WEBVTT 00:00:09.000 --> 00:00:12.632 Well, here we are wrapping up our series in Proverbs. 00:00:12.632 --> 00:00:26.100 We've been studying Proverbs since back in the spring, working through chapters and then topics, and we're going to wrap it up by looking at probably the best known chapter in Proverbs, especially for the women. 00:00:26.100 --> 00:00:34.399 If you've been in any women's study at any time, you've looked at the Proverbs 31 woman, the excellent wife, it's a familiar section for many. 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:39.066 It holds up a high standard for the Excellent Wife. 00:00:39.066 --> 00:00:44.500 In fact, in our home, I often refer to Julie as a Proverbs 32 woman. 00:00:44.500 --> 00:00:46.165 There is no chapter 32. 00:00:46.165 --> 00:00:49.466 But what I mean by that is she excels the Proverbs 31 woman. 00:00:49.466 --> 00:00:52.732 She goes beyond the Proverbs 31 woman. 00:00:53.232 --> 00:00:56.265 It's just a way for us to well, for me to say, I love you. 00:00:56.265 --> 00:00:57.100 That's a subtle way. 00:00:57.100 --> 00:00:59.566 I'm saying it right now in front of everyone. 00:00:59.566 --> 00:01:00.932 She is a great wife. 00:01:00.932 --> 00:01:01.932 Proverbs 31. 00:01:01.932 --> 00:01:07.165 But here's the thing about Proverbs 31 it's not just only the excellent wife. 00:01:07.165 --> 00:01:16.132 In fact, there's a front part to chapter 31 that I think is important to address today because I think the way it wraps up the whole book of Proverbs. 00:01:16.132 --> 00:01:19.233 In fact, if you have an outline, you should have received one coming in. 00:01:19.233 --> 00:01:22.132 If not, hold up your hand will try to get you a copy. 00:01:22.132 --> 00:01:25.132 If we have those who can hand those out. 00:01:25.299 --> 00:01:33.465 I think the key thing to understand about the Book of Proverbs, and especially chapter 31, is how it points backward and forward. 00:01:34.066 --> 00:01:47.599 That's what that blank on the page there at the top of the outline, Proverbs 31 points both backward and forward, backward, meaning it points backwards across the entire book of Proverbs. 00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:54.165 And you're going to see, as we look at chapter 31, a bunch of different themes that came up all throughout the book. 00:01:54.165 --> 00:02:02.566 This is almost a poetical summarization of the Book of Proverbs, almost personifying a lot of the highlights of the book all together. 00:02:02.566 --> 00:02:12.099 So it's pointing backwards across the book, but it's also pointing forwards to a greater reality of a truer wisdom that none of us can attain to merely by reading the Book of Proverbs. 00:02:12.099 --> 00:02:13.699 And we'll get to that. 00:02:13.699 --> 00:02:19.966 But it's important to understand it's not just only about a king, which is the front part of the chapter. 00:02:19.966 --> 00:02:26.699 It's not only just about an excellent wife, but it's about a greater picture of wisdom to come. 00:02:27.099 --> 00:02:35.566 Now, I think this is why I hope to handle Proverbs 31 a little differently today is because I think it is seen in two big sections. 00:02:38.165 --> 00:02:44.199 A section addressed to a king in the first nine verses and a section addressed to the excellent wife at the end. 00:02:44.199 --> 00:02:48.032 And I think it's important to see both of those together in context. 00:02:48.765 --> 00:02:51.765 You know, much of the book of Proverbs stands alone. 00:02:51.765 --> 00:02:57.633 You even think of a proverb as a short, pithy statement, a sentence or two that stands alone. 00:02:57.633 --> 00:03:01.765 It doesn't have to have the verse before it or the verse after it to explain it. 00:03:01.765 --> 00:03:18.099 Most of the book of Proverbs is that way, but here at the end we have these two long sections, nine verses, 22 verses that fit together, that are a longer section that stand apart almost from the rest of the book of Proverbs. 00:03:18.099 --> 00:03:19.500 That's why we're calling this message. 00:03:19.500 --> 00:03:22.900 And you see here at the top Proverbs 31, A king and his bride. 00:03:24.233 --> 00:03:27.300 Because this chapter addresses both together. 00:03:27.300 --> 00:03:31.099 And I think it's helpful to see these in context that helps us point it forward. 00:03:31.099 --> 00:03:33.966 So let's first start by talking about the King. 00:03:33.966 --> 00:03:36.966 Look at Proverbs 31 verse one. 00:03:36.966 --> 00:03:42.233 The words of King Lemuel, an oracle that his mother taught him. 00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:45.765 So we don't know who King Lemuel was. 00:03:45.765 --> 00:03:47.099 There's speculation about him. 00:03:47.099 --> 00:03:49.066 I don't think he shows up anywhere else in the Bible. 00:03:49.066 --> 00:03:51.665 We're not exactly sure who he is. 00:03:51.665 --> 00:04:02.432 But what is interesting here is that these are words that are captured, that he remembered that his mother taught him, which also stands apart from the rest of the book of Proverbs. 00:04:02.432 --> 00:04:07.966 The first nine chapters in particular were often very much so a father to his son. 00:04:07.966 --> 00:04:09.165 My son, my son, my son. 00:04:09.165 --> 00:04:11.000 We saw it over and over again. 00:04:11.000 --> 00:04:15.000 Then we do also see, though, father and mother instructing the son together. 00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:19.733 And now here at the end of the book, we see words just from the mother. 00:04:21.033 --> 00:04:25.865 Now what this hints at is somewhat of the life span of a king. 00:04:25.865 --> 00:04:29.865 He starts out as a young boy in the home, being instructed by both father and mother. 00:04:29.865 --> 00:04:35.333 But oftentimes the prince becomes the king because the father has passed on. 00:04:35.333 --> 00:04:49.132 And now the son who was under his mother's rule has now become her king, her ruler, and her words later in life are going to stand out differently than they did earlier on. 00:04:49.132 --> 00:04:53.533 You know what I'm talking about when mom's instructing you as a young kid, you're not always listening. 00:04:53.533 --> 00:04:57.533 But later on you might remember back and go, Man, she had something good to say. 00:04:57.533 --> 00:05:00.533 These are the things that stood out to me. 00:05:00.533 --> 00:05:07.665 I also think this highlights maybe some of the nature of the relationship that might be slightly different between a mother and her son. 00:05:08.766 --> 00:05:11.500 You know, a lot of times a father might be harsher, more direct. 