Proverbs 31 Exposition--Verses 10 and 11

I will here begin an exposition of Proverbs 31:10-31.  I pray that this will be not only of spiritual benefit to myself, but also to other readers who happen upon it.  While it is directed at men searching for the right kind of wife, it may also prove useful to women who wish to go to the Word to find a model of godliness--and to emulate it.

A wife of noble character who can find?

    She is worth far more than rubies.

A woman (or a man, to be sure!) of honorable or moral character is difficult to find.  The fact that this couplet focuses on two main nouns is telling.  The point is to draw attention to the rarity of the virtuous woman.  If you decided you wanted a ruby, you couldn't expect to find one simply by walking outside and surveying the ground.  You would have to make an active decision to mine for it.  Rubies are found deep in the earth; likewise, a virtuous woman will be deep in God.  Once you find that ruby, you hold onto it because it is precious and rare.  And if you find the woman of noble character, you do everything you can to hold on to her.  But you also examine yourself and ask if you are as valuable as that rare ruby.

When someone mines, he or she will find all sorts of metal and stones.  But a ruby has a very distinct look, different from any rock near it.  Similarly, the honorable woman will stand out.  Do you as a man stand out? Are you loving, humble, kind, gentle, moral, faithful, patient, and attentive? Be someone of such character that a potential spouse (of comparable character) will not want to release you, because you are valuable.

Her husband has full confidence in her

    and lacks nothing of value.

The root word fide ("faith" in Latin) is couched within the word confidence.  The wife of noble character is someone you have faith in.  You believe in her.  She is trustworthy, showing time and time again that she will come through for you.  What is one way she inspires your confidence? As is so often true of Hebrew poetry and wisdom literature, the second line fleshes out the first.  "[He] lacks nothing of value." Surely this is not limited to (and the verse may not even be focusing on) materials.  Yes, physical blessings are great--and the woman who is attentive enough to observe a lack of some material in the man's life, and provide it, is to be lauded.  But "value" undoubtedly extends beyond the material plane.

I believe there are valuable things that, as long as they do not contradict Scripture, a wife can supply to her husband--and vice versa.  God created Adam, and even though the first man had beautiful proximity with his Creator, God declared, "It is not good for man to be alone." So he created Eve to be a helper to Adam.  What can a wife do to be a helper to her husband? Does the man desire to be respected, honored, cherished, served, listened to, encouraged, supported, and loved? A Christian man searching for the right woman should keep such qualities in mind when he is "mining for rubies," and be able to identify someone who possesses them.  But every bit as important is that he must pray to be a man who can respect, honor, cherish, serve, listen to, encourage, support, and love his future wife.

A husband can have confidence in a woman who always comes through for him.  But this "confidence" does not solely pertain to how she relates to him.  Due to her honorable nature, and therefore the way she relates to everyone, the man holds a high opinion of her.  He cannot help but praise her for who she is.  We will see this more clearly once we get to verse 28.

A woman of noble character will take some "digging" through the earth to find.  She is one-of-a-kind, inspiring confidence, and both ready and able to contribute things of value to the man she loves.