Getting Our Priorities Straight
RBC Chapel
November 10, 2010
Proverbs 31:10
Who can find a virtuous wife? For her
worth is far above rubies. (NKJV)
A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies. (NIV)
Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is more precious than rubies. (NLT)
An excellent wife who can find? For her
worth is far above jewels. (NASB)
The Hebrew word translated
“virtuous,” “noble character,”
“excellent,” or “virtuous and
capable” is chayil.
It appears in Proverbs 31:3:
“Do not spend your chayil
(strength) on women…”
Chayil is a common word in the
Old Testament, used 246 times:
It’s used 3 times of a woman
(Ruth 3:11, Prov 12:4, 31:10),
but in most other cases it
describes soldiers or armies. It’s
basic meaning is strength.
A chayil person (man or
woman) has an inner strength to
carry through on responsibilities
and to overcome obstacles.
Proverbs 31:10 is about this
kind of person: strong, valiant,
committed.
Proverbs 31:11-12
Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value. She brings him
good, not harm, all the days of her life.
(NIV)
The heart of her husband safely trusts her,
so he will have no lack of gain. She does
him good and not evil all the days of her
life. (NKJV, similar in NASB)
The first characteristic of a
person of strength is that
you are
TRUSTWORTHY.
Are you a trustworthy person?
Can you be trusted to do good,
not harm, all the days of your
life?
Proverbs 31:13-18
A strong, committed person is also
SHREWD: someone who is intelligent,
wise or clever.
This shrewd person doesn’t take advantage
of other people, but knows how to take
advantage of opportunities.
Shrewdness looks like this in verses 13-18:
Proverbs 31:13
“She selects wool and flax and works with
eager hands.”
The shrewd person chooses his or her tasks
and materials with care and then works
with them with delight.
Proverbs 31:14-15
“She is like the merchant ships, bringing her
food from afar. She gets up while it is still
dark; she provides food for her family and
portions for her serving women.”
The shrewd person looks ahead and
prepares for the future, not just for the
present.
Proverbs 31:16
“She considers a field and buys it; out of her
earnings she plants a vineyard.”
The shrewd person thinks through his/her
projects carefully and plans how to carry
them out successfully.
Proverbs 31:17
“She sets about her work vigorously; her
arms are strong for her tasks” (NIV)
“…she makes her arms strong” (NASB)
“…She strengthens her arms” (NKJV)
The shrewd person improves his/her
knowledge and skills in order to work
smarter, not harder.
Proverbs 31:18
“She sees that her trading is profitable; and
her lamp does not go out at night” (NIV)
“She perceives that her merchandise is
good…” (NKJV)
The shrewd person makes quality products
that can be sold without shame or fear.
Proverbs 31:19-20
“She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
and her hands grasp the spindle.
She extends her hand to the poor,
And she stretches out her hands to the
needy.” (NASB)
Shrewdness must always be
tempered by generosity.
Otherwise, it becomes greed.
Proverbs 31:21
“When it snows, she has no fear for her
household; for all of them are clothed in
scarlet.”
The wise person of strength is diligent in
caring for the needs of others, even when
it snows in the Middle East (!).
Proverbs 31:22
“She makes coverings for her bed; she is
clothed in fine linen and purple.”
This wise person is also diligent in caring for
his/her own needs.
Proverbs 31:23
“Her husband is respected at the city gate
where he takes his seat among the elders
of the land.”
This wise person’s handling of life earns her
husband respect among the elders of the
city.
Proverbs 31:24
“She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.”
We see this wise person at work producing
income for her family in order to help
others.
Proverbs 31:25
“She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.”
This person’s diligence is such that she
does not have to worry about the future.
Proverbs 31:26
“She speaks with wisdom, and faithful
instruction is on her tongue” (NIV)
“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the
teaching of kindness is on her tongue”
(NASB)
The strong wise person always speaks
wisely and kindly. He/she not only walks
the walk, but also talks the talk.
Wisdom throughout the book of
Proverbs is about making wise
decisions in the thick of life.
In Proverbs 8:35-36, Lady Wisdom tells
us that those who love her will live, but
those who sin against her wrong their
own souls.
Wisdom is the stuff of everyday life, but
it is also the stuff of life and death.
Proverbs 31:30
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but the person who fears the Lord is to be
praised.”
The bottom line:
The wise person knows the difference
between what passes and what lasts, and
chooses to live for what is eternal.
The “fear of the Lord” is a
reverent understanding of who
God is and where we stand in
relation to him.
Our awareness of God at work
even in tragedy gives us a different
way to see life and see pain.
It teaches us the difference
between what passes and what
lasts.
Knowing God sustains us in our
darkest hours.
But knowing God also sustains us
in daily life:
It isn’t easy to be trustworthy, but
God is there and sees that we can
be trusted.
It isn’t convenient to be shrewd, but
God sees our work and is honored
by it.
It may be tough to be generous, but
God calls us to share what we
have.
It’s not fun to be diligent, but we
work to glorify our Maker.
It’s not easy to speak wisely and
kindly all the time, but God hears
what we say.
One ship sails east, another west
On the self-same wind that blows.
It’s the set of the sail
and not the gale
That determines where each ship
goes.
[Ella Wheeler Wilcox]