00:05:11.500 --> 00:05:13.000 Of course, mothers can be, too. 00:05:13.000 --> 00:05:17.399 I'm speaking in generalities, but oftentimes they may even instruct the son together. 00:05:17.399 --> 00:05:24.966 And then later, though, she might be able, in a tender way, to pull him aside and appeal to him in a more tender fashion. 00:05:24.966 --> 00:05:29.266 In fact, look at some of the words that are used here, she says in chapter two. 00:05:29.266 --> 00:05:31.466 What are you doing, my son? 00:05:31.466 --> 00:05:32.533 What are you doing? 00:05:32.533 --> 00:05:34.632 Son of my womb? 00:05:34.632 --> 00:05:35.800 We say that differently. 00:05:35.800 --> 00:05:39.100 Look, I carried you around for nine months. 00:05:39.100 --> 00:05:40.365 All that I've done for you. 00:05:40.365 --> 00:05:42.065 Would you listen to what I have to say? 00:05:42.065 --> 00:05:45.000 You have no idea how much I've sacrificed for you. 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:47.033 Son of my womb! What are you doing? 00:05:47.033 --> 00:05:49.065 Son of my vows. 00:05:49.065 --> 00:05:50.600 She is trying to get his attention. 00:05:51.932 --> 00:05:53.266 If I have her say to one of my kids. 00:05:53.266 --> 00:05:55.199 What are you doing? 00:05:55.199 --> 00:05:57.833 I want them to pay attention to what I'm about to say. 00:05:57.833 --> 00:05:59.000 I'm trying to correct him. 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:01.665 It's obvious I'm not approving of what they're doing. 00:06:01.665 --> 00:06:05.466 In fact, many translate this phrase just as listen. 00:06:05.466 --> 00:06:07.100 Listen to what I'm about to tell you. 00:06:07.100 --> 00:06:07.966 And she repeats it. 00:06:07.966 --> 00:06:09.199 Listen, listen, listen. 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:12.199 I'm really trying to get your attention. 00:06:13.399 --> 00:06:17.865 And she's going to give him instruction in three key areas. 00:06:17.865 --> 00:06:22.966 In fact, here at the top of your notes, three ways a king is called to serve his people. 00:06:25.233 --> 00:06:30.132 What she wants to do is to make sure he understands that his role is different. 00:06:30.132 --> 00:06:32.233 A king is not called to serve himself. 00:06:32.233 --> 00:06:34.033 He's called to serve others. 00:06:34.033 --> 00:06:35.333 Don't forget that. 00:06:35.333 --> 00:06:37.065 Don't forget your calling. 00:06:37.065 --> 00:06:42.600 Don't forget who you are in the midst of everything else that comes with being a king. 00:06:42.600 --> 00:06:46.300 Don't forget she's appealing to his heart. 00:06:46.300 --> 00:06:49.966 She's appealing to him from her role as a mother. 00:06:49.966 --> 00:06:54.565 And those words stuck with him and he captured them later. 00:06:54.665 --> 00:06:56.432 Now let's see what these three things are. 00:06:56.432 --> 00:06:58.766 Three ways a king is called to serve his people. 00:06:58.766 --> 00:07:04.199 First, a king is called to serve through self-control. 00:07:04.199 --> 00:07:04.966 Self-control. 00:07:04.966 --> 00:07:08.966 Look at verse three do not give strength. 00:07:08.966 --> 00:07:14.399 Do not give your strength to women or your ways to those who destroy kings. 00:07:14.865 --> 00:07:19.365 The implication being giving your strength to women who do destroy kings. 00:07:19.365 --> 00:07:21.500 And of course, this is a key theme. 00:07:21.500 --> 00:07:27.100 The emphasis here is not just general self-control, but specifically sexual self-control. 00:07:27.100 --> 00:07:29.932 That was a key theme all throughout the first nine chapters. 00:07:29.932 --> 00:07:37.300 It shows up over and over again in the book of Proverbs, and it's being brought together here, specifically emphasizing that to the King. 00:07:39.100 --> 00:07:44.865 Understand that your role is not meant to be just merely for self gratification. 00:07:44.865 --> 00:07:52.065 It's meant to be about serving others, which means you practice self-control, especially in the area of sexuality. 00:07:53.132 --> 00:07:57.233 Now, by the way, this command isn't just for kings. 00:07:57.665 --> 00:07:58.966 This applies to all of us. 00:07:58.966 --> 00:08:05.199 We know that the book of Proverbs is directed at all of us, and especially the way this last part of the book is structured. 00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:09.199 It's not just only for a king and only for a random, excellent wife. 00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:13.365 It's meant to summarize all the teaching that's showing up. 00:08:13.365 --> 00:08:17.966 And so we look at this and we think, how does this apply to us as well? 00:08:18.365 --> 00:08:23.399 Because reality is we all are going to struggle in the area of sexual self-control. 00:08:23.533 --> 00:08:30.300 But the call is not to just gratify self, but to serve others. 00:08:30.300 --> 00:08:34.666 This would have been a temptation, though, especially prominent for kings. 00:08:34.666 --> 00:08:39.332 This happened, in fact, when Israel said to Samuel, we need a king. 00:08:39.332 --> 00:08:40.966 All the other people around us have a king. 00:08:40.966 --> 00:08:41.932 Look how great they are. 00:08:41.932 --> 00:08:44.166 We want to be great like them. 00:08:44.166 --> 00:08:47.466 This upset Samuel, God said, look, they're not rejecting you. 00:08:47.466 --> 00:08:49.700 They're rejecting me. 00:08:49.700 --> 00:08:51.166 And Samuel gave them this warning. 00:08:51.166 --> 00:08:52.899 13. 00:08:52.899 --> 00:08:55.232 Just so you know, here's what a king is going to do. 00:08:55.232 --> 00:08:57.566 Be aware you're asking for a king. 00:08:57.566 --> 00:08:58.633 Here's what you're going to get. 00:08:58.633 --> 00:09:03.200 He will take your daughters to be cooks and bakers and perfumers. 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:04.133 The text goes on. 00:09:04.133 --> 00:09:08.332 And of course, I think the subtlety here is that's not the only reason he's taking them. 00:09:10.066 --> 00:09:20.666 In fact, we saw Solomon take many, many, many wives, even though what's interesting, even though the command of Scripture, if you look at Deuteronomy 00:09:20.666 --> 00:09:26.700 17 here, prior to that, you know, a king should not acquire many wives for himself. 00:09:26.700 --> 00:09:27.533 And here's why. 00:09:27.533 --> 00:09:30.365 It's not just about sexual self-control. 00:09:30.365 --> 00:09:33.100 It's not just about what I do with my own body. 00:09:33.100 --> 00:09:40.265 And what's underneath that, what's root behind that, what's core to that 00:09:41.365 --> 00:09:48.299 17, he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away. 00:09:49.700 --> 00:09:53.399 The core issue here is not just what I do with my body. 00:09:53.399 --> 00:09:56.399 The core issue is a spiritual issue. 