A COMPETENT WIFE/Woman-II—Proverbs 31:10-31
Attention:
The writer of Proverbs detailed a successful marriage from the standpoint of a competent wife.
A wife’s competence completes a successful marriage.
Who is a competent wife?
What makes/characterizes a competent wife?
Competent—1)“Having the necessary ability, knowledge, or skill to do something successfully; 2)Efficient & capable.”
M-W—“having the necessary ability or skills : able to do something well or well enough to meet a standard”; “having requisite or adequate ability or qualities.”
*There is no higher calling for a wife/woman than to be ‘competent’ in Christ Jesus!
Last Sunday we found that A competent wife/woman is...
1. Competently RARE & PRECIOUS(:10)
2—A competent wife/woman...
Competently COMMITS(:11-12)
Explanation:(:11-12)
:11—“The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain.”
The virtuous wife’s character has so taken the very depths of “her husband’s “heart” that he “trusts her” absolutely. Thus she likewise(as one body) trusts her husband.
“...he trusts in her good sense, her fidelity, & her industry”—NAC
The virtuous wife ensures that her husband will never experience a “lack of gain” as far as it is in her power. She will not fritter/trifle away the hard-earned income as it is intended for the welfare of their entire family(:13-31).
The word translated “gain” is rooted in the attainment of spoil/booty as from battle or conquering an enemy. A virtuous wife will guarantee that she & her husband will experience continual battles won & the spoils of such will come to him.
The godly man, who is worthy of respect, has a home that is filled with the spoils of his wife’s battles.
“...he needs not be griping & scraping abroad, as those must be whose wives are proud & wasteful at home. She manages his affairs so that he is always before-hand, has such plenty of his own that he is in no temptation to prey upon his neighbours.”—Matthew Henry
*The fact that her husband is here(& thruout) spoken of as leb(master/owner) rather than vya(husband/man) suggests his earned authority & as such, a deep respect on the part of the wife. Though she is a masterful & resourceful woman, she has no problem as her godly husband’s wife. His ‘authority’ over her is not oppressive but rather is serious, loving, encouraging & helpful. They are indeed one flesh & work together perfectly as if one unit—God’s intent!(See :23).
Our secular American society has so poisoned us that even God’s church wrestles with recognizing disdaining the distinctions that make us men & women. However, we are indeed different in vastly more ways than form alone & thus have different roles, being assigned by God Himself! “Heart”—bl leb—1) Inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding. Strong—The heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for--The feelings, the will & even the intellect; likewise for--The center of anything.
**“Husband”(See :23, 28)—leb bah'-al—1) Owner, husband, lord—1a) Owner, 1b) A husband, 1c) Citizens, inhabitants, 1d) Rulers, lords, 1e) (noun of relationship used to characterize - ie, Master of dreams), 1f) Lord(used of foreign gods). Strong—A master; hence--A husband, or figuratively--Owner(often used with another noun in modifications of this latter sense).
“Safely Trusts/Trusts in/Full confidence in”—xjb baw-takh’—Qal Perfect—1) To trust—1a) (Qal)—1a1) To trust, trust in, 1a2) To have confidence, be confident, 1a3) To be bold, 1a4) To be secure; 2) (TWOT) to feel safe, be careless. Strong—a primitive root; properly--To hie[go quickly] for refuge [but not so precipitately as hox]; figuratively--To trust, be confident or sure.
“Lack”—rox khaw-sar'—1) To lack, be without, decrease, be lacking, have a need—1a) (Qal)—1a1) To lack, 1a2) To be lacking, 1a3) To diminish, decrease. Strong—a primitive root; To lack; by implication--To fail, want, lessen. Used 21X.
**“Gain/Need of Spoil/Of Value”—llv shaw-lawl’—Noun Masc.—1) Prey, plunder, spoil, booty. From—llv—Verb—a primitive root; To drop or strip; by implication--To plunder.
:12—“She does him good & not evil All the days of her life.”
She is Entirely Trustworthy
There is no thought of bringing “evil” to her husband for all of her days. His wife’s every waking moment is to deal out/benefit/repay “good” to her husband & thus to their family.
“nor would she, no, not for the world, wilfully do any thing that might be a damage to his person, family, estate, or reputation.”—M. Henry
Thereby these two must be perfectly suited to one another & share the same goals & dreams. Their’s is more than a mere marriage of convenience, they are in love. They are committed ‘till death do us part.’
A personal drive(Holy Spirit) regardless of what she receives?
*“Does/Brings/Rewards”—lmg gaw-mal’—Qal Perfect—1) To deal fully with, recompense—1a) (Qal)—1a1) To deal out to, do to, 1a2) To deal bountifully with, 1a3) To recompense, repay, requite; 2) (Qal) To wean a child; 3) (Qal) To ripen, bear ripe(almonds). Strong—a primitive root; To treat a person(well or ill), i.e. Benefit or requite; by implication(of toil)--To ripen, i.e. specifically--To wean.
“Good”(See :18)—bwj towb—Adj.—1) Good, pleasant, agreeable. Noun Masc.—2) A good thing, benefit, welfare—2a) Welfare, prosperity, happiness, 2b) Good things(collective), 2c) Good, benefit, 2d) Moral good. Noun Fem.—3) Welfare, benefit, good things—3a) Welfare, prosperity, happiness, 3b) Good things(collective), 3c) Bounty. Strong—Good(as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine & the feminine, the singular & the plural--Good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women, also(as an adverb)--Well.
