A Wife of Noble Character

Last week, I overreacted about something my husband did and a seed of resentment was planted without me even realizing it. My resentment caused lack of motivation/laziness (the house was a mess) and the inclination to talk out about what bothered me to my friend. As soon as God brought it to my mind, I forgave Jarrod in my heart and was excited about going home to clean up the mess that had been sitting there for *days* (embarrassing).  The forgiveness was an issue in my own heart that I dealt with through God's guidance and I was encouraged to go home and deal with the mess I had made. 

We talked about how everything unfolded, and Jarrod was reminded of the Proverbs 31 wife. She is of noble character that loves God, brings joy to her husband, works hard and speaks kind words. A noble wife was made to be a blessing in the home and a light source in the world. She is made to be loving, caring, giving and nurturing to those around her. Her children rise up and call her blessed. She is greatly praised for her fear of the Lord (Proverbs 31:30).

Being the wife God created you to be will bring immense fulfillment. Here’s how you can do that:

First, love God.

Loving God is probably the easiest of the four things to do. However, if we don’t truly love God and can’t feel his love in return, doing the following three things are impossible. Loving God and feeling his love comes from an intimate walk with him. It comes from conversations, faith, trust and obedience. When we open our hearts to God, he fills our hearts with unending love that we can use to pour out on others. It is what allows us to be a blessing in the home and a light source in the world. The fruit of his Spirit in us is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5: 22, 23).

Second, love your husband.

A loving wife is trustworthy and she greatly enriches her husband’s life. “She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life” (Proverbs 31:11, 12). 1 Peter 3 encourages us to “accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives.” Use God’s outpouring love and the fruit of the Spirit to love your husband well.

Third, work hard.

Hard work and the product of our labor brings us a sense of fulfillment, accomplishment and happiness that fuels our energy in life. Admit it…there’s nothing like checking things off our to-do lists and looking around to see everything we have finished. Working hard also keeps us from getting into unproductive chatter and busy-ness. Proverbs 14:23 says “Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!” Proverbs 31:17 describes a noble woman as “energetic and strong, a hard worker.”

Fourth, speak in wisdom and kindness.

Our spoken words affect ourselves, our loved ones and anyone listening. Proverbs 15:1 says “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.” As the matriarch in the home, our words hold magnitude; what we say is valued and remembered. Please seek God as you speak in truth to your loved ones.

To be a good wife by our own volition can be exhausting and leave us feeling unappreciated, overwhelmed and unhappy with our position in life. However, when we ask God to be our source of love and light, he fuels us with what we need to be the noble wife described in Proverbs 31. Through his love, we can become love and change the way we approach life. Please take time to get refueled by God and ask him to help you and encourage you in being the Proverbs 31 woman. When God starts to change your heart, the atmosphere in the home will change and so will the people in it.