00:09:57.466 --> 00:10:04.832 What does this do with your heart when you reject God's law and direction around sexuality? 00:10:06.966 --> 00:10:08.466 His heart will turn away. 00:10:08.466 --> 00:10:11.932 If you continue down that path, your heart will turn away from God. 00:10:11.932 --> 00:10:13.133 You've got no other choice. 00:10:13.133 --> 00:10:19.432 You have to block him out of your life to continue to ignore his law and to just satisfy self. 00:10:19.432 --> 00:10:32.265 And we saw that, of course, with Solomon, of course, the guy who wrote much of the book of Proverbs that we've been discussing, often called one of the wisest people to ever live. And what happened? 00:10:32.265 --> 00:10:44.600 He ends up turning away from God because his heart is drawn away by the many foreign wives that came into his life and over time eroded his faith. 00:10:45.332 --> 00:10:55.765 The core issue here is spiritual leadership, and the King is called to lead his people spiritually, not to just give himself over to whatever whims he has. 00:10:55.765 --> 00:11:10.765 And each of us, you know, we're called not to just give ourselves over to whatever we feel we're called to lead spiritually, to lead whoever God has put in your life to lead, whether that's someone you're overseeing in an area of ministry or at work or in your family. 00:11:10.765 --> 00:11:18.600 But that's part of why we practice self-control, so that we might point others to Christ. 00:11:18.765 --> 00:11:21.666 So that's the first thing she says to him practice sexual self-control. 00:11:21.666 --> 00:11:24.332 Second, lead with a clear mind. 00:11:24.332 --> 00:11:27.332 Look at verse four through seven. 00:11:27.700 --> 00:11:42.700 It is not for kings O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed, and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. 00:11:42.700 --> 00:11:47.033 Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress. 00:11:47.033 --> 00:11:53.100 Let them drink and forget their poverty, and remember their misery no more. 00:11:53.100 --> 00:11:56.299 Serve through self-controlled lead with a clear mind. 00:11:56.299 --> 00:12:04.932 Now when we talked about we had a whole message on self-control in Proverbs, and we made clear that it's not a sin. 00:12:04.932 --> 00:12:09.765 Biblically, the Bible never says anywhere that it's a sin to drink alcohol. 00:12:10.365 --> 00:12:12.466 It is a sin to be drunk. 00:12:12.466 --> 00:12:16.533 And here the emphasis especially is on the role of the leader. 00:12:17.566 --> 00:12:19.799 The leader is called to a higher standard. 00:12:19.799 --> 00:12:24.299 The leader is called to make sure that his mind is sharp, his mind is clear. 00:12:24.299 --> 00:12:29.200 His mind has not been clouded by things like alcohol, for instance. 00:12:30.232 --> 00:12:45.666 Again though, it's not just for him to make sure he's using self-control just for his own means in life, but the point is, so that he can serve others well, he's called to have a clear mind, a clear heart, so that he might serve others well. 00:12:45.666 --> 00:12:54.000 In fact, one of my favorite verses along these lines, because it's not just about what we consume, what liquid beverage we consume, but about everything we consume. 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:58.566 It's either making your mind stronger or clouding your mind. Everything. 00:12:58.566 --> 00:13:02.033 First Peter four seven has been ever since we went through the book of first Peter. 00:13:02.033 --> 00:13:05.232 I've been praying that verse almost every morning. 00:13:05.232 --> 00:13:11.600 God help me to be sober minded and self-controlled for the sake of our prayers. 00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:26.865 I want to be in a place where my heart and mind are ready to pray, active in prayer, not clouded even by all the nonsense you can read online or on social media, and distracted by so many things. 00:13:27.299 --> 00:13:33.500 Sober minded, self-controlled for the sake of our prayers. 00:13:33.500 --> 00:13:36.466 And this is so critical. 00:13:36.466 --> 00:13:42.566 I really believe, and I've said this over and over again, to the elders and to the staff. 00:13:42.566 --> 00:13:45.566 I believe. 00:13:46.765 --> 00:13:50.799 That this church, in the coming year. 00:13:52.133 --> 00:13:56.666 We're going to see God move or not, based on how committed we are to prayer. 00:13:58.066 --> 00:14:03.033 It's just is the case when revival has sprung up in the world. 00:14:03.033 --> 00:14:11.299 It's been out of the overflow of prayer and the prayer is hard, by the way. 00:14:11.299 --> 00:14:12.466 It's incredibly hard. 00:14:12.466 --> 00:14:15.432 It's one of the hardest things you do in your spiritual life. 00:14:15.432 --> 00:14:18.100 It's easy to sit down and just start reading the Bible. 00:14:18.100 --> 00:14:22.666 Even that's hard sometimes, but it's a lot easier than praying because our minds are so distracted. 00:14:22.666 --> 00:14:32.265 You try to pray for a nanosecond and you're already thinking about that thing you got to do and forgot to do and should have done, and that thing you suddenly have to go look up on the internet that you've never thought of before in your life. Immediately. 00:14:32.265 --> 00:14:33.732 Your mind's just racing. 00:14:33.732 --> 00:14:36.466 It's so hard. 00:14:36.466 --> 00:14:40.966 The health of our church will depend on our prayers in the coming year. 00:14:40.966 --> 00:14:42.232 There's no other way around it. 00:14:42.232 --> 00:14:46.799 We've got to be committed to prayer, and I think more so even than public prayer. 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:58.700 Your personal prayer life, which will increase your intimacy with Christ, will be one of the most powerful things we we do to see God move in our church in the coming year. 00:14:58.700 --> 00:15:04.966 And what's core to that is that we are sober minded, we have self-control. 00:15:04.966 --> 00:15:12.166 We have clarity of mind that we're able to hear from God, that our minds are not clouded, our hearts not clouded by over things. 00:15:12.166 --> 00:15:17.865 Now the third thing he points to here she points to is model wisdom. 00:15:17.966 --> 00:15:23.500 So use self-control, lead with a clear mind, but then hear number three model wisdom. 00:15:23.500 --> 00:15:26.500 This is verses eight through nine. 00:15:27.399 --> 00:15:30.799 Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. 00:15:30.799 --> 00:15:31.899 Open your mouth. 