“Evil”—er rah—Adj.—1) Bad, evil—1a) Bad, disagreeable, malignant, 1b) Bad, unpleasant, evil(giving pain, unhappiness, misery), 1c) Evil, displeasing, 1d) Bad(of its kind - land, water, etc), 1e) Bad(of value), 1f) Worse than, worst(comparison), 1g) Sad, unhappy, 1h) Evil(hurtful), 1i) Bad, unkind (vicious in disposition), 1j) Bad, evil, wicked (ethically)—1j1) in general--Of persons, of thoughts, 1j2) Deeds, actions. Strong—Bad or (as noun)Evil (natural or moral).
“All”—Mwy yowm—1) Day, time, year. Strong—from an unused root meaning to be hot; A day(as the warm hours), whether literal(from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative--A space of time defined by an associated term, [often used adverb].
“Life”—yx khah’-ee—Adj.—1) Living, alive. Noun Masc.—2) Relatives; 3) Life(abstract emphatic)—3a) Life, 3b) Sustenance, maintenance. Noun Fem.—4) living thing, animal—4a) Animal, 4b) Life, 4c) Appetite, 4d) Revival, renewal; 5) Community. Strong—Alive; hence--Raw(flesh); Fresh(plant, water, year), Strong; also(as noun, especially in the feminine singular & masculine plural)--Life(or living thing), whether literally or figuratively.
Argumentation:
1Pet. 3:1-2—“Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.”
Heb. 13:4—“Marriage is honorable among all, & the bed undefiled; but fornicators & adulterers God will judge.”
Eph. 5:22-33—“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; & He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church & gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify & cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy & without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes & cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh & of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father & mother & be joined to his wife, & the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ & the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, & let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
Gen. 2:23-24—“And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father & mother & be joined to his wife, & they shall become one flesh.”
**2Tim. 1:13-14—“Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith & love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.”
**Titus 2:1-8—“But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. Likewise exhort the young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.”
Gen. 24:63-67—“And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; & he lifted his eyes & looked, & there, the camels were coming. Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, & when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel; for she had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil & covered herself. And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent; & he took Rebekah & she became his wife, & he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.”
Gen. 29:18-20—“Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter.” And Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.” So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, & they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.”
Deut. 6:5—“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, & with all your strength.”
Mk. 12:30—[Jesus said]’And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, & with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.”
1Cor. 16:22—“If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come!”
1Jn. 2:22, 23—“Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father & the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”
Prov. 16:3—“Commit your works to the LORD, And your thoughts will be established.”
Ezek. 23:1-21—“The word of the LORD came again to me, saying: “Son of man, there were two women, The daughters of one mother. They committed harlotry in Egypt, They committed harlotry in their youth; Their breasts were there embraced, Their virgin bosom was there pressed. Their names: Oholah[her tent—God never owned her] the elder & Oholibah[her tent is in her] her sister; They were Mine, And they bore sons & daughters. As for their names, Samaria is Oholah, & Jerusalem is Oholibah. “Oholah played the harlot even though she was Mine; And she lusted for her lovers, the neighboring Assyrians, Who were clothed in purple, Captains & rulers, All of them desirable young men, Horsemen riding on horses. Thus she committed her harlotry with them, All of them choice men of Assyria; And with all for whom she lusted, With all their idols, she defiled herself. She has never given up her harlotry brought from Egypt, For in her youth they had lain with her, Pressed her virgin bosom, And poured out their immorality upon her. “Therefore I have delivered her Into the hand of her lovers, Into the hand of the Assyrians, For whom she lusted. They uncovered her nakedness, Took away her sons & daughters, And slew her with the sword; She became a byword among women, For they had executed judgment on her. “Now although her sister Oholibah saw this, she became more corrupt in her lust than she, & in her harlotry more corrupt than her sister’s harlotry. She lusted for the neighboring Assyrians, Captains & rulers, Clothed most gorgeously, Horsemen riding on horses, All of them desirable young men. Then I saw that she was defiled; Both took the same way. But she increased her harlotry; She looked at men portrayed on the wall, Images of Chaldeans portrayed in vermilion, Girded with belts around their waists, Flowing turbans on their heads, All of them looking like captains, In the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea, The land of their nativity. As soon as her eyes saw them, She lusted for them And sent messengers to them in Chaldea. Then the Babylonians came to her, into the bed of love, And they defiled her with their immorality; So she was defiled by them, & alienated herself from them. She revealed her harlotry & uncovered her nakedness. Then I alienated Myself from her, As I had alienated Myself from her sister. Yet she multiplied her harlotry In calling to remembrance the days of her youth, When she had played the harlot in the land of Egypt. For she lusted for her paramours, Whose flesh is like the flesh of donkeys, And whose issue is like the issue of horses. Thus you called to remembrance the lewdness of your youth, When the Egyptians pressed your bosom Because of your youthful breasts.”
Illustration:
*The reason...We have dogs & cats wandering the streets—Children who are unnurtured, fostered, & orphaned—Couples ‘living together without marrying/There is no commitment on the part of some & others pay the price for incompetence/Competently COMMITS
Zip-lining/One quick trip over & thru the trees from one mountain to the side of another mountain/Very frightening/Tenuous/Waiting for your commitment/You finally tell yourself, “Okay let’s do it!” & you not only survive the experience but enjoy it/The only problem is it ends too quickly!/Marriage is not for adrenaline junkies or thrill seekers—It is for the committed!/Competently COMMITS
There are some here today who have experienced moral failure either in yourselves, or in your spouse, or both/It is difficult at best to remain committed to a morally compromised marriage/Competently COMMITS
Conversely there are many here who have experienced & still do experience the level of commitment to one another, required for trust to free you both in God’s service/Competently COMMITS
Application:
?You Competently COMMIT to God’s plan?
?You a Competent Wife/Woman?
CONCLUSION:
Action:
A competent wife/woman...
2. Competently COMMITS(:11-12)
1. Competently RARE & PRECIOUS(:10)
Presented 05/17/2015am to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave(A Ave. SE)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
