Part X

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies….She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.

Proverbs 31:10,24

I have heard many sermons preached about the Proverbs 31 Wife, or Wife of Noble Character over the years. There are numerous blogs and even entire ministries built around this particular passage of scripture. These messages generally focus on the woman’s character and duties as a wife and mother; I don’t want to diminish that focus in any way. It is both valid and important.

However, there is a major aspect of the Proverbs 31 Woman that is widely glossed over, and even totally ignored. This relates to her business acumen and the way she manages her finances. Here are the facts. Of the twenty-two verses in the passage, seven are comments for the reader’s benefit or general praise from her husband and children (E.g. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her – vs28). While these are interesting, they don’t actively describe her character. The remaining fifteen verses focus explicitly on her character and actions.

Of the fifteen verses that actively describe her character and actions, only two actually focus on how she acts toward her husband. Another three focus on how she cares for her children and household….

And no less than six verses focus on how she conducts her financial life. How can we, in good conscience, read this passage about the ‘Ideal Godly Woman’ and simply disregard 40% of what the Bible tells us about her!

What the Bible Says About Money in Proverbs 31

She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.

Proverbs 31:24

The preceding verses in this passage have already established that the Proverbs 31 Woman is more than a wife and homemaker. Lest there was any doubt, verse 24 slams that message home one more time.

We have seen that she buys raw materials for her business (vs 13). We have seen that she manages her employees (vs 15). We have seen how she invests her own earnings and manages her investments (vs 16). We have also seen how she labors tirelessly to make her business profitable (vs 18) and that she works alongside her employees on the factory floor (vs 19). Together, these verses offer valuable insight into what the Bible says about money and how we should manage it.

Now, in verse 24, we see that her business makes fine linen garments and sashes, which she sells to the merchants. The word ‘merchants’ is actually ‘Canaanites’ in the original Hebrew. In other words, the Phoenician merchants. Put in a slightly more modern context, this verse tells us that she manufactures high-quality fashion products and sells these to Phoenician merchants for export across the known world.

Girdles, in particular, were richly worked and highly valued. Good quality items would fetch a high price.

This verse is the culmination of the preceding ones. All the preceding verses that describe her various business activities are setting the foundation for verse 24. Together they paint the picture of a woman who — while managing her household duties, being a good wife and mother, serving her community and giving to the poor — is building a business that spans the supply chain and sells its wares for export to an international client-base.

And the Bible commends her for it. This is in stark contrast to many traditional Christian beliefs when it comes to what the Bible says about money. Perhaps this is why most studies of this passage either gloss over, or simply ignore these verses.

As I have stated previously in this series, I don’t believe that this takes away from any of the character traits and values that our Christian tradition usually chooses to hold up as the Biblical standard for the Ideal Godly Woman. All I am saying as that this verse and the five others mentioned in this post are right there alongside the ones that focus on her roles as a wife and mother. They are right there alongside the ones that focus on her wisdom and general work ethic…

… and together, these are the attributes that the Bible holds up as the character traits and actions that make her the Godly woman she is.

Verses like this show very clearly that what the Bible says about money cannot be distilled down to a Poor Good, Rich Bad mentality. Nor can we disregard financial matters as irrelevant in our Christian walk. I agree that our focus should always be first and foremost on God and his kingdom. However, we cannot ignore the financial aspects of our life when focusing on Godly character. Our view of money and the way we manage it are as much a part of who we are in relation to God as any other area of our lives — sometimes even more so.

A right view of money and how God wants us to manage it in our lives is essential to our success in this world and in God’s kingdom. The Bible offers a wealth of wisdom on this subject and we ignore verses like these, in Proverbs 31, at our peril — both in this life and the life to come.

Jesus told us to seek first the kingdom of God in this life — and how we manage our money will either lead us closer to, or further away from that goal.

Part IX

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies….Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

Proverbs 31:10,23

I have heard many sermons preached about the Proverbs 31 Wife, or Wife of Noble Character over the years. There are numerous blogs and even entire ministries built around this particular passage of scripture. These messages generally focus on the woman’s character and duties as a wife and mother; I don’t want to diminish that focus in any way. It is both valid and important.