00:15:31.899 --> 00:15:33.232 Judge righteously. 00:15:33.232 --> 00:15:36.265 Defend the rights of the poor and the needy. 00:15:37.666 --> 00:15:41.932 Capturing his mother words twice, she says, open your mouth. 00:15:42.966 --> 00:15:44.666 And notice the contrast. 00:15:44.666 --> 00:15:47.332 By the way, open your mouth for the needs of others. 00:15:47.332 --> 00:15:50.566 Instead of opening your mouth just to consume, drink for yourself. 00:15:50.566 --> 00:15:53.566 You see the contrast. 00:15:53.932 --> 00:15:55.365 The king's temptation. 00:15:55.365 --> 00:16:01.765 The rich, the powerful, the temptation is just to make it about me. 00:16:02.033 --> 00:16:03.732 But the call is to serve. 00:16:03.732 --> 00:16:05.566 Open your mouth for the needs of others. 00:16:05.566 --> 00:16:12.600 Notice the people who's mentioned the destitute, the poor, the needy, and we are called. 00:16:12.600 --> 00:16:17.932 Part of our role in the church is to stand up for those who have needs. 00:16:18.265 --> 00:16:21.066 How can we come alongside those who have needs? 00:16:21.066 --> 00:16:26.799 And that's complicated, by the way, because not every situation is, for instance, just giving someone money. 00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:27.466 Is that helping? 00:16:27.466 --> 00:16:28.832 Sometimes that's hurting. 00:16:28.832 --> 00:16:32.500 It takes wisdom to know what that means and how we come alongside them. 00:16:34.332 --> 00:16:37.666 I get that, but our burdens should be met. 00:16:37.666 --> 00:16:41.299 How can we serve those in our midst who are hurting, who are needy? 00:16:41.299 --> 00:16:48.966 I just want to highlight someone who's here today, first of all, to give thanks and praise to God that they're even alive and let alone showed up today. 00:16:48.966 --> 00:16:52.566 I don't know if you all remember us talking about how Mark Tassin was hit by a car. 00:16:52.566 --> 00:16:56.133 Well, he's able to be here today and they're sitting in the back. 00:16:56.133 --> 00:16:59.133 Back here? 00:17:01.500 --> 00:17:04.500 Huge praise. 00:17:04.965 --> 00:17:06.465 Huge praise that I'm. 00:17:06.465 --> 00:17:10.032 I'm telling you, even that he is alive, hit by a car. 00:17:12.700 --> 00:17:13.633 Not just alive. 00:17:13.633 --> 00:17:14.500 Now functioning. 00:17:14.500 --> 00:17:18.732 Learning to walk again if you talk to Mark is the same old Mark. 00:17:18.732 --> 00:17:19.400 And. 00:17:19.400 --> 00:17:21.133 But I've watched years of the encouraging thing. 00:17:21.133 --> 00:17:24.000 They've had some significant needs as a result, as you can imagine. 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:29.500 And some in the church have stepped up to come alongside them and help them to come alongside the needy. 00:17:29.500 --> 00:17:33.232 We all have seasons, sometimes needy, sometimes not. 00:17:33.232 --> 00:17:41.066 We want to be a church that's poured into the lives of others and helping them with their needs in times of need. 00:17:41.066 --> 00:17:46.266 That's the call to the King here, to the leader. 00:17:46.465 --> 00:17:48.432 Wisdom. Model wisdom. 00:17:48.432 --> 00:18:01.665 Now, the reason I use the word wisdom here is because in order for us, for us to serve the needy, to serve the needs of the church, to serve the community that requires great wisdom. 00:18:01.932 --> 00:18:04.500 And here's one thing that's interesting about Solomon when he prayed. 00:18:04.500 --> 00:18:13.000 He's famous for having prayed for wisdom, mean he could have gotten riches, and he prayed for wisdom, and he got riches along with that. 00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:15.432 But notice his prayer. 00:18:15.432 --> 00:18:16.266 It's often forgotten. 00:18:16.266 --> 00:18:18.700 When he prayed specifically, he just didn't pray. 00:18:18.700 --> 00:18:20.900 He didn't pray just for general wisdom. 00:18:20.900 --> 00:18:22.365 God, would you just give me some wisdom? 00:18:22.365 --> 00:18:23.633 I could use some wisdom. 00:18:23.633 --> 00:18:25.000 Look here at verse 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:27.232 9 here in your notes. 00:18:27.232 --> 00:18:27.965 Here's what he prayed. 00:18:27.965 --> 00:18:35.700 Specifically, give your servant an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil. 00:18:35.700 --> 00:18:38.032 For who is able to govern this your great people? 00:18:38.032 --> 00:18:43.365 He prayed specifically for wisdom to govern the people that God had put him over. 00:18:43.365 --> 00:18:48.599 It wasn't just make me look wise so people will know that I'm a wise person. 00:18:48.599 --> 00:18:53.232 No, no, no, he wanted wisdom to guide, to lead, to govern. 00:18:53.232 --> 00:18:54.932 And of course we know his heart was led astray. 00:18:54.932 --> 00:18:57.365 But at the core of his burden to begin with. 00:18:57.365 --> 00:19:00.365 God, would you give me wisdom to serve? 00:19:01.299 --> 00:19:07.932 Now that's the opening of this chapter, which summarizes many of the themes we've seen in Proverbs. 00:19:07.932 --> 00:19:10.400 But it starts with the command to the King. 00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:22.432 And I think this is important to set the context, because an excellent wife can't be an excellent wife without a husband. 00:19:22.500 --> 00:19:25.133 You can't define wife apart from husband, by the way. 00:19:25.133 --> 00:19:27.000 You can't define husband apart from wife. 00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:27.865 Just try to. 00:19:27.865 --> 00:19:29.299 There's no way to do it. 00:19:29.299 --> 00:19:33.799 They go together so we don't just look at one standing alone. 00:19:33.799 --> 00:19:36.799 We look at how they are linked together. 00:19:38.400 --> 00:19:44.200 And I don't think it's any coincidence that what comes right after a mother's instruction to her king. 00:19:44.566 --> 00:19:47.000 Now, whether she's still writing this or not, we can't be sure. 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:51.432 But whoever compiled the book of Proverbs saw you know what he needs to know next. 00:19:51.432 --> 00:19:53.566 He needs to know what it means to have an excellent wife. 00:19:53.566 --> 00:19:58.400 He'd better have a good woman alongside of him if he wants to be successful. 00:19:58.900 --> 00:20:02.066 And so that's just the context for how we look at the excellent wife. 00:20:03.532 --> 00:20:10.365 A king who serves a king who is about serving alongside him is an excellent wife. 00:20:10.365 --> 00:20:13.566 Now let's look at what an excellent wife is. 00:20:13.566 --> 00:20:28.365 If you look here in 31, verse ten, look first at what it says in verse ten, an excellent wife who can find she is far more precious than jewels. 