Part V

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies…. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.

Proverbs 31:10,18

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 Sees That Her Trading is Profitable

She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.

Proverbs 31:18

The crux of this verse — she sees that her trading is profitable — appears to be book-ended between two verses that, once again, commend her work ethic.

While it has not received a post of its own it is noteworthy that the preceding verse highlights the fact that she is a hard worker; she sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks (vs 17). Then the second half of verse 18, once again, showcases the Proverbs 31 Business Woman’s dedication and capacity for hard work; her lamp does not go out at night.

The fact that her lamp does not go out at night demonstrates the fact that she continues her work long after sunset. However, the verse also shows us the promise. Her diligence and effort pays off when she sees that her trading is profitable.

If anyone comes into this chapter thinking that success will be easy, and that Proverbs 31 might offer some sort of get-rich-quick scheme, they should check that thought at the door. Let’s remember that Proverbs 31 is not about being successful, financially or otherwise. It is about being Godly, and building a Godly character. It just so happens that those character traits that make this woman Godly, and for which the Bible commends her, are the same ones that make her so successful in business.

As Proverbs 31 shows us, she rises early to run her household and her business. She makes and sells garments for a living. She invests in fields. She plants vineyards and attends to them. She sets about her work vigorously and her lamp does not go out at night. And in the end she reaps her reward when she sees that her trading is profitable.

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Part IV

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies…. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

Proverbs 31:10,16

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 Investment

She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

Proverbs 31:16

I found very little commentary from the theological experts on this particular verse. I guess this should not come as a surprise, since it has very little theology to offer. Our church pastors and teachers are concerned with our salvation, our eternal well-being and our relationship with God; just as they should be. Consequently, most have little interest in what the Bible says about investment and can be forgiven for blowing past this verse as they focus on weightier spiritual themes.

But this verse is still in the Bible. God put it there! More than that, he included it as one of the fifteen character traits that show us why the Woman of Noble Character is the ‘Ideal Godly Woman’.

If you ever wondered what the Bible says about investment, here it is. So what does this verse tell us? Investing may not have any direct eternal value in terms of salvation or righteousness but neither is it obviously sinful. In fact, according to the context of this passage, we should consider it commendable.

This is what the Bible says about investment. The Woman of Noble Character invests in assets that produce additional income. She already has a means of income, from the manufacture of garments, as the passage tells us elsewhere. However, this verse tells us she considers a field and buys it. Instead of spending her hard-earned income on fleeting fancies that drain her funds but have no lasting value, she invests in a field — an asset.

Why is owning assets so important to her? After all, the passage already shows that she owns a thriving business and it is clear that she is a wealthy woman. What does she need the extra income for? The difference between her garment business and the vineyard is subtle. But it is also vital. While her business is very profitable, according to Proverbs 31, it is also labor-intensive. The day she stops buying wool, and spinning it; the day she stops making garments, her income will dry up completely.

Far less so with the vineyard. Yes, the process of acquiring the field, buying the vines and planting the vineyard was, perhaps, a labor-intensive one. However, once done, the vines will continue to grow and produce a crop year on year, without any further intervention on her part. Sure, they might require some pruning and weeds will need to be dug up from time to time. And, of course, she will need to harvest the grapes. This maintenance work, however is not nearly as intensive as the daily grind of her garment business. In fact, having planted the vineyard, she appears to go straight back to the garment business while the vines mature and grow with little or no input from her.

In fact, even long after she no longer has the strength to weave wool and make garments, her vines will continue to produce a harvest year on year. This is the difference between an asset and a job. A job can take care of immediate needs, but only assets can take care of the future.

This is one time where the advice from the secular self-help and financial advice gurus actually lines up with the wisdom in God’s word. They all tell us to stop spending our money on liabilities that take money out of our pockets and rather to invest in assets that will put money into our pockets. In this verse, the Bible commends the Proverbs 31 Business Woman for doing the same.

Note, she does not make this decision lightly. She considers the field carefully. She takes the time to appraise its true value. And when she is satisfied that it is worth the agreed price, she buys it. The second part of the verse is equally important. She chose an asset to which she was able to add value. Once again, she reaches to her existing income. Instead of squandering everything she earns on lavish food, clothes and entertainment, she buys vines and plants a vineyard. This increases the asset’s value and ensures that it will not lie fallow for years. Rather, it will produce a harvest.

