Clothed In Righteousness

When we think of an example of a woman being “clothed in righteousness”, we most often think of Dorcas (Acts 9:36-43).  But did you know that it was Job, in Job 29:14, who said, “I put on my righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban.”  We can read of Job that he was respected by the young, old, wise and rich.  He helped the poor, the fatherless and the widows, the needy and strangers.  All spoke well of him.  Job was truly a person clothed in righteousness.  A person who did what was good, proper and upright.

With this pattern we can see that although Dorcas was not specifically mentioned as being clothed in righteousness, she certainly exhibited those qualities.  In Acts 9:36-43, we read that Dorcas was always doing good and helping the poor.  When Dorcas died, people were so distraught that Peter, when called to her side, raised her body from the dead by the power of God.

There are many other examples.  We find in II Timothy 1:3-7 Eunice and Lois, Timothy’s mother and grandmother, “women of sincere faith” who instilled this faith in Timothy.  Women who did what was upright and proper to raise a child in the Lord.  In Luke 10 and in John 11 and 12, we see Mary and Martha.  Women of faith, loved by our Lord.  Acts 18 gives us Priscilla, a woman able to teach what was right to help others searching for the truth.  We read of many women by name who practiced righteousness, but what of the women not referred to not by name but by character.  In 1 Tim 2 and 3 we see women dressed with good deeds, continuing in faith, love and holiness.  Elder’s wives worthy of respect, temperate and trustworthy.  These women walk among us today;  our grandmothers, mothers, sisters, daughters and friends.  We can all think of women “clothed in righteousness”.  Loving women practicing good deeds, doing what is right, proper and just, we see them all around.  Women we can speak well of, women we can respect;  women we can imitate as they imitate Christ.  What do we see when we look in the mirror?  Do we see a woman “clothed in righteousness”, or someone who needs to change her clothes?

By Edi McCrady

Originally printed in the winter 2009 issue