Now Choose

All along the way in Proverbs the challenge has been from the author to a son, instruction on living wisely.  There has been instruction on wisdom vs foolishness, warning against distraction and temptation from attractive, yet empty sources of pleasure.  We have read about laziness and selfishness, and the list goes on.  And so we get to Proverbs 31, the “Godly woman” passage.  Or is it?

Opening this Proverb is a simple, yet direct challenge to governmental leadership, written to a King (Lemuel) as taught by his mother.  We could pause to wonder why his father did not do this teaching, or we could applaud a mother who took to heart teaching her son.  Regardless, here are those traits, but we’ll spend time elsewhere.  Effective governing should consist of 1) using one’s authority for the people, not himself; 2) maintaining sobriety and clarity of mind; 3) speaking up for those who cannot do so for themselves; 4) righteousness.

OK, now on to the next main theme, those Godly women.  Interesting to me that the intended audience of this Proverbs is NOT the young women, but rather the young MEN.  We’ve spent so much time learning what to avoid, making the right choices, and now it is time for young men to choose a wife, and choose well they must. 

Without getting too detailed, this part of the chapter is a structured poem, called a chiasmus.  That means that there are verses and themes repeated on both sides of a central point, and each of the supporting verses directs its focus to that point.  The center of this chiasmus is verse 23, “Her husband is known in the gates...”  Essentially, there is public respect for this man.

Proverbs has been steering men away from the prostitute, and toward the Godly woman.  The implied reader is a man.  Wisdom is portrayed as a woman, thus the reader would further be implied to be a man. 

The virtues here do indeed apply to the Godly woman, and they can certainly be used as instruction for women.  That point is very clear.  Further, these virtues allow for men to be successful leaders in their families, churches, and communities.  The men lead these women, and also heavily depend on them.  Creation is in clear view here, with men created to be leaders, and women to be helpers to that leading.  There is no subservient tone here, this is a good marriage, a Godly partnership, orchestrated by the Creator Himself.

In summary then, men must choose one woman or the other, wisdom or foolishness.  Choose well, and flourish as a leader.  Choose poorly, and life will be a struggle.  Men depend on three key relationships: fear God; receive parental instruction; and find the good wife.  Ephesians 2 and Proverbs 19 tell us that he fear of God and the good wife are both gifts of God.

Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul, and for providing a good wife.