--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We’re all living in the shadow of that…" description: "\"“We’re all living in the shadow of that infamous icon, “The Proverbs 31 Woman,” whose life is so busy I wonder, when does she have time for friendships..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24f/john-eldredge-1487_books_we-re-all-living-in-the-shadow-of-that-i_2959726.png" --- # We’re all living in the shadow of that infamous icon, “The… ![“We’re all living in the shadow of that infamous icon, “The Proverbs 31 Woman,” whose life is so busy I wonder, when does she have time for friendships, for taking walks, or reading good books? Her light never goes out at night? When does she have sex? Somehow she has sanctified the shame most…” quote by John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24f/john-eldredge-1487_books_we-re-all-living-in-the-shadow-of-that-i_2959726.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24f/john-eldredge-1487_books_we-re-all-living-in-the-shadow-of-that-i_2959726.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24f/john-eldredge-1487_books_we-re-all-living-in-the-shadow-of-that-i_2959726.png) > ““We’re all living in the shadow of that infamous icon, “The Proverbs 31 Woman,” whose life is so busy I wonder, when does she have time for friendships, for taking walks, or reading good books? Her light never goes out at night? When does she have sex? Somehow she has sanctified the shame most women live under, biblical proof that yet again we don’t measure up. Is that supposed to be godly—that sense that you are a failure as a woman?”” [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques the unrealistic expectations placed on women by idealized biblical figures, highlighting the pressure and shame it creates. **In simple terms:** Unrealistic standards cause shame and pressure on women. Key Takeaway Recognize and reject impossible ideals. Themes gender roles faith self‑esteem sexuality social expectations Mood frustrated reflective Type critical contemplative When to use this quote - marriage - friendships - personal growth - spiritual practice Key Concepts biblical interpretation feminist critique psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you define a healthy balance between faith and personal needs? - What standards can replace harmful ideals? A Different Perspective The quote may overgeneralize and not reflect all religious perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Good book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-book/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Proverbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proverbs/) [Reading good books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading-good-books/) ## Related quotes > [“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: But a woman who fears the Lord, She shall be praised. (Proverbs 31:30 Modern King James Version)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/favour-is-deceitful-and-beauty-is-vain-but-a-woman-who-fears-the-lord/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It’s interesting that, there really is no Proverbs 31 for men in the Bible. Men need the whole Bible, women need a chapter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/it-s-interesting-that-there-really-is-no-proverbs-31-for-men-in-the/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) > [I quit being a VS model to be a Proverbs 31 wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-bisutti/i-quit-being-a-vs-model-to-be-a-proverbs-31-wife/) [Kylie Bisutti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-bisutti/) > [The Proverbs 31 woman is not the model of a perfect woman. She is the model of a committed woman under God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/the-proverbs-31-woman-is-not-the-model-of-a-perfect-woman-she-is-the/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) > [Damn shame some women can twerk or roll a blunt better then they can cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-smith/damn-shame-some-women-can-twerk-or-roll-a-blunt-better-then-they-can/) [Chuck Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-smith/) > [“consider women in music who align themselves with charities and causes that don’t reflect their lived experience in order to seem like they’re doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/consider-women-in-music-who-align-themselves-with-charities-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“men who happily enjoy misogynist porn in private feel equally free to shame women who dare to breastfeed in public.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaclyn-friedman/men-who-happily-enjoy-misogynist-porn-in-private-feel-equally-free-to/) [Jaclyn Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaclyn-friedman/) > [Historically, we've attached a lot of shame to women and their bodies - probably since biblical times. It's a way that patriarchal societies have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marielle-heller/historically-we-ve-attached-a-lot-of-shame-to-women-and-their-bodies/) [Marielle Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marielle-heller/) > [I think that a big shame of how women are approached in business is they're oftentimes looked to for perspective and not implementation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-wolfe-herd/i-think-that-a-big-shame-of-how-women-are-approached-in-business-is/) [Whitney Wolfe Herd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-wolfe-herd/) > [I have always thought it was a terrible shame that the women's movement didn't realise how much easier it was to reach people by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-have-always-thought-it-was-a-terrible-shame-that-the-women-s/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [People shame women, but then you see all these guys, and they can do whatever they want. That isn't just in