The Blessing Of A Godly Wife
Proverbs 31:10-12, “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.”
When reading through the book of Proverbs, I often try to consider a conversation between an older father and his son. The father has much experience in life and has a great desire to share what he has gained in his experience with his son, who has yet to face all that the world could throw at him. Solomon was a man who was blessed to have a good wife. When reading Solomon’s Song it is easy to understand the love that he and his beloved Shulamite had for one another. But Solomon took other wives too. 1 Kings 11:3 teaches us that he had “seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines:…” Wow, that’s quite a bit more than a few. Among those he apparently had a few that were not so easy to live with. Consider Proverbs 21:9, and Proverbs 25:24, “It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.” Solomon would also say in Proverbs 19:13, “…the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping” (meaning the contentions of a wife will hinder rest and peace as dripping water). Another verse of scripture which will reveal to us that Solomon had difficult wives is Proverbs 12:4, “A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.” All these experiences in life caused Solomon to have a longing to instruct his son (more than likely Rehoboam) to seek and pray for a good and godly wife. Solomon said in Proverbs 18:22, “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.” Why would Solomon say such a thing?
(1) He understood that a good wife is from the Lord! In Genesis chapter two, after God made Adam upright, He saw that “it is not good that the man should be alone”, so God made man an “help meet”. What a blessed day it was for Adam when God gave him Eve. Although I do not expect the Lord to put men to sleep and remove a rib from their side today, it does not change the fact that a good wife is a gift from God.
(2) He understood that a godly wife was a God given companion for this life! In Ecclesiastes 4:11 we read, “Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?” What a precious blessing it is to enjoy the warmth of a God given companion while going through the coldness of this world; having one to share the toils of this road with and receive encouragement when the road becomes rugged.
(3) He understood the help a godly wife is to a husband! Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 4:9, “Two are better than one;…” He also said in verse 12 “And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him: and a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (three being the husband; the wife; and Jesus Christ in the middle).
With this, and many other good things in mind Solomon believed a good wife was of great value. If the Lord has blessed you, dear brother, with a good wife, thank the Lord for her daily and treat her with the kind respect of one given to you of the Lord. If you have yet to find a good wife, pray the Lord will guide you to her for “she will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.” Amen!