00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:30.133 The first reality. 00:20:30.133 --> 00:20:34.599 The first question here is who can find an excellent wife? 00:20:34.599 --> 00:20:38.266 It can be hard to find an excellent spouse. 00:20:38.266 --> 00:20:44.200 When I've talked with singles over the years, Julie and I served in college ministry for a while. 00:20:44.200 --> 00:20:48.165 That's one of the things that often comes up, hey, what are you looking for in a future spouse? 00:20:48.165 --> 00:20:50.532 They're asking us, how do you find the right person? 00:20:50.532 --> 00:20:51.665 What do you do? 00:20:51.665 --> 00:20:57.000 One thing I noticed is that people who seem to do well on that journey often have some kind of list. 00:20:58.599 --> 00:20:59.365 They've made a list of. 00:20:59.365 --> 00:21:02.165 These are the things I'm looking for in a person. 00:21:02.165 --> 00:21:04.700 Now, some of those are written down, some aren't. 00:21:04.700 --> 00:21:08.099 I don't think it matters that much if it's written down or not. 00:21:08.099 --> 00:21:17.865 One thing though, you should have in your mind and set in your heart, is to know these are things that are essential to someone I'm going to marry now you need to have an essential list. 00:21:17.865 --> 00:21:22.165 You need to have maybe a compromisable list. 00:21:22.500 --> 00:21:30.232 I remember one girl telling me I'll never marry a man who wears a watch on his right wrist, wrist, wrist. Have you say that? 00:21:30.232 --> 00:21:32.400 And I actually, I don't remember if it was right or left. 00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:33.833 Whatever. She had one. 00:21:33.833 --> 00:21:36.833 If he has a watch on the wrong hand. 00:21:36.833 --> 00:21:39.165 I'd never marry a person like that. 00:21:39.165 --> 00:21:46.965 And I thought, aren't you even going to look at what kind of watch it is at least? You know, that might change the conversation. 00:21:46.965 --> 00:21:47.965 That's a nice Rolex. 00:21:47.965 --> 00:21:49.932 You know what? I'm okay with that. 00:21:49.932 --> 00:21:51.365 Well, let's talk. 00:21:51.365 --> 00:21:54.465 Maybe I can get you to move it over to the other hand. 00:21:54.465 --> 00:21:58.032 No, there's some things on that list that we go, okay, that's a negotiable. 00:21:58.032 --> 00:22:00.532 That didn't have to be at the top. 00:22:00.532 --> 00:22:06.000 Christian kind, funny, easy to get along with. 00:22:06.165 --> 00:22:06.700 Caring. 00:22:06.700 --> 00:22:10.500 Like these things are the things that go up at the top of the list. 00:22:10.500 --> 00:22:12.732 Here's what's interesting about Excellent Wife. 00:22:12.732 --> 00:22:20.333 This is kind of a list in a sense, but it's not just here's exactly what I need. 00:22:20.333 --> 00:22:23.333 It's more of like a poem of praise. 00:22:23.865 --> 00:22:24.732 And here's how we know this. 00:22:24.732 --> 00:22:26.465 This is actually there's 22 verses. 00:22:26.465 --> 00:22:28.299 There's 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. 00:22:28.299 --> 00:22:32.500 Each verse starts with, in consecutive order, each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. 00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:34.465 So it's almost like an acrostic poem. 00:22:34.465 --> 00:22:38.232 A you're adorable all the way down through Z. 00:22:38.232 --> 00:22:40.133 You're a I don't know what zebra. 00:22:40.133 --> 00:22:41.599 What do you say about Z? 00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:43.665 Zucchini I don't none of them are good anyway. 00:22:43.665 --> 00:22:44.732 Did you see that? 00:22:44.732 --> 00:22:46.965 A to Z, you're the best. 00:22:46.965 --> 00:22:49.432 It's not about even then if you do that, you're not. 00:22:49.432 --> 00:22:51.732 Meaning each one of these are specifically what I was looking for. 00:22:51.732 --> 00:22:53.766 You just mean you're you're the best ever. 00:22:53.766 --> 00:22:57.865 Comprehensively A to Z from beginning to end. 00:22:58.333 --> 00:23:03.932 And so even though this list isn't comprehensive, it doesn't cover so much of what it means to be a spouse. 00:23:03.932 --> 00:23:11.299 It's meant to say, I can't praise you enough for your excellence. 00:23:11.299 --> 00:23:13.365 Now notice where it starts though. 00:23:13.365 --> 00:23:17.965 Let's look back at verse ten, because here in your notes there's two four characteristics of an excellent wife. 00:23:17.965 --> 00:23:26.732 First, is she is rare, an excellent wife who can find all the time. 00:23:26.732 --> 00:23:31.500 When we were talking with those college students, people would say, and even if you're single, you know, you've you've said it. 00:23:31.500 --> 00:23:33.200 Where are the good men? 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:34.299 Where are the good women? 00:23:34.299 --> 00:23:35.732 Where do I find them? 00:23:35.732 --> 00:23:38.965 The excellent wife is not standing on every street corner out there. 00:23:38.965 --> 00:23:40.700 She's probably not standing on any street corner. 00:23:40.700 --> 00:23:43.099 That doesn't sound right. 00:23:43.099 --> 00:23:45.900 She, You know what I mean? 00:23:45.900 --> 00:23:46.700 They're not everywhere. 00:23:46.700 --> 00:23:48.932 They're not easy to find. 00:23:48.932 --> 00:23:51.333 They. 00:23:51.333 --> 00:23:52.133 Bring it back in. 00:23:52.133 --> 00:23:54.500 Okay? 00:23:54.500 --> 00:23:55.365 They're not easy to find. 00:23:55.365 --> 00:23:58.365 The rare, the quality person. 00:23:58.865 --> 00:24:01.700 And here's the quality, the definition of quality here. 00:24:01.700 --> 00:24:03.232 It ends up at the end. 00:24:03.232 --> 00:24:04.766 Chapter 30 or verse 30. 00:24:04.766 --> 00:24:06.500 Charm is deceitful, beauty is vain. 00:24:06.500 --> 00:24:08.865 But a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 00:24:08.865 --> 00:24:10.066 You wonder who an excellent wife is. 00:24:10.066 --> 00:24:14.266 The summation of excellency, the summation of wisdom, a woman who fears the Lord. 00:24:14.266 --> 00:24:16.900 It's how the book began in chapter one, verse seven. 00:24:16.900 --> 00:24:18.232 Fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. 00:24:18.232 --> 00:24:20.032 Beginning of knowledge. 00:24:20.032 --> 00:24:21.066 How did you find that? 00:24:21.066 --> 00:24:23.133 That's rare. 00:24:23.133 --> 00:24:24.432 The book acknowledges that. 00:24:25.700 --> 00:24:27.465 Second, though, look here. 00:24:27.465 --> 00:24:28.032 Number two. 00:24:28.032 --> 00:24:28.965 She's rare. 00:24:28.965 --> 00:24:31.000 She's also valuable. 