That is the verse in a nutshell. There really is not much more to say about it.

Of course, there are many sincere believers, men and women, both in Bible times and today who have never considered investing their hard-earned wages in assets to produce additional income. There are likely others who have considered this but never had the courage to take the plunge and buy the asset in question. Then there are probably a few who went as far as purchasing their asset but did not bother to tend to it or add any value. Instead, they let the asset lie fallow, as it were, and they never reaped the reward of their investment.

The Proverbs 31 Business Woman understood the value of investing and the Bible commends this facet of her character. We can all learn from this woman’s example.

Part III

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies…. She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.

Proverbs 31:10,15

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 the way she manages her finances, or the Proverbs 31 Business Woman. 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!

The Proverbs 31 Business Woman Manages Her Staff

So, with that in mind, let’s look at verse 15

She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.

Proverbs 31:15

Technically, this verse focuses on how the Woman of Noble Character acts towards her family. This includes her children and her wider household like the servants in her charge. I erred on the side of caution and did not count this verse as one of the six verses that focus on how she conducts her financial life.

That said, it is still worth looking at this verse as it offers a quiet nod to her employee management skills on the tail-end of the verse.

So, let’s start with the fact that she gets up while it is still night. In other words, she rises before dawn. She does this to prepare for the day so that she will be ready to care for her family’s needs and those of her wider household. Her duties might include stoking the oven to bake bread for the household. As the verse says, she does this to provide food for her family.

The natural assumption is that she does the same for her servants. As the verse says, she provides portions for her female servants. Several of the commentaries on this verse agree that the word for ‘portions’ has a double meaning. It could mean portions of food and this would certainly be in keeping with what the passage already tells us about this woman’s character. However, several of the commentators point out that this word can equally mean ‘work’. They point out that this makes more sense in the context of the verse. In fact, many of the commentaries don’t even bother to explain their reasoning and simply assert that this tail-end of the verse means that she apportions responsibilities and daily tasks to her female servants.

Once again, this verse demonstrates her diligence and work ethic. She is the first person on the job, rising long before her husband or children — and even before her servants. Thus she ensures that everything is ready for her family when the day begins and, as her servants arrive for work, she has tasks ready for each of them in turn.

In this way, she manages her team of employees and leads by example. Not one of her employees could accuse her of enjoying a lie-in while they are hard at work. However, it is equally important to note that she does not try to accomplish everything on her own. She has a team of people ready to assist. They are being paid to do a job and the Proverbs 31 Business Woman understands that part of her role is to ensure that her staff members know what they have to do — and do it.

The Proverbs 31 Business Woman wakes up early to ensure that every one of her employees is assigned a task and that the work is fairly and evenly distributed when they show up for work. She is a hard worker, yes, but she is not someone who buys a dog and then barks herself, so to speak.

I know I have focused on this aspect of the verse, possibly to the detriment of the first half that focuses on her family. As I have said elsewhere in this series, it is not my intention to diminish the value of those themes and messages. However, I believe that many other pastors and teachers have addressed those aspects of this passage quite well. As such, I have chosen to focus on the aspects of this passage that have been largely ignored in other forums.

This verse shows how the Woman of Noble Character is not only the exemplary Proverbs 31 Wife but also the exemplary Proverbs 31 Business Woman. While the verse offers little information on exactly how she manages her employees what it reveals is her diligence and care as she prepares to manage those employees. She proves the old adage that says success is 90% preparation and 10% perspiration. Or, as Louis Pasteur once asserted; chance favors the prepared mind.

Interesting that God saw fit to include a verse like this in his word. On the face of it, this verse has lots of practical value but little eternal value. However, on reflection, it occurs to me; these character traits that serve her so well in her business activities are the same character traits that will lead her in the paths of righteousness and forge her relationship with the Lord on a daily basis.

Part II

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies… She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.

Proverbs 31:10,14

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!

Like the Merchant Ships

So with that in mind, let’s look at verse 14…

She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.

Proverbs 31:14

This verse offers insight into how the Proverbs 31 Woman trades and acquires the materials she needs for both her household and her business interests. It could refer to the wool and flax purchases described in the previous verse. However, this verse alludes to her wider trading activities, including food purchases, that expand beyond those transactions alone.

