Morning Devotional March 2, 2014

Proverbs 31

Proverbs 31 is the one chapter most Christians turn to when they think of what is supposed to be the “perfect” wife or the example of the “perfect” wife. I like many of my preacher brethren have preached and taught this many times. But after going back and reading this chapter again by the encouragement of another pastor, I see where I for one have missed some very important aspects of this chapter. For one I have usually started my sermons/lessons with verse 10 and went through the end of verse 31. Now that being said, let's go back and look at verse 1.

“The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.”

Notice who this chapter is about. King Lemuel. Also notice it is him telling what he learned from his mother. A prophecy or lesson she learned from the Lord. Notice she starts by telling him not to give his strength unto women in verse 3 and that kings are not to drink wine and princes are not to drink strong drink in verse 4. Two of the things of the world that had ruined many a king in Israel. Look at the kings down through history and even the world leaders today. Women and strong drink are very much a part of their lives and at times are their down-fall.

Now to the real reason I bring up this chapter. Notice after Lemuel's mother is finished talking about strong drink she to telling him about a woman would is to be the example of a king or ruler's wife. Yes that is right, I said a king or ruler's wife. Something I think we have some many times missed here in this chapter is the fact that this story of the “perfect” wife is being told to the king by his mother. Not to the every day citizen. So many times we as Christians have taken the last 22 verses of this chapter and assumed this is God's example of the “perfect” wife. We assume this is how God wants all wives to be. But read verses 13-27. The things we see this woman seeking after, buying, and doing are the things of a woman who has great wealth. She is not poor by any means. Also notice in verse 15. She has “maidens” or servants. Another sign that she is wealthy. But also notice she does a lot of the work herself. It tells in verses 13, 16, 17, 19, 22, and 24 that she works with her hands. This was the custom of the day when this was written. Though the king's wife had servants if she was a godly woman she would not be to good to work herself. Setting an example for her children and servants.