00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:32.865 An excellent wife who can find. 00:24:32.865 --> 00:24:40.032 She is far more precious than jewels, far more precious than jewels. 00:24:40.032 --> 00:24:49.365 And someone pointed out to me, one of our students was wearing a hat that said, if you're rich, I'm single, right? 00:24:49.365 --> 00:24:57.365 Which is funny, but yet it's also tragic because I've known people who got married for that reason. 00:24:57.365 --> 00:25:12.465 And let me tell you that no amount of money makes up for someone who is cruel, untrustworthy, demeaning, hard to be around, no amount of money ever makes up for that. 00:25:13.365 --> 00:25:15.500 She, the excellent wife. 00:25:15.500 --> 00:25:22.665 The God fearing wife is far more valuable than any amount of money you could ever imagine. 00:25:25.232 --> 00:25:29.066 And so to have that as the priority, rare, valuable. 00:25:29.066 --> 00:25:31.066 And don't let that person slip away. 00:25:32.432 --> 00:25:42.099 I remember my dad telling the story of, you know, he and mom met actually in high school, and they both went off to separate colleges and they were kind of on again, off again. 00:25:42.099 --> 00:25:43.333 And then one night it just hit him. 00:25:43.333 --> 00:25:45.032 What are you doing? 00:25:45.032 --> 00:25:46.633 What are you doing? 00:25:46.633 --> 00:25:49.500 Are you going to let her slip away? 00:25:49.500 --> 00:25:52.566 Are you just going to let some other dude off at another college sweep her up? 00:25:52.566 --> 00:25:53.799 What are you doing? 00:25:53.799 --> 00:25:56.266 And he said it was like a sweat panic. 00:25:56.266 --> 00:25:57.766 He's like, I gotta do something. 00:25:57.766 --> 00:26:01.732 He hopped in his car and drove right to her and said, look, we got to get married. 00:26:01.732 --> 00:26:02.799 I can't let I. 00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:04.066 You're the one for me. 00:26:04.066 --> 00:26:06.766 He didn't. Wait a second. 00:26:06.766 --> 00:26:09.700 Mom probably thinks, yeah, he waited a little too long, actually. Right. 00:26:12.232 --> 00:26:13.432 Valuable. 00:26:13.432 --> 00:26:14.532 Rare. 00:26:14.532 --> 00:26:17.532 When you find that person, don't wait. 00:26:17.665 --> 00:26:18.700 It's not a game. 00:26:18.700 --> 00:26:19.700 Don't just play around. 00:26:19.700 --> 00:26:28.633 Now, I think there's two big categories that make up the rest of the book that describe two things in particular about an excellent wife. 00:26:29.566 --> 00:26:37.799 First, notice in these first group of verses, verses 13 through 22, she is active in her serving. 00:26:37.799 --> 00:26:42.000 The king is called to serve his wife alongside him is called to serve. 00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:43.932 She is active in her serving. 00:26:43.932 --> 00:26:51.599 And let me say on the front end of this, by the way, I called Shannon Hampshire, texted Shannon Hampshire and asked her, hey, she's one of the leaders in our women's ministry. 00:26:51.599 --> 00:26:52.766 I'm sure you've taught this a lot. 00:26:52.766 --> 00:26:56.165 What do you want women, make sure women hear about Proverbs 31? 00:26:56.165 --> 00:26:57.465 And she's like, it's overwhelming. 00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:02.732 A lot of women read it and walk away going, I can't do all that. 00:27:02.732 --> 00:27:05.066 Whoever can measure up to that? 00:27:05.066 --> 00:27:06.232 Okay. Fair enough. 00:27:06.232 --> 00:27:08.566 It does feel that way. 00:27:08.566 --> 00:27:10.932 I'm going to talk about I think that's on purpose, by the way. 00:27:10.932 --> 00:27:12.833 I'm going to talk about why that is. 00:27:12.833 --> 00:27:15.833 Keep that in mind as we read this. 00:27:15.865 --> 00:27:17.833 There's a lot here. 00:27:17.833 --> 00:27:22.333 But yet also there's a lot that we should be inspired by. 00:27:23.532 --> 00:27:23.865 Okay. 00:27:23.865 --> 00:27:26.599 Verse 13 through 22, she is active in her service. 00:27:26.599 --> 00:27:28.299 Let's just read through those. 00:27:28.299 --> 00:27:31.500 She seeks wool and flax and works with willing hands. 00:27:31.500 --> 00:27:33.732 She is like the ships of the merchant. 00:27:33.732 --> 00:27:35.965 She brings her food from afar. 00:27:35.965 --> 00:27:42.766 She rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. 00:27:42.766 --> 00:27:46.633 She considers a field and buys it with the fruit of her hands. 00:27:46.633 --> 00:27:47.865 She plants a vineyard. 00:27:47.865 --> 00:27:51.766 She dresses herself with strength, makes her arms strong. 00:27:52.965 --> 00:27:55.365 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. 00:27:55.365 --> 00:27:57.133 Her lamp does not go out at night. 00:27:57.133 --> 00:27:59.032 She puts her hand to the distaff. 00:27:59.032 --> 00:28:00.900 Her hands hold the spindle. 00:28:00.900 --> 00:28:06.665 She opens her hand to the poor, reaches out her hands to the needy. 00:28:07.066 --> 00:28:09.266 She's not afraid of snow. 00:28:09.266 --> 00:28:13.365 For her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. 00:28:13.365 --> 00:28:16.400 She makes bed coverings for herself. 00:28:16.900 --> 00:28:19.532 Her clothing is fine linen and purple. 00:28:19.532 --> 00:28:21.732 She is active and her serving. 00:28:21.732 --> 00:28:28.400 In fact, as you're looking at that chapter, is just one action verb after another, one after another. 00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:32.766 She makes, she seeks, she rises. 00:28:32.766 --> 00:28:38.633 She considers, she dresses, she perceives, she puts her hands on the hold of things. 00:28:38.633 --> 00:28:41.165 She opens her hands. She reaches. 00:28:41.165 --> 00:28:42.099 She's not afraid. 00:28:42.099 --> 00:28:44.633 She makes action, action, action acting. 00:28:44.633 --> 00:28:46.165 She's active in her serving. 00:28:46.165 --> 00:28:49.066 And I'm just going to point out a couple of ways specifically here. 00:28:49.066 --> 00:28:50.133 She's active in her serving. 00:28:50.133 --> 00:28:51.865 Look at verse 13. 00:28:51.865 --> 00:28:54.732 I think here we can say she's intentional. 00:28:54.732 --> 00:28:57.465 She seeks wool and flax. 00:28:57.465 --> 00:28:58.465 She's proactive. 00:28:58.465 --> 00:29:01.000 She doesn't just wait around for others to bring her what she needs. 00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:02.333 She goes after it. 00:29:02.333 --> 00:29:04.000 She seeks it out. She finds it. 00:29:05.432 --> 00:29:08.432 Be proactive in your service. 