What this verse is really saying is that she actively seeks opportunities to buy cheaply and get more value for her money. While the verse does not explicitly state this, the Bible commentaries agree that this is what the verse is driving at. She seeks better trade prices by travelling further afield, and hunting for bargains that many of her contemporaries will miss because they favor convenience and buy closer to home. In business terms, she expands her operations beyond her immediate neighborhood.

Using the merchant ships as a simile, this verse aims to demonstrate how she applies the principles of profitable exchange and international trade, in the narrower sphere of her personal economy. In fact, the verse does not liken her to a single merchant ship but, rather, a whole fleet of merchant ships! You might even call this lady a force of nature.

She goes the extra mile — both figuratively and literally — to reduce costs when buying food or materials for her household and her business. In this, she displays her shrewd business acumen.

In a modern context, this is the type of lady who spots an item she really likes or needs in the local mall but, instead of buying it there and then, she first checks on both Amazon and eBay to see if she can get it at a better price. Or when she looks for flights and holiday accommodation, she may first use the big brand booking engines. However, when she spots suitable flight tickets or accommodation she first picks up the phone and calls the supplier directly to see if they offer a better price than the one they advertise through online channels.

I am reminded of the landlord at a hotel I ran a few years back. He had run his own business for many years and then he and his wife had built up a large property investment portfolio. This retired couple had a vested interest in my success as they liked me as a tenant. They were tough but highly ethical business people and it was a pleasure to do business with them. However, he would call me regularly, and at random times, to let me know that a local supermarket was running a special on certain items that were selling at lower prices than the wholesalers who were my usual suppliers.

This couple are fabulously wealthy but they cannot resist a bargain, and they have a knack of finding them. When I needed to replace equipment at the hotel, if I found a replacement item for $499, you could almost guarantee that they would find the same, or a similar, item for $299. I am a pretty tech-savvy person and I know for a fact that my landlord and his wife are not, having helped them many a time to get their email sorted. However, this is one area in which I could not compete. They know how to find bargain prices on the internet that leave me shaking my head in admiration and disbelief.

One thing I noted about this couple; despite their massive wealth, they always paid attention to the small stuff. If they could save ten percent on a five dollar purchase, they took it. Initially, it astounded me that a couple with this much money could care so much about a one or two dollar saving. Then it occurred to me that, just maybe, they became wealthy because they cared so deeply about each one or two dollar saving. It wasn’t that they cared about the individual transaction. It was a lifestyle for them. It was the position from which they approached every purchase they made. They were frugal, and careful, with each and every transaction. And because they were able to keep their costs low in every sphere of life, they had, in turn, made both their business and household profitable.

Their attention to detail was also significant. If we were in a conversation and needed to refer to correspondence or an invoice from several months earlier, they would pop off to their home-office and arrive back after a few minutes with the document in hand.

I feel it is important to point this out. They never cheated anyone. Nor did they ever attempt to profit at another person’s expense. They simply ensured that they never paid ten dollars for an item if they could get it elsewhere at nine. What they saved in money usually cost them in time, effort and convenience — but for them the saving was always worth the pain.

So it is with the Proverbs 31 Woman. She is frugal and wise when it comes to her spending — and she never overpays. This is not something she switches on for the big transactions. Rather, it is a lifestyle, born of a habit that she has formed over time. As such, she lives out this value in every transaction. Strangely, it is this character trait for which the Bible commends her.

Admittedly, sniffing out Bargain-Basement prices is not a character trait that we generally aspire to in our Christian walk. We prefer to focus on faith, love and holiness. Nothing wrong with that. But Proverbs 31:14 is just as much a part of the Bible.

I’m sure we all want this verse to be more spiritual, or to offer some deep, eternal meaning but this is what it says; she is a smart entrepreneur who works hard to reduce her business and household costs. And the Bible applauds her for it! Should we ignore, or write off, this verse just because it does not deal with one of Christianity’s central themes? There is still wisdom to be gleaned from verses like this and we would do well to follow the Proverbs 31 Woman’s example in our own business dealings, or when managing our household budgets, in the modern economy.

Just saying…

Part I

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies….She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.

Proverbs 31:10,13

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!