However, there is a major aspect of the Proverbs 31 Woman that is widely glossed over, and even totally ignored. This relates to her business acumen and the way she manages her finances. Here are the facts. Of the twenty-two verses in the passage, seven are comments for the reader’s benefit or general praise from her husband and children (E.g. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her – vs28). While these are interesting, they don’t actively describe her character. The remaining fifteen verses focus explicitly on her character and actions.

Of the fifteen verses that actively describe her character and actions, only two actually focus on how she acts toward her husband. Another three focus on how she cares for her children and household….

And no less than six verses focus on how she conducts her financial life. How can we, in good conscience, read this passage about the ‘Ideal Godly Woman’ and simply disregard 40% of what the Bible tells us about her!

Freedom to be a Christian Influence on Society

Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

Proverbs 31:23

At first glance, this may look more like a tribute to the Proverbs 31 Woman’s husband rather than to her. However, in the context of this passage, it is clear that this is her achievement, not his alone. I have no doubt that her husband was a Godly man, filled with wisdom. He would not last long as an elder at the city gate unless it were so. But this verse is all about the Proverbs 31 Woman; not her husband.

So how is her husband’s position among the elders of the land counted as her achievement? The clue is in all the surrounding verses:

• She contributes to the family income (vs 13)
• She manages the household budget (vs 14)
• She rises before dawn to provide food for her family (vs 15)
• She also has help; she plans her day before sunrise and assigns her staff their responsibilities (vs 15)
• She invests her earnings to acquire assets (vs 16)
• She also works her assets to ensure they provide ongoing harvests (vs 16)
• She is a hard worker (vs 17)
• She runs a profitable business (vs 18)
• She also nurtures her business income by working late into the evening (vs 18)
• She works alongside her employees on the factory floor to maintain quality and productivity (vs 19)
• She ensures that her family is properly clothed (vs 21)
• She makes time to care for her own needs (vs 22)
• She has prepared for the future (vs25)
• She takes charge over her household (vs 27)
• She is also never idle with respect to her household affairs (vs27)

… all of which creates the freedom her husband needs to take his seat among the elders at the city gate. Think of it as the Old Testament equivalent of being a Christian influence on society.

By leading the life she did, and by exemplifying the character and actions listed in the Proverbs 31 passage, this lady created the freedom for her family to be a Godly influence in her community, city, and nation. Because of her diligence and business acumen and wise management of the family finances, her husband was free to spend his days at the city gates, and take his seat among the elders of the land. Lest we think that he was living a life of leisure, while she worked her fingers to the bone back at home, this is not the case. His was a big responsibility and it was also a life of service.

In Biblical times, the city gates were where important business transactions were made, courts were convened, and public announcements were heralded. By way of example, in Ruth 4:1-11, Boaz officially claimed the position of kinsman-redeemer by meeting with the city elders at the gate of Bethlehem. It was at the city gate that the legal matters concerning his marriage to Ruth were resolved.

This verse is, perhaps, the first in the passage that truly reveals the male-dominated system into which this woman was born. She was a Godly woman full of wisdom who, for the most part, never allowed herself to be shackled by the patriarchal society in which she lived. However, in this, she had no choice but to work within those constraints; a woman in Old Testament times could never be an elder in the city gates. The only way to ensure that she and her family could exert Godly influence in their community and city was to pave the way for her husband to sit in that seat — and this she did with grace and dignity.

In this way, the Proverbs 31 Woman worked to position herself and her husband so that they could share God’s love, mercy, wisdom and righteousness with the people around them. More than that, it enabled them to influence shape a society that did the same. Thanks to the Proverbs 31 Woman, her family was in a position to change the world. This is her triumph and it is why the Bible commends her.

In fact, Proverbs 31 is a very practical example of how the Christian influence on society might look. Yes, we are all called to shine God’s light to those around us but we should also think about how we can shine that light beyond our immediate sphere of influence. I am reminded of verses like Acts 1:8 that tells us to be Gods witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Our friends, family, neighbors and work colleagues are our ‘Jerusalem’ but we also need to think about how we reach beyond that.

This means joining, or building, a platform from which we can expand our Christian influence on society. However, while we do this, the practical concerns like putting food on the table and keeping the lights on don’t go away. The Proverbs 31 Woman is a shining example of how we can manage our income and expenditure in a way that creates the freedom and opportunity to share God’s love and spread the gospel throughout the world.

