During World War II all Americans were cautious and vigilant about the things they said and did. They did not want to give the enemy any opportunity to gain an advantage that could harm our country.

One of the slogans was “Your resolution will bring us victory!” Being resolute - or determined, and not wavering in one’s opinion, purpose or position - was one of the most quoted. It was a rallying cry that people took to heart because they could not entertain the possibility of defeat.

No wonder Solomon wrote, “She watches over the affairs of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.” He knew the alternative of being slothful and compromising, inconsistent and careless, was disaster. “Watching” is a full-time responsibility and an important priority for those God calls to be a “faithful household administrator.”  No matter what other tasks or duties are part of her “job description,” this “wife of noble character” never allows her attention to become diluted or her mind to be diverted to less important items than her household. She is thoroughly absorbed in the things that matter most.

“Idleness” does not imply that this “wife” would be one who watches “soaps” or spends her time foolishly “tweeting” or on Facebook. Not at all. It refers to a “wife” who believes strongly in the fact that whatever she has is a result of her faithfulness to her calling as a wife. She has joyously and graciously fulfilled her obligations as wife, mother, household administrator and witness of the Love of God to all whom He brings into her life.

She is deserving of all of the blessings and benefits of God that she has received because of her untiring faithfulness to God and her fidelity to her husband, children and community.

Prayer: Father, we join our hearts and pray that You will bless those noble wives who serve You with distinction! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 31:27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Imagine what it would be like to go to bed at night and wonder if the sun would be there to greet us in the morning. Or, to fear that the sun would stand still and scorch the earth because the universe lost its way. Or, to see a drought begin and worry that the rain will never come again.

We live in an orderly, predictable universe. It’s the way God created and planned it to be. It is, simply stated, a picture of a God who is faithful, dependable, reliable and trustworthy. Who He was yesterday He will be today and when the sun sets this evening, it will not go into hiding but will rise again tomorrow because of the enduring faithfulness of God.

Faithfulness is important because it gives us the assurance of stability and structure. It creates trust and the possibility of planning. Though we may not desire some of the “contents” that come with predictability, at least we can prepare for them.

God’s covenant with the children of Israel gave them the assurance of His faithfulness. Other gods were created by men but our God is the One who created man. He promised to guide, guard and grant us mercy, grace and salvation because of His great love for His creation.

“Wisdom” speaks of this God, to be sure. But, to be faithful to Him in all things and pass this wisdom on to children as mothers and mentors is something our God desires to be an important priority in Christian homes. “She speaks with God’s wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue.”

Prayer:  Father, we pray for Your strength and dignity to fill all who are called by You to be mothers and mentors. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 31:26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

While growing up I remember an advertisement that was very popular: “Clothing makes the man.” It’s a slogan from the past that has been overcome by ads that are much different. Each time I heard it, I would stop, look at what I was wearing and wonder if it would be a help or a hindrance to what I wanted to accomplish.

Though the slogan is a thing of the past, clothes continue to contribute to the opinions others form about us. And we, also, do the same. More often than not we judge others by their clothing.

“She is clothed with strength and dignity, she can laugh at the days to come,” are words that describe the “woman of noble character.” How do we identify the garments of “strength and dignity” and is it ever wise to “laugh at the future?”

“Men,” God’s Word reminds us, “look at what people wear. God looks at the person’s heart.” Character and values are something that flow from the inside of a person. The essential qualities described here refer to God at work in the lives of those who surrender their lives to Him. Strength comes from His presence within and dignity is the result of being who He wants us to be so we can walk in a “just pride” because we are His very own children.

When we walk in His strength and not our own and when we realize the benefits of being “His child,” there is no reason to “fear the days to come.” We are in “good hands,” His hands and that is what matters most.

Prayer: Often, Father, we fail to recognize all that we can have through You. Open our heart to Your greatness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 31:25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.

Where do service and charity end? Certainly, not in the home. Selfish homes produce selfish children and God’s Kingdom and God’s world suffers. What can be done to change this condition?

“She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.”

There is an obvious route that travels from the head to the heart to the hands. God’s Word enters our lives through our head. We hear the Word preached and taught and read and meditate on the Word each day. But it must not stop there. It must reach into our hearts - the very center of our lives and then move outward through our hands in service and charity to others. It’s the head, heart, hands conception.

What is in our hearts always comes out in our lives. Nobel character is of little good if the character is an end in itself. In fact, the sign of our character is seen in what we do in our homes first and then God’s world. One pastor said, “A saving faith is always seen in serving others.” If we are saved, we will serve.

There can be little doubt that our love for God is always seen in our attitude and actions toward those in need. Proverbs contains many warnings about those who refuse to be charitable and in fact reminds us that giving to the poor is the same as lending to God.

“Open arms and extended” hands, however, is much more than giving “things.” It is giving one’s self. It includes time, talents and teaching God’s way to others.

Prayer: Father, we owe so much to others because of what You have given us. May we all serve sacrificially! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 31:20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.

