Proverbs 31:10-31 A WIFE OF NOBLE CHARACTER Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She brings him good, not harm all the days of her life. She finds wool and flax and busily spins it. She is like merchants ship, bring her food from afar. She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household and plans the day’s work for her servant girls. She goes to inspect a field and buys it; with her earnings she plants a vineyard. She is energetic and strong, a hard worker. She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night. Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber. She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy. She has no fear of winter for her household has warm clothes. She makes her own bedspreads, she dresses in fine linen and gowns. Her husband is well known at the city gates, where he sits with the other civic leaders. She makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to merchants. She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without the fear of the future. When she speaks her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household, and suffers nothing from laziness. Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world but you surpass them all!” Charm is deceptive and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done, let her deeds publicly declare her praise. Proverbs has a lot to say about women. How fitting the book ends with a woman of strong character, great wisdom, many skills and great compassion. Some people have the mistaken idea that the ideal woman in the bible is retiring, servile and entirely domestic. Not so! This woman is an excellent wife and mother. She is also a manufacturer, importer, manager, farmer, seamstress, upholsterer and merchant. Her strength and dignity do not come from her amazing achievements- they are a result of her reverence for God. In our society, where physical appearance accounts for so much, it may surprise us that her appearance is never mentioned. Her attractiveness comes entirely from her character. The woman described in this chapter has outstanding abilities. Her family’s social position is high. In fact she may not be one woman at all- she may be an ideal composite of ideal womanhood. Do not see her as a model to imitate every detail; your days are not long enough to do everything she does! See her instead as an inspiration to be all you can be. We can’t be just like her, but we can learn from her industry, integrity and resourcefulness.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 12:39:08 +0000
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