning of this verse, and you’re post made it clear to me. We women should dress ourselves with integrity and model a modest kind of beauty that allows us to express more of our beauty from the inside. We have our daughters and other younger female audiences that look up to us each day. And every day, we have to firmly instill in them their worthiness that God embeds in them rather than the worldly worthiness that they watch on TV and hear from the music.
With the rise of pop culture catching more attention in our younger generation, I pray that the older generation continues to wisely set the example for us for what is a godly woman.
Much blessings,
A. Wilson
Amen, Annisa. Thank you so much for sharing your heart and your passion to uphold the amazing desires God has for us. You are so so right and I pray for you that God uses you in the lives of women around you. God Bless!
Another interpretation for that gold ring is ,
The gold ring does nothing to enhance the looks of the swine.
A prudent and sensible woman is usually the one who’s discreet .
But to few tend ignore that beauty.
Seems it’s easier to be crude than discreet.
Discretion ,
the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information.
I don’t think this verse is necessarily about being discrete with your beauty, but with your attitude and actions. For example, I thought of the Real Housewives of OC when I read this verse if that helps to paint a picture. It means avoiding gossip, slander, or offending other people.
My understanding of this verse is different.
On the farm a pig would be led around by force using this gold ring through its nose. It is painful for it to resist. Having it by the nose, literally. Eventually this pig who had been well fed and kept safe, which would appear to a girl in the same position as being treasured, would be led to slaughter when the time is right. It’s destruction being more valuable to its master than its keep.