00:29:08.566 --> 00:29:17.365 Also, though, I love that it says she works with willing hands, she's not begrudging who likes to be around that person? 00:29:17.365 --> 00:29:20.333 Well, I guess I have to do this for you. 00:29:20.333 --> 00:29:22.066 No, it's a willingness, it's a joy. 00:29:22.066 --> 00:29:24.833 It's a delight to serve a proactive in this. 00:29:24.833 --> 00:29:27.732 She's intentional. Also look at verse 16. 00:29:27.732 --> 00:29:31.232 She considers a field and buys it with the fruit of her hands. 00:29:31.232 --> 00:29:32.299 She plants a vineyard. 00:29:32.299 --> 00:29:33.599 She is thoughtful. 00:29:33.599 --> 00:29:35.833 She considers a field and buys it. 00:29:35.833 --> 00:29:38.200 She's thoughtful and she's empowered. 00:29:38.200 --> 00:29:40.500 Her husband's not micromanaging everything she does. 00:29:40.500 --> 00:29:43.365 He has entrusted things to her to manage. 00:29:43.365 --> 00:29:44.865 He trusts her. 00:29:44.865 --> 00:29:45.900 In fact, look at verse 11. 00:29:45.900 --> 00:29:53.865 It says that specifically, the heart of her husband trusts in her and he will have no lack of gain. 00:29:53.865 --> 00:29:58.700 And I just want to give a word of encouragement to many of the men in the room. 00:29:58.700 --> 00:30:04.365 Some of us can be kind of controlling, whether it's with possessions or money. 00:30:04.365 --> 00:30:05.932 I've seen it time and again. 00:30:05.932 --> 00:30:07.099 I say kind of controlling. 00:30:07.099 --> 00:30:08.333 Some can be control freaks. 00:30:08.333 --> 00:30:10.965 There's a maybe a spectrum of control. 00:30:10.965 --> 00:30:15.200 You've got to learn how to let go of some things and trust your spouse. 00:30:16.865 --> 00:30:17.266 Women. 00:30:17.266 --> 00:30:18.566 I'm also talking to some of you. 00:30:18.566 --> 00:30:20.232 I don't have anybody in particular in mind. 00:30:20.232 --> 00:30:24.665 But you know, some of us on both sides can be control freaks. 00:30:24.665 --> 00:30:30.599 Now, the other side of that is that we need to be a good steward of that trust. 00:30:30.633 --> 00:30:33.799 And she clearly here has been a good steward of that. 00:30:33.799 --> 00:30:35.066 He can trust her. 00:30:35.066 --> 00:30:37.932 She has kept him in the loop on her decisions. 00:30:37.932 --> 00:30:42.500 So she's not just off running and doing whatever she wants willy nilly again, not just for herself. 00:30:42.500 --> 00:30:50.333 Part of the picture of the Proverbs 31 woman is that she is ultimately focused on serving her family. 00:30:50.700 --> 00:30:55.432 But there's something about being a good steward of the trust you've been given. 00:30:55.432 --> 00:31:03.500 Julie has entrusted me with the finances of our home, but I'm consistently, regularly informing her I have a binder with everything printed out in it. 00:31:03.500 --> 00:31:04.633 Here's the bank information. 00:31:04.633 --> 00:31:07.333 Here's the mortgage information, here's the insurance information. 00:31:07.333 --> 00:31:08.566 Here's the retirement information. 00:31:08.566 --> 00:31:10.232 Here's all the login codes. 00:31:10.232 --> 00:31:11.865 Here's the college savings information. 00:31:11.865 --> 00:31:13.299 And you can go look at it any time. 00:31:13.299 --> 00:31:18.365 And you can go log in and see if what I printed out is true or not, or if it's different online. 00:31:18.365 --> 00:31:19.599 And you could ask me about it. 00:31:19.599 --> 00:31:22.599 And of course, anybody, if they work hard enough can hide stuff. 00:31:22.599 --> 00:31:28.133 But hopefully you're developing a life that is an open book and fostering trust and make sure they know I'm not. 00:31:28.133 --> 00:31:30.432 I'm not trying to hide anything from you. 00:31:30.432 --> 00:31:32.000 I want to have your trust fully. 00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:33.766 I don't want to give you any reason to doubt. 00:31:34.766 --> 00:31:36.799 She's intentional along those lines. 00:31:36.799 --> 00:31:38.566 She's thoughtful. Verse 19. 00:31:38.566 --> 00:31:40.299 She's industrious. 00:31:40.299 --> 00:31:42.500 She puts her hand to the distaff. 00:31:42.500 --> 00:31:43.865 Her hand holds the spindle. 00:31:43.865 --> 00:31:48.000 I love all throughout here she's developing all kinds of skills. 00:31:48.000 --> 00:31:50.333 She's continuing to grow as a person. 00:31:50.333 --> 00:31:51.532 She's industrious. 00:31:51.532 --> 00:31:54.532 Verse 20, she's generous. 00:31:54.700 --> 00:31:57.633 She opens her hand to the poor, reaches out her hands to the needy. 00:31:57.633 --> 00:32:01.400 This was a hard one for me, when we first married. 00:32:01.400 --> 00:32:02.633 Because Julie loves to cook. 00:32:02.633 --> 00:32:13.965 She's a great cook, and she would cook an amazing meal, and there'd be this huge amount left over, and I thought, I'm going to get to eat on this for days, and then I'll watch all these little dishes go out the door to other people. 00:32:13.965 --> 00:32:16.900 And I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, where are you going with that? 00:32:16.900 --> 00:32:18.400 That was really good. 00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:19.400 And she's like, be quiet. 00:32:19.400 --> 00:32:20.333 I'll make more. 00:32:20.333 --> 00:32:21.299 This is for other people. 00:32:21.299 --> 00:32:23.333 I didn't make it only for you. 00:32:23.333 --> 00:32:27.000 There's other people than you, John, in this world who need food, too. 00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:28.000 She's generous. 00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:30.566 She's thinking of others, not just herself. 00:32:31.799 --> 00:32:35.333 Out of the overflow of the heart, she's able to bless others as well. 00:32:35.333 --> 00:32:35.965 She's generous. 00:32:35.965 --> 00:32:38.965 And then verse 21, she's prepared. 00:32:39.133 --> 00:32:45.432 She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. 00:32:45.432 --> 00:32:49.333 And that's often translated as double layered, double clothed. 00:32:49.333 --> 00:32:50.965 There's different ways to translate that word. 00:32:50.965 --> 00:32:52.900 The point being, they're ready for what's coming. 00:32:52.900 --> 00:32:54.833 She's thought ahead. The winter's coming. 00:32:54.833 --> 00:32:56.232 I know they're ready. 00:32:56.232 --> 00:32:59.865 I don't have anything to worry about because we're prepared. 00:32:59.865 --> 00:33:02.333 That's focused on her active service. 00:33:02.333 --> 00:33:04.732 That's the first half, I think, of the excellent woman. 00:33:04.732 --> 00:33:08.833 The second half, though, I think is focused on her inward life, her character. 