Proverbs 31:10-12 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 31:10-12, which reads,

An excellent wife, who can find?  For her worth is far above jewels.  The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.  She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.

We will just tackle an introduction to this section of scripture titled in my Bible as "Description of a Worthy Woman."  Context is important as we go forward because some of the descriptions we will look at may not instantly relate to us and our time because we ask the question, "Who is speaking here?"  It is the mother of a king.  She is speaking from someone who lives in a world of the high class.  She is going to use illustrations and word pictures from that vantage point.  The wise mother of a king son has talked to him about holiness, sobriety, and compassion.  She now goes back to holiness and speaks directly about what kind of women he should look for in a wife.  

She is described overall as "an excellent wife" and she is hard to find.  She does her best to give her son what "excellent" looks like.  Ruth is described this way by Boaz in Ruth 3:11,

Now don't be afraid, my daughter.  I will do for you whatever you say, since all the people in my town know that you are a woman of noble character.

Another cross reference to this search for such a women is Proverbs 18:22 which says,

A man who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.

The wise mother is sending her king son on a search for someone, singular, that has these qualities.

First he is told that her worth is far above jewels, some versions say "rubies."  What people valued and sought after as rare and only worn on special occasions and put away in a safe place did not pale to the value of an excellent wife.  She could be found and as much as you cared for those jewels you would so much more care for the one who possessed these qualities.  The son needed to know that valuable and sought after "somethings" were nothing in compared to valuable and sought after "someone."  As I said last Sunday, it is a temptation to make things holy when only God is holy and we can become holy only through faith given to us by Him because of His Son death on the cross and resurrection from the grave.  Don't put things before or above people is the instruction that queen mum is giving her boy king.

The husband is able to trust her.  Trust her with what?  The rubies or jewels that he has collected for a start.  The high class of the day were very jealous and trusted very few.  They used extreme measures to keep their position and would even "do away" with their own relatives to hold unto their throne and possessions.  Think of Herod the Great and the killing of the babies to try to get rid of a baby called "King of the Jews."  

His heart trusts her.  In that trust will come more gain.  He has found someone who will not take from him but add to him in things that are more valuable than jewels.  What a great thing to possess, greater than rubies, is a person who you can trust with your heart and lean on them because of their loyalty.  A good mate, because I will flop back and forth in the study between male and female, is one who you can trust.  A good mate is one who adds to your life because of the way they are living their life before they ever meet you.

She is described by the mother to her son as someone who "does him good and not evil all the days of her life."  We are going to see how this is played out in the following verses but this is a great general description of her overall character.  She has her husband in mind for his good all the time.  I would say this is a challenge especially when I think of myself and what Stephanie has to work with.  I am sure that doing me good and not evil is not an easy task at times.  This is a message to us guys to realize that we need to be someone who makes doing good and not evil easy because we are doing the same for her.

One commentary I am reading through Proverbs to help me with this study describes this verse as such,

"She is on his side. She is beside him helping in everything. She loves to please him. She respects him and builds him up when he is down. She does not tear him down, but instills confidence in him."

Guys, don't check out of this study.  Know that what characteristics are being described for her are also to be a mirror of what you are also doing and being.  Also, either sex, if you are married already, this is a time to check your proper responses to your mate.  This relationship is so precious, more precious than jewels and it is built on the foundation of trust and acting upon the good toward the other.  I pray this will be some great instruction for us, male and female, husband and wife, to be groom and to be bride for us to take part in.  Let us pray.

"Lord, help us to see the value of taking some time to look at this relationship that is a reflection of our relationship with You.  You are more valuable that anything.  You are excellent and to be found and can be found.  You are trustworthy and a relationship with You brings us more gain.  You are here for our good.  May we be trustworthy.  May we live lives that bring gain because we are following after You.  May we seek to do good all the days of our lives.  Help us to see the practical and spiritual in these verses in the coming days.  Amen."

Pastor Adam