I do not believe that every Christian should be rich like the Proverbs 31 Woman — but I do believe that every Christian should be free. Free to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, as Jesus instructed. Free to share the gospel with others at every opportunity. Free to go wherever God sends them and to serve whenever God calls. In short, I believe that every believer should be free to be a Christian influence on society. To shine God’s light and to draw others into his kingdom so that they may also seek his kingdom and his righteousness. In this way, we can truly change the world.

Part VIII

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies…. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

Proverbs 31:10.22

I have heard many sermons preached about the Proverbs 31 Wife, or Wife of Noble Character over the years. There are numerous blogs and even entire ministries built around this particular passage of scripture. These messages generally focus on the woman’s character and duties as a wife and mother; I don’t want to diminish that focus in any way. It is both valid and important.

However, there is a major aspect of the Proverbs 31 Woman that is widely glossed over, and even totally ignored. This relates to her business acumen and the way she manages her finances. Here are the facts. Of the twenty-two verses in the passage, seven are comments for the reader’s benefit or general praise from her husband and children (E.g. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her – vs28). While these are interesting, they don’t actively describe her character. The remaining fifteen verses focus explicitly on her character and actions.

Of the fifteen verses that actively describe her character and actions, only two actually focus on how she acts toward her husband. Another three focus on how she cares for her children and household….

And no less than six verses focus on how she conducts her financial life. How can we, in good conscience, read this passage about the ‘Ideal Godly Woman’ and simply disregard 40% of what the Bible tells us about her!

She is Clothed in Fine Linen and Purple

She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

Proverbs 31:22

I am reminded of the pre-flight safety announcements on commercial air travel. In the event that the cabin loses pressure, passengers are instructed to put on their own oxygen mask first; before attempting to assist others. This to ensure that they are properly able to take care of those around them. In this, strangely counter-intuitive, instruction, the airline companies have recognized that the only way to properly care for the needs of others is by taking care of yourself first.

The Proverbs 31 passage tells us much about what this woman does for others. This includes her family, her employees, her community and the poor. In this verse, the passage pauses for a moment, and focuses on how she takes care of herself. In my experience, this is one of the most neglected areas in the lives of many wives and mothers. It is easy to become so busy doing daily chores, caring for the family, and running the household — often while earning an income and pursuing their own career — that many women never make time for themselves. Worse than that, many actually feel guilty when they take a moment to have some down-time and care for their own spiritual, emotional, or physical needs. As if, somehow, they are doing the world an injustice by putting themselves first for a change.

This verse reminds us that it is not only okay to take time out to care for oneself but also essential. Just like the airline illustration, what good is it trying to help someone with their oxygen mask if you pass out from lack of oxygen yourself while attempting to assist them? We need to replenish ourselves spiritually, emotionally, and physically in order to properly tend to the needs of others.

Jesus understood this and we see many verses in the New Testament where he withdrew from the crowds who so desperately sought his attention and healing power. The Bible tells us that he often withdrew to lonely places and prayed (Luke 5:16).

While the above example shows that there is no shame in making a little time for oneself, Proverbs 31:22 actually shows that the Woman of Noble Character is not above spending a little money on herself either. She happily spends some of her earnings on personal pampering and paying for the finer things in life. And, far from admonishing her, the Bible actually commends her for it.

This in strong contrast to Jesus’ New Testament parable of Lazarus and the rich man. In that passage, Jesus uses almost exactly the same words when he says the rich man was, ‘dressed in purple and fine linen’ (Luke 16:19). However, in that context, Jesus uses the phrase as an accusation rather than a compliment. The fundamental difference between the two is their heart attitude. The rich man lived only for himself whereas the Proverbs 31 Woman lived a life of service to others. In earthly terms, such a simple change of heart seems like such a small thing. outwardly, both of these Bible characters come from the same demographic; only their heart attitude is different. Yet, in Kingdom terms, it makes a world of difference.

Verse 22 focuses on two rather unexpected areas; how she cares for her comfort and her appearance.