00:33:08.833 --> 00:33:10.900 In fact, that's the blank there on number four. 00:33:10.900 --> 00:33:12.900 She's intentional to grow in character. 00:33:14.066 --> 00:33:17.032 Verse 24 through 27. 00:33:17.032 --> 00:33:19.032 She makes linen garments, sells them. 00:33:19.032 --> 00:33:21.200 She delivers sashes to the merchant. 00:33:21.200 --> 00:33:24.200 Strength and dignity are her clothing. 00:33:24.400 --> 00:33:27.400 She laughs at the time to come. 00:33:27.500 --> 00:33:33.633 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. 00:33:33.633 --> 00:33:37.099 She looks well to the ways of her household, does not eat the bread of idleness. 00:33:37.099 --> 00:33:41.165 Her children rise up and call her blessed. 00:33:41.299 --> 00:33:43.333 Her husband also he praises her. 00:33:43.333 --> 00:33:47.633 Many women have done excellently, but you surpassed them all. 00:33:47.633 --> 00:33:49.665 Look here at just a couple of instances. 00:33:49.665 --> 00:33:54.299 Verse 25 A in her character she grows in strength and dignity. 00:33:54.299 --> 00:33:58.766 Verse 25, strength and dignity are her clothing. 00:33:59.432 --> 00:34:06.665 She carries herself with strength and dignity, not in a demeaning, top down, abrasive way, but with kindness. 00:34:06.665 --> 00:34:10.932 But it's clear she's depending on the Lord, not herself. 00:34:10.932 --> 00:34:12.333 For her strength and dignity. 00:34:12.333 --> 00:34:16.032 Also in verse 25, be she's content in spirit. 00:34:16.800 --> 00:34:17.965 I love this phrase. 00:34:17.965 --> 00:34:19.865 She laughs at the time to come. 00:34:21.065 --> 00:34:24.800 She laughs at the future. 00:34:25.065 --> 00:34:33.932 Many now in our time, when they think about the future, it's not laughter, it's fear, anxiety, tears. 00:34:33.932 --> 00:34:35.833 Worry. 00:34:35.833 --> 00:34:40.699 And this isn't a flippant laughter, it's a joy. 00:34:40.699 --> 00:34:42.699 I don't have to worry about the future. 00:34:42.699 --> 00:34:44.733 I'm ready. 00:34:44.733 --> 00:34:47.833 And even if things don't go the way I thought, God's in control. 00:34:47.833 --> 00:34:48.965 It's a dependance on him. 00:34:48.965 --> 00:34:56.565 It's a contentedness in spirit, a godly contentment that I think we all want. 00:34:56.699 --> 00:34:57.865 That's growth and character. 00:34:57.865 --> 00:34:59.565 And then lastly, she's full of wisdom. 00:34:59.565 --> 00:35:01.432 Look at verse 26. 00:35:01.432 --> 00:35:07.266 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. 00:35:07.266 --> 00:35:13.800 She's full of wisdom, and she's pouring it out into the lives of others and true deep wisdom. 00:35:13.800 --> 00:35:14.932 It doesn't come easy. 00:35:14.932 --> 00:35:16.065 It doesn't come fast. 00:35:16.065 --> 00:35:20.099 That's come from a life dedicated to growing in character. 00:35:23.065 --> 00:35:28.565 Now, I said at the beginning, Proverbs points backwards and it also points forward. 00:35:28.565 --> 00:35:34.000 It points backwards across the whole book of Proverbs, but it also points forward to a truer wisdom. 00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:39.432 In fact, in the English Bible, the the book of the Bible that comes right after this is Ecclesiastes. 00:35:39.432 --> 00:35:45.833 But in the Hebrew Bible, in many of the early versions, it was the book of Ruth, an excellent wife who can find. 00:35:45.833 --> 00:35:47.432 You want to know what an excellent wife looks like? 00:35:47.432 --> 00:35:48.900 You want to know what an excellent woman looks like? 00:35:48.900 --> 00:35:51.766 Here you go, Ruth. 00:35:51.766 --> 00:35:56.900 And there's so many parallels, by the way, from the story of Ruth and the Proverbs 31 woman. 00:35:56.900 --> 00:36:00.500 She's even called an excellent or worthy woman in chapter three, verse 11, you. 00:36:00.500 --> 00:36:04.565 The same wording is used, things that are similar. 00:36:04.565 --> 00:36:07.400 In fact, her husband sits at the gates. 00:36:07.400 --> 00:36:10.400 Look at verse 23 of Proverbs 31. 00:36:10.532 --> 00:36:15.132 Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. 00:36:15.132 --> 00:36:17.266 Boaz sat at the gates. 00:36:17.266 --> 00:36:21.532 And this isn't some passive mingling, sitting around doing nothing. 00:36:21.532 --> 00:36:27.400 That is a measure at the time that would have been known as this is where leading is done in the city. 00:36:27.400 --> 00:36:31.833 This is where the elders, the rulers, the leaders gather, make decisions, govern the city, he said. 00:36:31.833 --> 00:36:34.833 At the gates was respected, was known. 00:36:35.632 --> 00:36:37.500 But here's what this points forward to. 00:36:37.500 --> 00:36:39.565 Even more so than just an example. 00:36:39.565 --> 00:36:41.233 And Ruth and her husband Boaz. 00:36:41.233 --> 00:36:42.666 And there's similarities. 00:36:42.666 --> 00:36:45.199 And she lived like a Proverbs 31 woman. 00:36:45.199 --> 00:36:48.300 What this points forward to even greater was their descendant. 00:36:49.432 --> 00:36:55.632 And if you read in Matthew one, Ruth is mentioned in the lineage of Jesus. 00:36:56.599 --> 00:37:00.333 And part of the reason it's okay that this is overwhelming. 00:37:00.333 --> 00:37:04.000 It's okay that Proverbs 31 is overwhelming to both the men and the women. 00:37:04.000 --> 00:37:10.266 It's okay that you go, I can't live up to that standard because we're not meant to. 00:37:10.266 --> 00:37:12.166 It's not possible. 00:37:12.166 --> 00:37:18.900 You can't possibly live up to the standard of the Old Testament, and you're not meant to. 00:37:18.900 --> 00:37:31.266 What we need is someone else to come and be the perfect king that none of us have ever seen, and be the perfect bride and shape and redeem the perfect bride that none of us have ever been. 00:37:31.266 --> 00:37:34.699 And that's King Jesus and His bride, the church. 00:37:34.699 --> 00:37:38.300 And one day he's going to come back for all of us. 00:37:38.300 --> 00:37:40.800 He's going to come back as the perfect king. 00:37:41.900 --> 00:37:43.632 That's who were longing for. 00:37:43.632 --> 00:37:45.266 That's where true wisdom is. 00:37:45.266 --> 00:37:48.199 And that's why we turn to his word over and over again. 00:37:48.199 --> 00:37:51.266 That's why we've been in the book of Proverbs seeking wisdom. 00:37:51.266 --> 00:37:54.166 But we're looking to him more and more for wisdom above all else. 00:37:54.166 --> 00:37:56.666 He is the one that we look forward to. 00:37:56.666 --> 00:38:03.965 He is the one that true wisdom is found in, and he's the one that today we're going to remember. 00:38:03.965 --> 00:38:08.132 In fact, we're going to end our service by taking communion together.