VALENTINE'S DAY -- WHO CAN FIND A WIFE OF NOBLE CHARACTER?

Our daughter, Carolyn, and her husband, Michael Coney at their wedding in 1983. Carolyn went to heaven in 1990 after a short battle with cancer. She wasn't perfect, but she was a special woman, and many testified to that.

A special woman

By Ada Nicholson Brownell

God gave Solomon a special Gift of Wisdom, but the king didn’t seem too smart where women were concerned. God permitted men to have more than one wife in Old Testament days, so Solomon married 700 women and had 300 concubines, many of them foreign gals God forbid Israelites to marry.

Apparently Solomon couldn’t find the one woman—the one jewel—the girl that would be his one and only until death. But Solomon did have supernatural wisdom that told him the qualities of the ideal wife, although the king didn’t have enough sense to find a good woman and cleave only to her himself. He couldn’t seem to apply wisdom to his own life.

Yet, I respect Solomon’s wise counsel and he wrote many things I use as goals. But I’ve never reached the perfect woman he describes.

Here’s what he penned, followed by what I think he and the Lord are saying to me.

Solomon wrote in Proverbs 31:

“A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.” [She is beautiful inside because of her godly lifestyle, her love, devotion and faithfulness.]

 “Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.” [She earns her husband’s loving respect.]

 “She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. 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 servant girls.” [She is a good mother and compassionate.]

 “She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff[1]and grasps the spindle with her fingers.” [She has a business of her own, yet keeps up with the work at home.]

 “She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. [She is charitable.]

Solomon said, “When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet (a type of woolen cloth). [She looks out for everyone in her house.]

 “She makes coverings for her bed.” [She’s probably romantic.]

Solomon said, “She is clothed in fine linen and purple.” [She has good taste in clothes and desires to look her best.]

 “Her husband is respected at the city gate where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.” [She chose a husband with good character. Because she manages the household well and loves him, her husband is highly esteemed.
If she had lived in New Testament days she would have obeyed the counsel in Ephesians 5: 32-33 to “respect her husband.” Solomon also wrote in Proverbs 14:1, “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.” [I don’t want to tear down my home with my words.]

 “She is clothed with strength and dignity; She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. [This gal is no dummy; she studies and teaches others.]

 “She can laugh at the days to come.” [She has a sense of humor.]

“Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. ‘Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.’” [The whole family adores her and they voice appreciation.]

 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” [She knows loving God, her family and others is more important than anything. She finds satisfaction and reward.]

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[1] A staff that holds unspun flax, wool or other raw materials.