THE LADY WISDOM

By Marini Thian

The Book of Proverbs consists of wisdom literature in the form of poems, brief parables, personification, and other literary forms, aimed to give its readers advice on how to cultivate godly virtue and avoid foolishness by gaining insights into godly living.

While having knowledge (facts) is good, without wisdom (putting that knowledge into action), knowledge can’t get us to become who God has called us to be. At the core of Proverbs is the truth that knowing God personally is key to wisdom. 

Proverbs 31 is particularly interesting as we see how a mother advises her son, King Lemuel, on what kind of woman to look for in a wife. However, this proverb seems to get the most attention from women and many of them look up to the ‘woman’ described in this passage and strive to be women of such character. In this article, we’ll see an overview of how this proverb is applicable for both men and women.

A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

Proverbs 31:10-11, New International Version

Those are the opening verses of Proverbs 31, a poem describing a virtuous wife and her true worth. We see that her virtue lies in her spiritual and moral characters, not her outer appearance. As a result, the poem describes her as someone rare, difficult to find, and values her incomparable to any material wealth or beauty. This is a personification of how wisdom looks like in a woman and our day-to-day life.

In the following verses, we see that the poem describes her capabilities and strength, physically, intellectually, and emotionally. She is a hard-working wife who not only takes excellent care of her family but also contributes to the community as she helps those in need. Her wisdom is demonstrated through how she spends her time effectively and manages her finances well. Here, we see that we need wisdom in how we should spend our resources, time, and gifts.

She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps
the spindle with her fingers.
She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

Proverbs 31:13-22, New International Version

Next, we see how the excellent management of the household by the virtuous wife has an impact on the husband’s reputation and standing in the community. Her husband is known and respected by the leaders of the city. This gives us an example that true wisdom can be seen and noticed by people around us. What is more, the wife is also an honest and creative entrepreneur! This is the opposite of the ‘old-fashioned’ way of thinking that a good wife should only stay at home and take care of children. 

Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.

Proverbs 31:23-24, New International Version

Wisdom is not characterized by laziness but by godly virtues which are visible for everyone to see. The wife embodies spiritual and moral character. Anxiousness has no place in her mind and she is confident about what the future brings. I believe this is what many of us are looking for in today’s world, full of uncertainties. However, here we see the fruit wisdom bears, which is to not worry or afraid of what tomorrow will bring. 

She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her
household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her: 
“Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”

Proverbs 31:25-29, New International Version

Finally, the poem reveals to us how we could become women of noble character, and what kind of wives men should be looking for. It is not about how beautiful one looks from the outside, but the inside. If we look at the outer appearance, we may be deceived as the poem suggests. Parents could also use this timeless truth to teach their sons and daughters.  

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Proverbs 31:30-31, New International Version

A virtuous wife is one who fears the LORD, our God. 

What does it mean? It means that the wife of noble character is the embodiment of how godly wisdom looks like in our everyday life. True wisdom is a way of life: godly life. This wisdom comes from knowing who God is and having a personal relationship with Him.

Why should we seek wisdom and live a holy life? Because only by knowing God through Jesus can we truly know how to live our lives in the right way that honors Him, how God intended it to be since the creation of the world, and to live it abundantly (John 10:10). All of us who know God personally and seek to please Him will want to apply the truths of God in our own lives to be transformed by Him daily, to be like Christ, to be holy just as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15).

Do you want to be like the ‘virtuous woman’ described in Proverbs 31? If your answer is yes, there is no secret here. We first need to acknowledge that God is the Source of wisdom and He is generous to give us wisdom if we seek and ask Him (James 1:5). 

Friends, we know that wisdom comes from God, so we can be sure that His plans for us are good and perfect. As we read in Proverbs 31:25 regarding the future: in God, we do not have to worry, knowing that He holds everything in His hand and He is Sovereign over all. We can be confident that He will guide us and help us to live a godly life if we follow Him faithfully.

The question is are you willing to put your lives in His hands and to live according to the plan He has for you? Do you want to know God personally and see how your lives can be transformed by Him? If your answer is yes, my friends, that is the beginning of wisdom.