INTRODUCTION:

In Proverbs 31:16-18 we read of three more qualities (as we have classified them) of a woman of virtue in the eyes of God.

DISCUSSION:

IV. SHE USES BOTH HER MIND AND HER HANDS TO CARE FOR HER FAMILY.

 A. How often do we PLAN good things and fail to ACT upon those plans?
  1. If good intentions alone could accomplish anything, we would all be wealthy, our 
   affairs would always be in order, and our automobiles would never go more than    3,000 miles before an oil change.
  2. But we usually plan to do more than we could ever hope to actually accomplish.
 B. On the other hand, we sometimes can become guilty of diving  right in and ACTING upon
  a thing without first giving it careful consideration.
  1. We might move too quickly on business propositions that sound great and learn later
    that the plans were not very sound.
  2. We can make purchases on the spur of the moment only to find out that the item was
   not what we needed, not the best price, or not the best quality.
 C. But the virtuous woman planned her work carefully and then worked her plan with 
  thoroughness.
  1. “She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a 
   vineyard” (Proverbs 31:16). “She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands 
   hold the distaff” (31:19).  “She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth 
   girdles unto the merchant” (31:24).  “She looketh well to the ways of her 
   household, and eateth not the bread of idleness” (31:27).
  2. Recall that these words were written at a time when women were not regarded 
   very highly.  They were not seen as having the ability to make such important          decisions or to follow through as the virtuous woman  does.
  3. It may be that there have been prejudices akin to this in more modern times.
  4. But here we can see that the VIRTUOUS woman can be relied upon to use her 
   mind wisely and to act upon important decisions.
  5. Husbands who attempt to micro-manage the lives of their wives may be missing 
   out on the great blessings that could come from allowing her more room to act on
   her own initiative concerning more matters while he gives his own energies to 
   other matters.
  6. Women, when given this opportunity, would do well to plan their activities and 
   not just haphazardly move through the day.
  7. In working with many people who are suffering from depression, I have observed 
   that useful, meaningful activity (work) is the greatest cure for this problem for
    males and females.
 D. All of the work that all of us do would be accomplished more readily if we would take the 
  time to consider what we want/need to do, and then act in accordance with our plans.
 
 BY REGULAR USE OF HER MIND AND BODY SHE BECOMES MORE ABLE TO 
 ACCOMPLISH.
 
 A. When confronted with difficult duties, we can do one of two things. 
  1. We can shirk them and grow weaker, gaining no experience or confidence.
  2. Or we can do them to the best of our ability, even with some difficulty, and bemore prepared to whatever other challenges may be coming along.  The strength
   that we gain from the latter approach cannot be measured.
 B. “She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms” (Proverbs 31:17).  “Strength
  and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come” (Proverbs 31:25).
 C. As a freshman in high school I was involved with a particular sport.
  1. The coach sent us all to the weight room to test our strengths and weaknesses.
  2. I discovered that I could barely bench press 100 pounds.  Some of the others could 
   do much better.
  3. I avoided the bench press for the rest of the year--when the bench press was what I
    needed the most.
  4. I have tried to learn to work on my weaknesses in various areas of life.
  5. The virtuous woman does not refrain from doing things that are difficult.

VI. SHE TAKES PLEASURE IN A JOB WELL DONE. 

 A. As the virtuous woman looks upon the clothing that she has lovingly made for her husband, 
  children, and self; as she surveys the lush vineyard that she planted with care; as she looks 
  upon the surplus produce that her labors provided to store, give away, and sell; she could have
  a sense of satisfaction, without an ounce of arrogance, that she had done a good job.
  1. This sense of satisfaction cannot be purchased.
   a. The psychotherapist cannot supply it.
   b. The pharmacist cannot dispense a pill that will give     it.
   c. The power of positive thinking cannot pretend it.
  2. Only the earnest, regular, sometimes plodding toil and a valuable task can produce
   this result.
 B. “She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night”
   (Proverbs 31:18).
 C. Because honest labor is an honorable thing, it is a virtuous thing to know that you have done 
  a good job when you have  accomplished it.
  1. Closely related to this principle is the search for truth.
  2. The work of studying the word of God diligently in order to find the truth is an 
   honorable work.  To hold the fruit of your labor, the truth, in your hand; to look 
   upon it with sense of satisfaction in having found it; and to know that it is good 
   and true is not a sign of arrogance.  And to teach the truth to another, in clear terms, 
   is an act of love.
 D. “When God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good…” (Genesis 1:31).
 E. When a virtuous woman lives virtuously “Her children arise up and call her blessed; her 
  husband also, and he praiseth her”  (Proverbs 31:28).
  1. God approves of her actions.
  2. She takes satisfaction in her own work.
  3. So why worry bout the disapproval of radical feminists?

VII. SHE IS A GENTLE TEACHER.

 A. While her tongue is NOT used for idle gossip, it IS used for dispensing wisdom.
 B. There is a great deal of discussion these days about “home schooling.”
  1. But whether her children are attending public or private schools or not--the 
   virtuous woman is a HOME SCHOOL teacher. 
  2. There are so many weighty lessons that our children will never learn anywhere if 
   they do not learn them at home.  Bible classes can support this effort but can 
   come nowhere near replacing it.
  3. “She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness” 
   (Proverbs 31:26).
  4. Notice her attitude in speaking to others.  Sometimes those who are intelligent, industrious, productive, and talented are also very impatient and sometimes 
   unkind to those who do not also possess those qualities.  Not the virtuous 
   woman.  She is not so fretful concerning her  many projects or so occupied 
   with them that she cannot  take the time to be kind and considerate as she 
   dispenses wisdom.
  5. Some today have a great interest in truth but fail to dispense it with kindness.  
   Others have a great interest in kindness and allow this to cause them to have little        interest in truth.  The virtuous woman taught the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) 
   as do all virtuous men and women.
 C. The virtuous woman teaches her children and others:  “The aged women likewise, that 
  they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, 
  teachers  of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their 
  husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home,  good, obedient 
  to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed” (Titus 2:3-6).
  1. I have seen this verse used as a pretext for imposing all sorts of opinions upon 
   young women by one who is older.
  2. This is not what the scriptures teach anyone to do.
 D. The source of these lessons ought to be the Bible.  The wisdom of God (I Corinthians 2:6-16) 
  is much more valuable than all of the folk wisdom that man or woman can devise.  Lessons 
      learned from the school of “hard knocks” may be useful, but let us not forget that the 
  solutions to all of the knotty problems of life are found in the word of God like they are
     found in no other place (II Timothy 3:16,17).
  1. Let us teach our children and others the contents of the Bible.
  2. In so doing we will be guiding them to the light that will not only show them the way
   that they should go in youth; we will be giving them the source book to which they 
   can turn when we are no longer there to show them the way.
 
CONCLUSION:

While it is obvious that these words were not written by a man of the 1990’s, it may not be as obvious that they would not have been any more popular among many of those who first read them.  But people of all times and places would do well to heed these timely truths of great wisdom.

         Tim Nichols