The Prudent Wife
Many Christian women like to quote this verse below:
“A woman of worth who doth find? Yea, far above rubies [is] her price.” (Proverbs 31:10)
Why?
They aspire to be such a wife (which is good).
But do they ‘really’ know ‘what they should do’ to be considered as such a wife? I’ll just state this brief note based on several subsequent verses which describe some of the characteristics needed.
1) Do you do ‘good’ to your husband “all” (not some or most) of the time (and “not evil”)?
“She hath done him (her husband) good, and not evil, All days of her life.” (Proverbs 31:12)
2) She works with her own hands (earns) even while being a housewife too with ‘delight’ (happy) and “not grudgingly”
“She hath sought wool and flax, And with delight she worketh [with] her hands.” (Proverbs 31:13)
3) She is very good at earning income
“She hath been as ships of the merchant, From afar she bringeth in her bread.” (Proverbs 31:14)
4) She provides for her family (“not” a damsel in distress in need of saving)
“Yea, she riseth while yet night, And giveth food to her household, And a portion to her damsels.” (Proverbs 31:15)
5) She is good at investment and re-investments, economically implied
“She hath considered a field, and taketh it, From the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.” (Proverbs 31:16)
6) She is even willing to work physically instead of complaining as long as she is able to
“She hath girded with might her loins, And doth strengthen her arms.” (Proverbs 31:17)
7) She even burns the midnight oil or beyond if there’s a good reason for it
“She hath perceived when her merchandise [is] good, Her lamp is not extinguished in the night.” (Proverbs 31:18)
8) She did not shy away from some tougher work too
“Her hands she hath sent forth on a spindle, And her hands have held a distaff.” (Proverbs 31:19)
9) She helps the poor and needy
“Her hand she hath spread forth to the poor, Yea, her hands she sent forth to the needy.” (Proverbs 31:20)
10) Her husband mixes with the elders (or wise) of the land
“Known in the gates is her husband, In his sitting with elders of the land.” (Proverbs 31:23)
11) She’s good at business (selling & buying) too
“Linen garments she hath made, and selleth, And a girdle she hath given to the merchant.” (Proverbs 31:24)
12) She is loyal & faithful (to God first, and then to her husband too) —> part of “strength & honour”
“Strength and honour [are] her clothing, And she rejoiceth at a latter day.” (Proverbs 31:25)
13) She speaks with wisdom and utters kind words (not gossips or other vulgarities)
“Her mouth she hath opened in wisdom, And the law of kindness [is] on her tongue.” (Proverbs 31:26)
14) She doesn’t eat out of laziness (no ‘bread of sloth’ by just doing nothing)
“She [is] watching the ways of her household, And bread of sloth she eateth not.” (Proverbs 31:27)
15) Only then
“Her sons have risen up, and pronounce her happy, Her husband, and he praiseth her,” (Proverbs 31:28)
16) Are you the one? It’s only possible if you fulfill each (or most) of these characteristics laid out by the Word of God itself
“Many [are] the daughters who have done worthily, Thou hast gone up above them all.” (Proverbs 31:29)
17) Only a “God-fearing woman” may have the capability to be ‘a worthy wife’ of such; “no” other woman can
“The grace [is] false, and the beauty [is] vain, A woman fearing Jehovah, she may boast herself.” (Proverbs 31:30)
18) Prove it with your life. Words are cheap. Then, you will get this praise.
“Give ye to her of the fruit of her hands, And her works do praise her in the gates!” (Proverbs 31:31)
P/S:
Any disagreements?
You may fight God Himself on this for these verses are not my words but His.
Husbands, the less prudent your wife is when measured against the characteristics set forth in this set of verses, the more “painful” your marriage life will be.
Likewise, the more prudent your wife is according to these traits set forth by the Word of God, the more alive your marriage life shall be.
Don’t be deceived by the world otherwise.
The question still echoes throughout time:
“A woman of worth who doth find?” (first part, Proverbs 31:10)
I repeat, ‘prove it’.