Character counts. Character makes a difference. Character can be measured. Character is the difference that God brings to our lives. Character matters because God matters. When He is present and in control of our lives, everything changes because He changes everything. We view life differently because we view life through His eyes, hear voices through His ears, feel pain as He feels pain and give willingly as He willingly gave us His Son.

This “wife of noble character” has an impact on every aspect of her husband’s life: “She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.” Imagine an obituary that included that statement, and ended with the words that included “whatever he accomplished in life was because of her homemaking talents and dedication to the well-being of her family.” Certainly a stretch in today’s environment. But, that’s the implication and message.

An important message in this verse is that the wife is focused on the career of her husband and her home. If the wife has a career outside of the home it is secondary to everything else. This is far different from what we see in society today. The career of the husband and the management of the home is first and foremost.

Notice one small, three letter word: her. It may be a subtle implication but the burden for managing the home seems to shift from the wife to the husband if she is called home before him. Husbands and fathers need to be “in training” to assume her tasks if necessary.

Prayer: We pray Lord, for husbands and fathers who willingly become involved in caring for their homes. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 31:12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

Consider this: there are twenty-one letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Beginning at verse ten, there are twenty-two letters, forming an acrostic, that begin with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet in the final chapter of Proverbs. Obviously, believing that the Holy Spirit is the infallible author of each verse in the Bible, this did not happen by accident. Certainly there is a significant message contained in these few verses, and the use of the acrostic model was used to make them easy to memorize.

First, the acrostic was used to provide a helpful way to organize information for future use. A wife of noble character, as pictured in these few verses, includes items that young women would want to include in their resumes as they matured. It is also the criteria for men to apply to women when seeking a wife. The traits that are presented in these verses are both goals to be achieved and traits to be sought.

Second, the term noble implies capabilities, character and efficiency. It is the same term used when a wife is spoken of as the crown of her husband.

Third, “who can find?” The noble wife is rare and not easily found. However, it does not mean that the search is not worth the effort. Quite the contrary.

Ruth was described as a “woman of noble character.” Her story echoes throughout history. How fortunate we are that God gave an example for women to follow and men to search for in a wife.

Prayer: Lord, how blest we are that You provide us with detailed instructions on what matters most in life! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 31:10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.

There is a dramatic difference between the gifts parents can give their children and what God can give His children. Often we parents think we are doing great things for our children when we “endow” them with the “things” of this world. But those things, fortunately and unfortunately, have their limitations.

Financial and material gifts that are passed on to children have limitations. But God’s spiritual gifts have no limitations. So, from his God given wisdom Solomon brought this important fact to our attention: “Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.” We, as parents, cannot give our children what only God can give them: a prudent wife! What we give our children by way of inheritance is often controlled by legal and social contracts. But a “prudent wife” - which most parents would agree - is far more important for a son’s wellbeing and can only come from God.

If we, as parents, want our sons to have a “prudent wife” is there something we can do? Is there a method or plan that we are to follow? Do we go to church and find one who is “faithful” to the Lord in all things? Perhaps there are good places to start. However, prayer is the best place to begin. We may bless our sons materially but it is beyond our power to bless them spiritually and be assured that their wives are prudent: filled with God’s wisdom and bringing honor to His name by godly living. To find a “prudent wife” is a result of prayer, seeking God’s guidance and will and learning this fact from an early age.

But there is also a parental responsibility that we may easily overlook. A “wife who is prudent” does not just happen. She is the result of a godly mother who sets the example of a prudent wife by word and deed. Mothers shape the attitudes of “prudent wives.”

Prayer:  Lord, all parents are involved and responsible to shape the lives and choices of our children. May we seek Your wisdom! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 19:14 Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the Lord.

Crowns have a fascinating role in history. In the ancient world, crowns came in many shapes and forms and were made of the most costly materials available. They symbolized royalty and sovereignty. When David fought and conquered the King of the Amorites he took his crown to celebrate his victory. It was made with precious stones and gold, and the gold in that crown weighed one hundred ten pounds. In today’s market the gold in that crown would be worth $3,004,870.00. The power and might of the king was represented by the size and value of his crown.

“A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown,” wrote Solomon, “but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.” We read in Genesis that God created woman to be man’s helper. As God reviewed His creation, He realized that Adam could not do what He wanted him to do by himself. He needed help so God created a “helper” for him.

The word “helper,” however, does not capture the depth of the meaning of that word. A “helper,” as used in this context is one who assists another to reach their full potential, to fill up or complement the other person. Eve, Adam’s wife, was created to make him “complete!”

A wife of “noble character” can bring her husband esteem and honor, recognition and respect. But, he must first earn it. If the husband does his part in becoming the man God wants him to be, then the wife can do her part by representing him well. She will be able to complete and complement her husband and receive her “crown.”

Prayer:  Bless and empower those wives, Father, who enable husbands to bring honor and glory to Your name! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Proverbs 12:4 A good wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.