Works With Eager Hands

So with that in mind, I will focus on verse 13…

She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.

Proverbs 31:13

This verse shows a woman who is not afraid of hard work. Nor does she scorn menial work that others of her station might feel is beneath them. The manufacture of garments for one’s own household was a common task for women at this time in Jewish history. However, as we see in other verses in this passage, this lady did not work out of necessity because she had no help; she was a wealthy woman and had servants who could perform these duties for her.

However, instead of resting on her laurels, she worked both willingly, and gladly — with eager hands. Rather than delegating all the work to her servants, this woman takes an active role in selecting the raw materials (wool and flax) from which to make garments.

It is worth noting that the manufacture of household garments for the family was a common task for women in Old Testament times. However, as the other verses in this passage show all too clearly, this woman took that responsibility to another level. She went way beyond the task of merely making garments for her own family. As such, we can take this verse to show that, when she went out to select wool and flax, she did this in order to find the right suppliers and source the raw materials she needed to run her business.

Flax and wool were her stock in trade. As such, she needed to be sure of the quality and took that task upon herself.

Overall, though, this verse focuses on the Proverbs 31 Woman’s attitude toward work. In fact, this is a resounding theme throughout this passage. She was a wealthy women to be sure. But based on what we read in Proverbs 31:13, you would be far more likely to find her negotiating prices in the boardroom or on the factory floor than enjoying cocktails at the country club.

Every believer in the modern economy — both men and women — would do well to follow this lady’s example.

While chatting to my wife over the weekend about Bible verses that explicitly deal with how Christians should manage their money, she asked me, ‘Have you looked at the passage on the Proverbs 31 Woman?’

My immediate response was, ‘Wait — what?‘

Of course I know the passage. Or, at least, I thought I did. I have heard it taught many times in church. This lady is often referred to as the Proverbs 31 Wife. There are several blogs and even ministries built around, or named after, this passage. It is a well-known scripture and one that I have often heard touted as the standard to which all Godly women (and especially, Godly wives) should aspire.

My wife smiled, ‘Read it again.’

So I did… and my eyes were opened! What struck me first and foremost was how inappropriate the title Proverbs 31 Wife is for this passage. Of the fifteen verses in this passage that actively describe the Proverbs 31 Woman, only two offer any insight into how she acts toward her husband.

A further two verses deal specifically with her character and one extolls her generosity toward the poor.

But the clear winner is…

A whopping six verses that specifically showcase how the Proverbs 31 Woman manages her finances! In other words, roughly 40% of the passage is dedicated to this single aspect of the woman’s life and character.

The Proverbs 31 Woman is a Financial Power-House

Who knew? Well, my wife did, for a start. In fact, as I read this passage again, I came to realize that the Proverbs 31 Woman is a financial power-house. The Bible tells us much about this lady and her financial prowess.

She generates her own income and leads by example before her employees and servants. She is a woman of industry, who buys wool and flax, manufactures garments and sells her produce to merchants in the local markets. She is not only a shrewd manager but also a skilled laborer. She neither shies away from hard work nor from menial tasks; In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers (Proverbs 31:19).

She travels widely and trades carefully, negotiating the best prices and thus keeps her expenses low. She works hard to manage her business and ensures that it turns a profit; She sees that her trading is profitable (Proverbs 31:18).

She is an investor who uses the proceeds of her income to acquire assets; She considers a field and buys it. Furthermore, she manages those assets and adds value to them; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard (Proverbs 31:16)

The message in this passage is all the more powerful when considered in the context of the patriarchal society in which it was written; she came from a time and culture in which women were widely thought of as little more than the property of their husbands.

This is a woman who loves her husband. She respects him and supports him as her partner in marriage; but she is not reliant on him for her financial support. She is more than capable of supporting herself. She generates her own income and manages her own business and investments — all while running her household and caring for her family.

The passage in question, Proverbs 31:10-31, offers immense wisdom on how we should approach our work, industry and investment. Both men and women, in the church today, can learn from the Proverbs 31 Woman and would do well to follow her example in financial conduct.

I plan to delve deeper into individual verses in this passage over the next few weeks to gain a greater understanding of God’s word as it pertains to his remarkable person and what we can learn from this scripture.

Watch this space…