Proverbs 31:18

The Bible says in Proverbs 31:18, “She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.[19] She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.” We are looking at the last half of the last chapter of Proverbs, and we are in the midst of a passage of scripture that tells us the answer to the question that was given in verse 10: “Who can find a virtuous woman.” A virtuous woman is a hard worker. She sees what needs to be done, and she does it. And she goes the extra mile when needed. This is the second time that we are told “her candle goeth not out by night.”

The Bible says in Proverbs 31:20, “She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.” The virtuous woman is very busy and occupied with taking care of her family and taking care of her household, but she is not so busy that she does not have time for those who are in need. In other words she is a person of compassion and love. She not only loves her own family, but she also loves the other people that God brings her way.

The Bible says in Proverbs 31:21-22, “She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.[22] She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.” In talking about how the virtuous woman makes sure that everyone in her household are properly clothed, an important statement is made at the beginning of verse 21, “She is not afraid.” In other words she is brave. She lets nothing stop her from doing what she must do. For some people it is too hot or too cold or too wet or too dry, and they fear the bad people out there too. Of course, take proper precautions for the situation you are in, but you must live life. Whatever happens, happens. A Christian should be brave. As a matter of fact Christians should be the bravest people on the earth. We have the Almighty Savior to protect us, and we have all the promises of the Bible that apply directly to us.

The Bible says in Proverbs 31:23, “Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.” Back before women had so many opportunities in the business world, a wife was a man’s primary support, and there was an old saying, “behind every successful man is a woman.” Even with such opportunities, a wife can still do this: words of encouragement and support, and words of wisdom can propel a man to reach his potential. A virtuous woman understands the importance of this and knows how to do it.

The Bible says in Proverbs 31:24, “She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.” This verse emphasizes the fact that the virtuous woman is involved in buying and selling. In other words she understands finances and the value of a dollar. She knows how to take something, make it more valuable, and sell it for a profit. In other words she is looking how to make money for the household, and not just spend it.

The Bible says in Proverbs 31:25, “Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.” The word “strength” has been used before in regards to the virtuous woman. When you come to know such a woman, one thing that you will learn about her is that she is a strong woman. And you will also learn that she is honorable. She knows how to conduct herself properly and ethically. Notice the result of the life of a virtuous woman: “she shall rejoice in time to come.” Later in life she will have no regrets. She will look back on her life and know that she did what needed to be done, and she will be happy and content with her life because she fulfilled her responsibilities as a wife and a mother. You cannot control the results, but you can control how you handled the things that came your way in life.

The Bible says in Proverbs 31:26, “She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” A virtuous woman is a wise woman. That is one of the reasons that she is such a great resource for her husband. He can rely on her for counsel and advice. By the way, where does such a woman get wisdom like this? She gets it from the Lord because she has walked in fellowship with Christ and learned from Him.

The word used to describe the virtuous woman at the end of verse 26 is “kindness.” She is not mean or angry or vengeful. She is kind. Notice that her kindness is evidenced by how she talks: “in her tongue is the law of kindness.” She does not say cruel or negative or judgmental things about others.

The Bible says in Proverbs 31:27, “She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.” The virtuous woman is directing her household down the path that she wants it to go in. “She looketh well to the ways of her household.” That means that she follows closely everyone in the home and what they are doing. She is supervising and directing the path that each one in her house is taking. This requires diligence and wisdom. She is at the top and everyone is under her directing hand.

The Bible says in Proverbs 31:28, “Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.” This is her reward for all of her diligence and care and labor of love day after day and year after year. For the virtuous woman there is no greater reward. That is one of the reasons that we have a very special holiday in America called Mother’s Day. It is a day when, with flowers and praise and thanksgiving, we return just a little bit of the love that this virtuous woman has given to us. We owe her a lot. Without her in our lives, what would we be?

The Bible says in Proverbs 31:29, “Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.” The Bible always gives us the highest of standards, and it does not back off from that. Never give up on the high standard. Confess your sins, but always aim for the Biblical standard of behavior. If you are a woman, Proverbs chapter 31 should be a chapter of the Bible that you are very familiar with. The virtuous woman described in this chapter excels “them all.”

The Bible says in Proverbs 31:30, “Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.” This verse tells us how a woman becomes a virtuous woman. She knows that “Favour is deceitful.” Favor refers to the opinions of others. A person of character knows that to serve Christ, the opinions of others is much less important than the opinion of God. We want to serve God and please Him. And that is what the virtuous woman wants to do also because she fears the Lord, not man. The virtuous woman also knows that “beauty is vain.” We live in a society that too often puts the emphasis on a pretty face, a shapely figure, and the best of clothing. But beauty is vain. That means that it is of no value. What is of value is the type of person that you are. A virtuous woman knows this. Her Christian character and the type of person that she is: that is what is most important to a virtuous woman. And that is why it says, “she shall be praised.” She will be not be praised for her looks. She will be praised for the things mentioned in this chapter: her wisdom, her kindness, her hard work, and her leadership. No wonder it says in verse 10, “her price is far above rubies.”

The final words said about the virtuous woman are found in Proverbs 31:31, “Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” Do the right thing, and you will reap great things. That is true for all human beings, and so it is also true for the virtuous woman. What praise shall we give to a virtuous woman? Her husband and her children will praise her, but here is the praise that any of us would be blessed to have: our accomplishments and what we had done. Those accomplishments will speak. Those will be things that are done only because of love for God, love for family and friends, and love for neighbors. Those will be things that are done only because of wisdom, and character, and hard work. If you want to be a real woman, then give your heart to Christ and follow Him. Proverbs chapter 31 is a description of the woman that He wants to help you to become.

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