The first, part of the verse takes a look at how she adorns her home. It tells us she makes coverings for her bed, adorning it with cushions and soft coverings that are both beautiful and comfortable. Some of the Bible commentaries point out that this verse could actually be a reference to her wider household furnishings — or how she adorns her home.

The second part of the verse focuses on how she adorns herself. The verse tells us she is clothed in fine linen and purple — just like the rich man in Jesus’ parable. In the original Hebrew, the term fine linen could refer to silk or, possibly, a white linen of very fine texture. Either way, the fabric was of good quality and extremely expensive. The reference to purple is also significant. Purple dye came from a specific shellfish species in the Mediterranean. It required somewhere between 10,000-12,000 shells to produce just one gram of purple dye. As such the dye, or the purple fabric made with it, was prohibitively expensive and only worn by the wealthiest members of society.

However, unlike the rich man in Jesus’ parable the Bible does not censure her for this indulgence when she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Rather, the Bible recognizes that she has kept some money aside to pamper herself only in the wider context of all she does for others, she ensures. She need not feel ashamed or guilty for this. In fact, according to Proverbs 31:22, she has every right and should do so with a clear conscience.

Part VII

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies…. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.

Proverbs 31:10,20

I have heard many sermons preached about the Proverbs 31 Wife, or Wife of Noble Character over the years. There are numerous blogs and even entire ministries built around this particular passage of scripture. These messages generally focus on the woman’s character and duties as a wife and mother; I don’t want to diminish that focus in any way. It is both valid and important.

However, there is a major aspect of the Proverbs 31 Woman that is widely glossed over, and even totally ignored. This relates to her business acumen and the way she manages her finances. Here are the facts. Of the twenty-two verses in the passage, seven are comments for the reader’s benefit or general praise from her husband and children (E.g. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her – vs28). While these are interesting, they don’t actively describe her character. The remaining fifteen verses focus explicitly on her character and actions.

Of the fifteen verses that actively describe her character and actions, only two actually focus on how she acts toward her husband. Another three focus on how she cares for her children and household….

And no less than six verses focus on how she conducts her financial life. How can we, in good conscience, read this passage about the ‘Ideal Godly Woman’ and simply disregard 40% of what the Bible tells us about her!

Biblical Giving

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

Proverbs 31:20

Despite the introduction to this post, this is one aspect of the Proverbs 31 Woman’s financial activities that is highlighted and widely taught in most sermons, blogs devotionals and Bible studies. While most of the other verses in this series are often glossed over or flat-out ignored, this verse is usually not. And why would it be? Generosity and giving are an integral part of our Christian walk and should be taught on a regular basis. No teaching in relation to what God’s word says about managing money would be complete without a deep study of Biblical giving.

So, despite the fact that this verse has probably been widely taught in other forums, I would still like to focus on it as a part of this series. It is, after all, not only a vital aspect of our Christian walk but also an intrinsic part of the Proverbs 31 Woman’s financial life and one of the traits for which the Bible commends her.

In one sense, this is the verse to which many of the preceding verses have been building up. We have read much about her work ethic, her business acumen, her management skills and her ability to turn a profit. We have also had a glimpse of her wisdom when it comes to investing and acquiring assets. However, it is in this verse that we see why she goes to such lengths to enlarge her income. She has a deep understanding of Biblical giving and is generous toward the poor and needy.

We have seen that she is a woman blessed by God. She has her own income and it is clear that it is a large one. She works hard for her money and is shrewd in both her trading and investment activities. In this verse, we see that she does not labor simply for her own household necessities. Far less, to live a life of luxury! Instead, she labors to increase her income so that she is able to meet the needs of others who need her assistance.

This passage was written before Christ. In New Testament passages, Jesus teachings introduce another facet to our giving. Not only should we give generously to the poor and needy, like the Proverbs 31 Woman, but also to the kingdom in order to spread the good news of the gospel.

Generosity and Biblical giving should be a big part of our Christian walk. It should be done deliberately and with prayerful consideration so that we know where God wants us to employ our resources for the poor and needy as well as for his kingdom.

Most of all, this verse teaches us that the Proverbs 31 Business Woman understood that she was not the beneficiary but, rather, a steward of the wealth she acquired. Yes, she used her income to meet her household needs. Yes, she used her income to invest in assets in order to increase her income and produce a future harvest. But most of all, she used her income to reach out to the poor and needy. In so doing, she chose to live a life of service to others rather than a life of leisure for herself.

