The Circle of Becoming: Self-Discovery •Becoming • Purpose

Discover how Proverbs, Ruth, Esther, Mary, and Hagar reveal God’s parenting heart for both sons and daughters.

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For a long time, my spirit wrestled with a question: “Why does the Bible seem to only teach and guide men? What about women? What about mothers?”

What Made Me Wonder

We carry the toughest job, yet most of Scripture—such as the book of Proverbs—speaks directly to men. And when I studied the Proverbs 31 woman, I saw just how heavy her plate was: wife, mother, businesswoman, homemaker, and servant of God—all at once.

A Closer Look at Scripture

Meanwhile, so much of Proverbs opened with “My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother” (Proverbs 1:8)—line after line of instruction, discipline, and wisdom aimed at sons. It left me unsettled. Where was our detailed book of guidance?

That question sat heavy until I prayed for wisdom. And through prayer and study, I received a revelation: the Bible isn’t a men’s manual—it’s the ultimate parenting guide.

My Revelation: What I Discovered

Like a wise parent, God doesn’t teach all His children the same way. He guides His sons and daughters differently, shaping each through the voice they’ll hear best. And He is the blueprint—discipline and comfort woven together, showing us how to parent, how to live, and how to become.

• For men, God often used structure. Laws, covenants, and Proverbs gave clear direction—line by line, principle by principle. It was firm and corrective, cutting through pride and stubbornness. God even knew how to handle the hard-headed and rebellious: through tough love. When Israel strayed, He allowed consequences not to destroy them, but to bring them back. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” (Hebrews 12:6). His discipline was proof of His love.
• For women, God often used story. While the law shaped Israel’s structure, the stories of women revealed God’s heart—showing us loyalty, courage, and devotion in action. And just as Scripture promises: “I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:18), His parenting covers us all—just in different ways.

A Woman’s Place in God’s Story

When I read the stories of women in the Bible, I see how God reveals the complexities of womanhood. No two lives look alike.

Some women live in seasons of softness, while others endure hardship. Some thrive in marriage, while others walk faithfully in singleness. Motherhood can feel blessed in one moment and broken in the next.

That’s why their stories matter:

• Ruth shows us faithfulness and humility in the midst of loss and starting over.
• Esther shows us courage when influence meets responsibility.
• Mary shows us obedience under judgment, carrying a promise others could not understand (Luke 2:19).
• Hagar shows us survival in rejection, encountering El Roi, the God who sees me in the wilderness (Genesis 16:13).

Together, these women remind us that the Bible doesn’t flatten womanhood into a single mold. Instead, it honors our many realities—loyalty, courage, obedience, and survival—all woven into God’s larger story.

Proverbs: Wisdom for Sons (and Mothers Raising Them)

Proverbs has become one of my favorite books because it doubles as a parenting guide for my son. Every time I read “My son…” (Proverbs 1:8, 3:1, 4:1), I realize it isn’t only God speaking to men—it’s also wisdom for mothers raising boys.

It reminds me that God didn’t just equip men with instruction; He equipped women with language to shape the next generation of men. As mothers, Proverbs becomes our manual for raising sons who walk in wisdom, integrity, and reverence for God.

A Full Circle Moment: The Circle of Becoming

This revelation has become a full-circle moment for me. What once felt uneven—that the Bible gave men all the instruction and women only fragments—now makes sense.

The Bible is the ultimate parenting guide, balancing the Father’s discipline with the Mother’s comfort.

• Proverbs speaks to sons—and to mothers raising them.
• The stories of Ruth, Esther, Mary, and Hagar help us understand the complexities of womanhood and motherhood.
• God’s tough love and tender grace remind us that He parents all His children with intention.

The question that once unsettled me—“What about women?”—is now answered. We were never left out. Our stories are not sprinkles; they are anchors.

And this is what The Circle of Becoming is all about: realizing that the struggles, the questions, the discipline, and the comfort are all part of God shaping us into who we’re called to be.

We don’t have to fight for a seat at the table of Scripture—we’ve been written into the story all along.

Closing Thought

In every command, every story, and every trial, God is parenting His children. Men through structure. Women through story. All of us through love.

That’s the full circle: discipline and comfort, correction and grace, all working together to help us become.