Proverbs 31:28-31 - The Wife Who is to be Praised

Proverbs 31:28-31

²⁸ Her children rise up and bless her;
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:
²⁹ “Many daughters have done nobly,
But you excel them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain,But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
³¹ Give her the product of her hands,
And let her works praise her in the gates.

 
Message: The Wife Who is to be Praised

Time: It seems that Proverbs was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. Proverbs was probably written during the reign of Solomon, 971-931 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying: After hearing of the hard-working wife and mother in the previous verses, the wife and mother is now praised by her children and her fear of the Lord is commended.

Her children rise up for they have been her biggest witnesses for the acts in which she has done. I notice this about my kids as they are very cognizant of Pamela and her moods and her actions. They see it all. And these children's response is and bless her. They remark of how excellent her behavior and person-hood is to them. She has been wise and has exhibited godly education towards them.

And her husband, and he praises her with the following words: Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all. The husband loves his wife and esteems her. He sees her as the best ever. Paul mentions the importance of a husband loving his wife and that is what this man exhibits. The husband should always feel like he has the greatest prize in his wife. I hear this remark often from men and that is a good thing. Often it is heard from young men who are playing a sport and they will often mention there mom that sacrificed for them and did so much so that they could have opportunities. Everyone had a great mom. This is how it should be. This means the mom is doing her job. And the husband to shows that he has no reason to go elsewhere for any companionship or have any sort of desire for another woman.

It is tragic to see that women are not judged for their works, but too often for their looks. Lord, help me to be a different sort of man. Help me to praise my wife for who she is on the inside. The problem with us Americans is we want it all, but our chief aim should be a wife that cares for her family and children and as the previous verses mentioned, looks out for the interests of others and is giving to other people as well.

On this note the following verse mentions that charm is deceitful and beauty is vain. How said that we put such a value on charm and beauty in society. I think it is often because we are so tied into TV, Movies, and the media, and the constant exhibiting of these type of women. They are held up as the ideal ones because we all want to be like them. Yet, it is amazing because there personal lives are often very rocky. There are exceptions, definitely, but we often don't even care about their private life as long as their showmanship is in order. How awful of us to put that much stock in these type of people. The Bible is clear that this is not how we should view women, but instead a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. 

The virtuous woman is the key woman. Here it is, the 2nd last verse of the book speaking that the key is the fear of the Lord. And the book started in Proverbs 1:7 with - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. What is the key ingredient in all of life? It is those that fear the Lord. Ecclesiastes ends with The conclusion, when all has been heard: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. Every person has the same ideal - to fear God. The problem is we can't see this and this is not as apparent to the momentary glances that we get on the screens of the lives we stare at. Yet, Solomon makes it clear, this is the key. 

Any praise, beyond the fear of the Lord of her, should be made my others. Give her the product of her hands,and let her works praise her in the gates. Her walk equals her talk. Her walk exhibits who she is, a woman that fears the Lord. It's funny, but recently, I saw this picture of my mom in my dorm room at college. At the time she was probably about 42 and I noticed how beautiful my mom was and is. But, I've always known how amazing my mom is and she has always been a woman that fears the Lord and for all of my life this is what stands out about her, almost to the point that I don't see her beauty because her fear of the Lord was so loud in her life that this is what defined her always. She spends time praying, seeking the Lord, and has a great desire to teach other women as well. Her voice has always been lovely and singing in church, praising God, stood out in her life. This is how we should see women in our lives. We should see the fear of the Lord first.

Promise: God is honored through praises which come to his people for graces which he has imparted and which by their very nature exalt him. -- John Piper. Let us who are husbands cherish and praise our godly wives that we might honor God. -- Tabletalk.

Prayer: Thank you God for my mom and for my wife. Thank you for the way in which they carefully desire to praise You with their lives. Help me to better encourage them and be thankful for them.