The Noble Woman Series

The Noble Woman

Proverbs 31

SCRIPTURE READING: Proverbs 31:10-

INTRODUCTION:

Today we’re ending our study of Proverbs. In sermons and in our Pueblo Groups we’ve covered topics from finances to child-raising . We’ve seen God’s wisdom for working right, for talking right and for living right. The book of Proverbs ends with a well-known chapter on the Wife of Noble Character. I’ve usually heard this text used on Mother’s day. It causes us to appreciate our own mothers and to urge young women to develop the noble qualities described here.

But today I’d like to look at these verses in a little different way. In scripture, the Church is often called “The Bride of Christ.” I believe that the same qualities God considers noble in a wife are the qualities He would want to see in His beloved Church. Let’s see how these verses can speak a fresh message to you and to me as part of this Congregation. We’ll start with verses 10-12.

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 31:10-12

These verses give a beautiful picture of the Marriage relationship, which God designed, from the Beginning. God wants Husbands and Wives to enjoy a relationship infused with trust, sharing of everything, transparent honesty, and the giving and receiving of good will throughout all their days.

Unfortunately, all marriages don’t look that way. But that doesn’t mean marriage as an institution is flawed. It just means that Satan does all he can to drive a wedge between husbands and wives. Satan likes nothing better than to pervert the relationship God wanted for a man and his wife.

In the same way, God had a plan from the beginning for fellowship between the Jesus Christ and His church. Our connection to Christ is so close that we are called the Bride of Christ. This means that the same kind of relationship God pictured for a healthy and happy marriage, is the relationship He wants for Jesus and His Church. Look again at verses 11 and 12. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. This was the kind of wife who deserved complete trust because she was a woman of INTEGRITY. Her husband could put his full confidence in her.

1. She showed Integrity Proverbs 31:10-12

Can Jesus put his full confidence in us? Can Jesus trust us to “do him good and not harm all the days of our lives”? You might ask, how can we do harm to the cause of Christ? Well think about how a wife can do harm to her husband. Unfortunately, we’ve all known wives who do their husbands more harm than good.

Many years back, I knew a preacher who had a wife with an acid tongue. She was known for complaining about everything … but especially about people in the church. She was continually stirring up arguments among the church members. They moved from church to church, usually because folks got tired of her mouth. The whole thing kind of amazed me (since I have such a noble wife myself!) I still remember the comment another preacher made to me about the situation. He said that this preacher’s wife literally undid everything the poor preacher ever tried to accomplish.

God forbid that the Church would be that kind of Bride. But the harsh truth is that some church members do Christ harm and not good. They literally undo the things Jesus is trying to accomplish through his church. How? Usually --- just like that preacher’s wife --- with their mouths.

We harm the reputation of Jesus Christ every time we gossip and complain. Now don’t get me wrong. There is always plenty to complain about ... in life and in the church. Things aren’t perfect, and we should always strive to do better. But grumbling, criticizing, nit picking, and whining are not on the list of noble qualities in Proverbs 31!

I hate to say it, but I often see people in the church who shame the good name of Christ by what they say and do. When we live lives without INTEGRITY, we cause Jesus to be a laughingstock and an object of ridicule. People who live that way are living a lie. Just imagine the Bride who continues to go out on dates with other men. She gets married, but continues to spend nights out partying with her husband’s enemies.

No wonder on that great Day of Judgment Jesus will tell some people, “I never knew you.” You can bet those are people whose names are on Church Membership Rolls. Those are people who claimed to belong to Him, but never actually had a relationship with Him. Their marriage is nothing more than a Pseudo Marriage! Leading to annulment! Friend, you don’t want to hear those kind of words leveled at you. And for that reason, you must ask yourself what is the nature of your relationship with Jesus Christ? Do you really enjoy spending time with Him? Do you honor him by the way you talk and live?