THE BAPTIST WOMAN
LECTURE 8
THE PROVERBS 31:10+ WOMAN
10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
Virtuous = moral good; in conformity to divine law; chaste.
Who can find? They are very rare today…close to extinct.
Are there any virgins left?! Even the so-called godly young ladies are far from
being ‘virtuous’.
Young man, if you can find one of these, you have hit the gold mine!
Where do you find one at? School? Work? Stores? Bars?... A good church!
Sir…Do you deserve a virtuous woman?!....
11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
Safely trust: might be the most important attribute in today’s world…trustworthy.
Good looks, smart, great personality, has money; but without trust, it’s all for nought! Just look at Hollywood!
She is not a flirt; She never does anything that would give the impression of inappropriateness with the opposite gender.
If you don’t trust your wife, then you might start thinking of ‘spoil’…an affair.
Don’t safely trust in her, necessarily; make sure that she is virtuous; don’t be gullable; investigate…discern…protect.
Just how much does your husband trust you?... How do you know?....
12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
Do him good: her goal is to please her husband; she never speaks bad of him. So many wives’ goals are to please themselves… to have their husbands work all week long in order to please the wife’s shopping addiction. To do her own self good…
Find ways to do him good; to make him look good; to be a help to him; ask him how she can do this…
All the days: even when she is old, and has put up with a lot, she still is doing good to him. Consistantly good…
How much good are you doing him?
13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
This isn’t talking about going out in to the ‘work-a-day world’; I think it is flat wrong for a mother to leave the kids to go out and ‘work’ (i.e. leaving them at day care, public schools, etc.).
it’s talking about her being willing to help out with making some money for the family, but still ‘keeping and guiding the house’…i.e. she doesn’t leave home every day for 4 to 8 hours.
She works ‘out of the home’; it may not bring a lot of money in, but it’s the thought that counts.
Some women are not willing to do much of any ‘extra’ work to help make ends meet. “That’s hubbies responsibility”…
This woman is happy to help where she can; it may even be somewhat hard on her physically (hands)…
Are you willing to work with your hands?
14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
Food from afar: she wants the very best food for her family; an impressive cook; not just Western Family variety.
Dinner time is a very special event indeed.
Are you trying to be an ‘impressive cook’? Do you try and make dinner time exciting?
15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
While it is yet night: self sacrifice in order to make sure that the family is fed well.
Sometimes she is the first to get up; making sure everyone eats well before going off to work, or school beginning.
Some women are the ‘last to get up’ in a family. Just how much ‘beauty sleep’ do you need?....
Are you willing to get up before everyone else to make sure all the family’s needs are taken care of?
16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
She is financially savy and finds ways to invest money and then invest off of that interest.
God can greatly bless a woman like this; she might even make more than her husband (via God’s blessing, of course).
Don’t just leave all the ‘money stuff’ to hubby; help him out; consider ways to financially be a blessing.
A garden is a great way to be a blessing…but it’s hard work.
How do you help out the family financially?
17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
She isn’t afraid of breaking a nail; she is physically healthy; she is capable of hard physical labor.
She isn’t a ‘couch potato’. It seems that American women are not in very good physical ‘shape’ and health.
Most are overweight, hypertensive, pre-diabetic, depressed, with chronic back pain, etc..
Are you able to work all day out in the fields with hard labor?....
18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
Everything that she does is impressive; nothing cheap or average.
She stays up late working when it’s necessary. She is a busy, productive, impressive, godly woman.
How much sleep do you get on average per night? 6 to 10 hours is considered healthy; should you lean towards the 6 or the 10 if you are going to be like this virtuous woman?....
19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
Instead of buying all her family’s clothing, she makes some of it (or all of it!).
How much money could you save each year if you made most of your family’s clothing?...
20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
Her benevolent spirit goes way beyond just her family’s needs. She helps those in true need.
She can ‘multi-task’; focus on kids, husband, home, making money, church, helping the poor, etc., etc..
How involved are you with people’s needs outside of your own family’s?...
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
Well prepared; thinks ahead; she is not going to have her family look like they live in poverty.
How sharp the family looks, is very much contingent upon Mom…they are basically an extension of her leadership in this area.
How ‘sharp’ does your family look?...
22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
Again, she makes much of her own clothing. It is very conservative, godly, beautiful. It covers her; distinctly godly.
It isn’t dull and drab like a lot of the homemade conservative clothing for women seems to be (that ‘holiness’ group look).
Maketh herself coverings: she makes her own clothes; they cover her well; very conservatively/modestly dressed.
Are your clothes covering you well? Are they beautiful or dull and drab?
23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
She is all about making her husband look good. She will never talk bad about him behind his back.
Anything she says about him is in a very positive, uplifting, adoring way.
How often do you say something negative to others about your husband?....
24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
Again, she is very productive with her time; industrious; finds ways to sell many different products that are made in her home.
Got any ideas for being industrious? When was the last time that you tried something new in the way of trying to earn some extra money from home?
25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
She is well respected. She is known for not being a weak, frail, insecure, silly woman.
It may be hard work, but the time will soon come where she will be rejoicing because of it all.
What are you known for? What are two words that others would describe you by?
26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
One of the hardest things for a woman to control is her mouth (if not thee hardest!).
She’s no dummy; she is very educated (sounding).
Every word is coated with kindness; never has a harsh word…even to her kids.
What could be said about your mouth?....
27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
Her focus is on her household (husband, kids, and home). It isn’t on a career, or hobbies, or lady friends, or soccer, or tv, or shopping, or leisure. The household is the priority, and it shows.
She may have some time where she relaxes a bit, but it isn’t much; it is rare to find her ‘idle’.
Homemakers are often looked down upon because some think they just sit around and watch ‘soaps’, do their nails, and eat chocolate!...
How focused are you on the ways of your household?...
28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
The whole family thinks the greatest of her; they can’t help but thank her and praise her.
The family realizes just how blessed they are to have someone like her. They need to frequently tell her this (every morning!).
What does your family (kids, husband) call you? Blessed? or contentious…mean…loud…lazy…hypocrite…?
29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all
It’s not ok to be just ‘virtuous’; she wants to be the best at it. She, with an humble heart, seeks to excell all other ladies in virtuousity. She is always pushing herself to new heights. She never sets back and figures she’s ‘good enough’.
30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
The key point behind this virtuous woman is her heart; her heart is focused on fearing the LORD. She is not focused on gaining favour or looking pretty. Though, she doesn’t abandon this ‘ideals’. If the heart is right, all these other things can start falling into place. There is no way to be a virtuous woman like this without first having your heart right.
Humbly and respectfully serving the Lord; it’s all for Him!
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
Oh husbands and children, make sure to reward the virtuous woman in your life! Let her receive great benefit from her ‘fruit’.
Maybe let her do what she wants with the money she has made (let it all be for her).
Husbands, show her off! Let others know what an awesome woman she is. Talk of all that she does for the family.
Who can find a virtous woman?.....
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