A WOMAN gets the last word in the manly man’s Book of Proverbs – a book written by men, for men.
In the closing chapter, a mysterious king named Lemuel – mentioned nowhere else in the Bible – passes along the wise sayings of his mother.
Here’s what his mom said about the kind of woman he should marry. It comes from Proverbs 31:10-31, New Century Version. I’ve added a few parenthetical thoughts of my own. Not that I’m adding to the Bible, but I’m certainly thinking out loud.
A truly good wife is the most precious treasure a man can find!
Her husband depends on her, and she never lets him down.
She is good to him every day of her life (especially on weekends),
and with her own hands she gladly makes clothes (or buys them to save time).
She is like a sailing ship that brings food from across the sea (or carryout from across town).
She gets up before daylight to prepare food for her family and for her servants (or at least turns on the coffeemaker).
She knows how to buy land and how to plant a vineyard (and keeps grape jelly in the fridge),
and she always works hard (12-hour shifts, usually).
She knows when to buy or sell, and she stays busy until late at night (and she empties the clean dishes from the dishwasher).
She spins her own cloth,
and she helps the poor and the needy (especially the sick).
Her family has warm clothing, and so she doesn’t worry when it snows (she even talked me into buying a snow blower to save my back and bones).
She does her own sewing, and everything she wears is beautiful (this lady has taste, which helps elevate my self-esteem, since she picked me).
Her husband is a well-known and respected leader in the city (or at least hasn’t been arrested).
She makes clothes to sell to the shop owners (and to neighbors in garage sales).
She is strong and graceful, as well as cheerful about the future (especially since our daughter’s getting married in the fall…to a doctor).
Her words are sensible, and her advice is thoughtful (and she says nice things about my mother).
She takes good care of her family and is never lazy.
Her children praise her, and with great pride her husband says,
“There are many good women, but you are the best!” (Just don’t tell my mother.)
Charm can be deceiving, and beauty fades away, but a woman who honors the Lord deserves to be praised.
Show her respect— praise her in public for what she has done (and post her name on your blog: LINDA A. MILLER).
Happy Mother’s Day, sweet lady.
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