Part VI

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies…. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

Proverbs 31:10,19

I have heard many sermons preached about the Proverbs 31 Wife, or Wife of Noble Character over the years. There are numerous blogs and even entire ministries built around this particular passage of scripture. These messages generally focus on the woman’s character and duties as a wife and mother; I don’t want to diminish that focus in any way. It is both valid and important.

However, there is a major aspect of the Proverbs 31 Woman that is widely glossed over, and even totally ignored. This relates to her business acumen and the way she manages her finances. Here are the facts. Of the twenty-two verses in the passage, seven are comments for the reader’s benefit or general praise from her husband and children (E.g. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her – vs28). While these are interesting, they don’t actively describe her character. The remaining fifteen verses focus explicitly on her character and actions.

Of the fifteen verses that actively describe her character and actions, only two actually focus on how she acts toward her husband. Another three focus on how she cares for her children and household….

And no less than six verses focus on how she conducts her financial life. How can we, in good conscience, read this passage about the ‘Ideal Godly Woman’ and simply disregard 40% of what the Bible tells us about her!

In Her Hand She Holds the Distaff

In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

Proverbs 31:19

The distaff is used to produce spools of neatly wound yarn from a piece of wool. It is this process that makes raw wool usable. Only then can it be used to create coverings or items of clothing.

The wool is first attached to the distaff, which is held in one hand. With the other hand, one pulls out sections of the wool. Each section of wool must be carefully twisted and pulled down to attach it to the spindle. The weight of the spindle then pulls the fibers out of the compacted wool. The fibers then begin to spin around the spindle.

During this process, the distaff must be held with one hand, while the other hand keeps the fibers from tangling. The process requires skill, care and attention. It is a laborious and time-consuming task. The job requires nothing less than complete attention.

Despite the skill, concentration, and attention to detail, it was considered a fairly menial task. A wealthy woman could be forgiven for delegating this responsibility to her employees. However, once again, this verse shows that the Proverbs 31 Woman does not shy away from work because it is difficult. Nor does she consider this work to be beneath her. Instead, in her hand she holds the distaff. In other words, she rolls up her sleeves and leads from the front.

Spinning the yarn is an integral process in her business, and a crucial one that will determine the final quality of her produce. She must ensure that her employees get it right and she is right there on the factory floor with them. In this way, she leads by example.

Anyone who has run their own business knows that the owner has a multitude of other responsibilities. These include dealing with suppliers, doing the Accounting, Human Resources (staff problems), Marketing, Paying Bills and a whole raft of admin tasks. Of course, the passage has already shown us that this lady rises early, long before her household is awake and before her employees show up for work. She also does not let her lamp go out at night, and continues working long after sunset. It is in this time that she completes many of those tasks.

But, during the day, when her employees are on site and working, she is on the factory floor working alongside them; in her hand she holds the distaff. From this position, she is able to lead and mentor her employees. She is able to show them how to use the distaff and the spindle to produce the quality that her clients expect; quality that will fetch the highest prices in the market and make her business profitable.

It is interesting to note that, in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, Toyota implemented its Lean Manufacturing Methodology. This was a set of principles and practices designed to improve quality and efficiency in the manufacturing process. Other companies and industries quickly latched onto this methodology and the Lean Methodology took the business world by storm.

One of the driving philosophies within the Lean Methodology is Go to Gemba — or doing the Gemba Walk.

The word Gemba is a Japanese term that means ‘the real place’. In Lean management, Gemba is the most important place for a team as it is where the real work happens. In short, it is a principle and practice that insists managers get out of their offices and down on the factory floor where the real work happens. Only then can they truly understand their how their business truly operates.

By doing this, managers are better informed because they understand the challenges their employees face, the constraints in which they operate and why they often work the way they do. This enables managers to make better decisions about how they run their business and what they can reasonably expect from their employees.

The Lean methodology and the principles on which it was built were ground-breaking and many companies still work hard at implementing Lean within their organizations today. Interesting that the Proverbs 31 Woman appears to have had a firm grasp of these core principles several thousand years before companies like Toyota ever existed.