Worth Far Above Jewels

“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.” (Proverbs 31:10-12)

Although the old saying is “it’s a man’s world” and there are those who still “underestimate the power of a woman,” especially in the role of a wife and mother, the author (she's the Queen, remember??) does not.  Neither does God.   Here and elsewhere in Proverbs, much is said about the power of women to influence the life of a man, for good or for bad.  Contrast the “excellent wife” with the “immoral woman” from Proverbs 7:

So she seduced him with her pretty speech and enticed him with her flattery.

He followed her at once, like an ox going to the slaughter…little knowing it would cost him his life.

So listen to me, my sons… Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her.

Don’t wander down her wayward path. For she has been the ruin of many; many men have been her victims. Her house is the road to the grave. Her bedroom is the den of death. (Proverbs 7:21,27) 

As a wife, we have the power to do good or evil to our husbands.  In a household, there is never an act, a decision, or even a conversation that affects only one.  Everything we say and do affects everyone in our household because we are living together. 

We don’t like to think that way.  We are adults and so we can do as we like, right?  But the excellent wife considers her husband and family before she does something, before she buys something, before she says something.  Life is not just about her anymore, but she considers the heart of her husband, as the proverb says, thinking: “This may be good for me, but it is also good for my husband, for us, for our marriage?”

Because we don’t have to be “immoral women” in order to hurt our husband.  We can just be thoughtless and selfish.  Or prideful and manipulating.  Or fearful and controlling.

I can be all those things!  But I want the heart of my husband to trust me.  I want to do him good not evil.  

 

Father I confess I don’t think of the affect of my actions on my husband and family.  Please help me consider them and be less thoughtless, controlling, and self-centered.  And when I am fearful, let me trust You, because You are faithful, always.   Moreover, help me to remember the power I have when I follow Your truth to influence my husband for good.