A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman—who is he who can find her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls. Proverbs 31:10 [emphasis added].
Often we hear about this Proverbs 31 woman. Many of us teach our daughters to become a Proverbs 31 woman. As women, a huge number of us strive to be like her. However, we hear far less of teaching our boys, our princes and soon to be kings, to identify this woman.
The principles taught in this book of the Bible are actually the instruction of a mother to her son. She is giving him instruction on what to look for in a woman -how to spot the one. Her son would someday be king and as a king she did not want him to give away his strength to loose women or to those women who would destroy him. [Prov. 31:3]
Just as there are treacherous men out there, there are treacherous women. Whether one believes in biblical Scripture or not, there are truths that can be learned from the teachings of this mother to her son. She taught her son to be an honorable man and to detect an honorable woman.
The words of this mother, taught to her son, give us many virtues to pass along to our boys. Ten are listed here, however, there are many, many more.
She taught her son:
- Not to become drunk because it would skew his good judgment.
- That a good woman is more precious than the most precious of jewels.
- That in his wife he should be able to trust and rely on her securely.
- That charm can be deceptive and beauty can be vain.
- To look for the beauty that comes from within a woman and does not fade with time.
- To look for a woman who does not entertain gossip or wallow in self-pity.
- To find a woman who opens her mouth in skillful and godly wisdom.
- To identify kindness in a woman.
- That his wife will comfort, encourage, and do him only good.
- That this is the kind of woman he can boast in and give his heart.
I myself have two boys and a daughter; and I am just as protective over my boys as I am my girl. Time has been spent teaching and showing each of them how they are to be treated by someone of the opposite sex.
We nurture our daughters from princess to queen and teach them to recognize their future husband when he comes along. So it is with our sons. We teach our boys from prince to king and train his eye and heart to recognize his Proverbs 31 jewel.
I hope you find the virtues taught by this mother to her son helpful as you train and instruct the young men in your life.
BMWK – What other virtues found in Proverbs 31 do you find useful for instructing our boys today?