Finishing Strong
This is
the last of the chapters on Proverbs.
It’s another chapter written by an unknown author. However, there is some ancient tradition that
this unknown author is a “pseudonym” for Solomon and thus the teacher of this
chapter is really Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba.
Of course, any evidence to this is purely extra-Biblical and is really
speculation. Furthermore, remember that
in the Hebrew tradition of kings there was no “King Lemuel.” For the record, this is one of the chapters
in Proverbs that I’ve been anticipating writing since beginning the book. And no … it isn’t because it’s the last
chapter in this book!
What Are You Doing?
I love the
opening words of this proverb. “What are
you doing?” Notice that this phrase is
expressed three times! Could it be that
a proper understanding of this proverb is in one where the wisdom of the mother
is seen as coming directly from God because of the triune beginning?
Back on
track, one of the reasons I love this opening is because of the first
expression. Can you not picture a
mother, whose son is making a string of mistakes, shaking her head as she says
almost more to herself than anyone else, “What are you doing, oh my son?”
So what is
this young king doing wrong? Well, to
begin with it seems that this man is throwing himself at women. What’s the problem with focusing on women,
you wonder? Well, when a king pursues
women, he’s no longer pursuing his kingdom and proper governance of it. This actually sounds a bit more like Solomon,
doesn’t it?
The king
is also a fan of alcohol. What’s the
problem with alcohol, you wonder? Well,
alcohol numbs the senses and allows us to pervert justice. Kings need to be concerned about
righteousness and justice, not chasing after women and alcohol.
The Excellent Wife
The second
half of this chapter is all about the excellent wife. I think there is a great deal of wisdom in
this proverb, which is probably why it is one of the most famous proverbs that
there is. So let’s look at what we can
learn about the excellent wife:
- She handles herself in a manner that gains the trust of her husband.
- She seeks to do good to her husband rather than looking to do ill.
- She goes about her work willingly.
- She is willing to go beyond the call of duty to provide for her family.
- She sacrifices of herself to make sure that her family’s needs are met.
- She devises a plan and then follows through on her plan.
- She surrounds herself with strong people and strong circumstances.
- She is shrewd with the goods of the house as well as the resources of the house.
- She is not afraid to work {Who knew that a distaff was a tool used in the processing of flax and wool?}
- She is generous.
- She prepares her house for all circumstances.
- She knows how to enjoy nice things.
- She helps her husband become recognized and wise.
- Wisdom comes from her mouth and she is not afraid to teach wisdom to others.
- Her value to the house is obvious to her husband and her children.
- She fears the Lord.
What’s not
to love about this part of the chapter?
First of all, as a man I think we should take a serious look at the
importance of praising and supporting our wives. I don’t think that it is any coincidence that
this topic is the last chapter in this book.
The most important items in a list are usually the first and the
last. Where did this book begin? The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the
Lord. Where does the book end? Husbands, value your wives. Honestly?
Are there any two bigger points for a man to know in this life?
Second,
who wouldn’t honestly consider themselves blessed to have a life partner of
such high quality? What person wouldn’t
want a wife who cared for her family and did all she could to promote the
welfare and success of the family? What
man wouldn’t want to be paired with a woman who genuinely seeks to promote her
husband and be a good steward of the house?
The power of this chapter with respect to setting a great role model for
our women should not be underestimated.
The power of this chapter to teach men what to look for in a wife should
also not be underestimated.
For the
record … notice what isn’t even on the list!
Physical beauty. Men, take
note. You don’t choose a wife by what’s
on the outside.
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