wrestling, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-perez/people-shame-women-but-then-you-see-all-these-guys-and-they-can-do/) [Melina Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-perez/) > [“She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.Proverbs 31:25”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverbs-31-25/she-is-clothed-in-strength-and-dignity-and-she-laughs-without-fear-of-2/) Proverbs 31 25 > [Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. -Proverbs 31:28](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/her-children-arise-and-call-her-blessed-her-husband-also-and-he/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [“according to Ahava, the woman described in Proverbs 31 is not some ideal that exists out there; she is present in each one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/according-to-ahava-the-woman-described-in-proverbs-31-is-not-some/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [“Christian wives tend to leave the 'fat books' and theology to their husbands. While this may look 'submissive' to some, it is actually disobedience.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-wilson/christian-wives-tend-to-leave-the-fat-books-and-theology-to-their/) [Nancy Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-wilson/) ## More by John Eldredge > [To find God, you must look with all your heart. To remain present to God, you must remain present to your heart. To hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/to-find-god-you-must-look-with-all-your-heart-to-remain-present-to/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [ “There is a satisfaction we don't want to come to until we come to it in God…\[Disappointments\] serve to remind us every day that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/there-is-a-satisfaction-we-don-t-want-to-come-to-until-we-come-to-it/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [The early Celtic Christians called the Holy Spirit 'the wild goose.' And the reason why is they knew that you cannot tame him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-early-celtic-christians-called-the-holy-spirit-the-wild-goose-and/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [The real you is on the side of God against the false self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-real-you-is-on-the-side-of-god-against-the-false-self/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [“The authors challenge that the marriage in which one cannot express disappointment has become an idol – The Thing that Cannot Be Questioned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-authors-challenge-that-the-marriage-in-which-one-cannot-express/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [A man's calling is written on his true heart, and he discovers it when he enters the frontier of his deep desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/a-man-s-calling-is-written-on-his-true-heart-and-he-discovers-it-when/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [In the end, it doesn’t matter how well we have performed or what we have accomplished—a life without heart is not worth living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/in-the-end-it-doesn-t-matter-how-well-we-have-performed-or-what-we/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [Whatever their age, most men have never received true fathering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/whatever-their-age-most-men-have-never-received-true-fathering/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [I'm married. I have three children. I have a mortgage to pay. The plumbing breaks and the yard needs trimming. However, what my wife…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/i-m-married-i-have-three-children-i-have-a-mortgage-to-pay-the/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [“He is on a mission to rescue a people who are so utterly deceived most of them don’t even want to be rescued.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/he-is-on-a-mission-to-rescue-a-people-who-are-so-utterly-deceived/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [“Something has gone wrong in us, very wrong indeed. So wrong that we have to be told that joy is found not in having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/something-has-gone-wrong-in-us-very-wrong-indeed-so-wrong-that-we/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [“We don’t need accountability groups; we need fellow warriors, someone to fight alongside, someone to watch our back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/we-don-t-need-accountability-groups-we-need-fellow-warriors-someone/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [We don't see clearly because we don't see with the eyes of our heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/we-don-t-see-clearly-because-we-don-t-see-with-the-eyes-of-our-heart/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [The story of your life is the story of the long and brutal assault on your heart by the one who knows what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/the-story-of-your-life-is-the-story-of-the-long-and-brutal-assault-on/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) > [I have a call to speak, to write, to do sort of deep-heart surgery in people's lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eldredge/i-have-a-call-to-speak-to-write-to-do-sort-of-deep-heart-surgery-in/) [John Eldredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) [Explore all 233 John Eldredge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldredge/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We’re all living in the shadow of that infamous icon, “The Proverbs 31 Woman,” whose life is so busy I wonder, when does she have time for friendships, for taking walks, or reading good books? Her light never goes out at night? When does she have sex? Somehow she has sanctified the shame most women live under, biblical proof that yet again we don’t measure up. 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