"Living Wisely in God's World" A poetic conclusion to Proverbs
Notes
Transcript
Introduction (5 min)
Introduction (5 min)
Good morning church. We have reached the end of our series in the book of Proverbs, which we have called, “Living Wisely in God’s World.” We have seen many times and in many ways the call to hear and follow Lady Wisdom and not Lady Folly. This call is presented in the various themes from Proverbs. Through this series we have seen some of these themes:
"Two Invitation” (from Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly)
The power of the tongue
The use of money
Discipline
Friendships
Warnings against being sluggard
The Wisdom of planning
We have seen God’s love, care, and grace is presenting us through Solomon’s writing, how we ought to live wisely. We defined wisdom as, “the skill of living” and what better source than our creator to learn how we ought to live on this Earth.
As we conclude this series today, our prayer is be that we continue to grow in God’s wisdom, knowing that living as He intended, brings Him glory.
As we begin, let us commit our time to the Lord and ask Him for help. Let us pray
We are ending our series with a look at Proverbs 31. This Proverbs is very well known, perhaps due to Proverbs 31 ministries which is a renown ministry that provides biblical resources for Christian women. This chapter is perhaps the most well known chapter of Proverbs, I’m proposing this morning, that it is perhaps the most misunderstood Proverb. I make this guess that it is the most misunderstood due to the various titles I found on Amazon when I searched “Proverbs 31.” Book titles like:
The 7 virtues of a Proverbs 31 Woman
Discovering the treasures of a godly woman: Proverbs 31 -
Becoming the modern Proverbs 31 Woman
Just to name a few…
I believe this Proverb is misunderstood when we see it as a checklist when searching for a wife or instructions for how a woman becomes an excellent spouse. That’s not what it is!
Two simple and quick reasons why we should see this passage as a checklist.
First, the characteristics of the “excellent wife” as presented in this chapter, is an unrealistic standard. No woman, or man, could live up to this standard as presented in this chapter. As we will see, there is something more to this passage than presenting an unreachable standard.
Second, and a more compelling reason this is not a checklist, is because it is a Hebrew poem. This is an acrostic poem, which takes each letter of the Hebrew alphabet (22 letters, which align with 22 verses) and each stanza of the poem begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Now, we can’t see this in English because, it doesn’t translate from Hebrew to English that way, but in the Hebrew, it is clearly a Poem.
Identifying this as a poem given to Lemuel by his mother is different than reading this as verbatim instructions or advice for when a young man begins looking for a wife. The fact that it is a poem, indicates to us that, like when we read some of the Psalms or Songs of Solomon, we will find symbolism in the poem.
What I am proposing today, is that Proverbs 31 isn’t written as an example for women to become an excellent wife, nor a checklist for men searching for a wife, but rather, this chapter actually serves as a conclusion to the whole book of Proverbs where the excellent wife is Lady Wisdom personified.
The value of wisdom (5 min)
The value of wisdom (5 min)
As mentioned, when we read this as the poem that it is, we can search for symbolism, and we will quickly find it. In fact, we find it all throughout the chapter. We find it in the form of parallels to Lady Wisdom.
For instance, we see the excellent wife described as more precious that jewels in Proverbs 31:10
10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.
We also find Lady Wisdom described as more precious than jewels in the beginning of the book Proverbs 3:15
15 She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
All throughout this chapter we find parallels between lady wisdom and the excellent wife, but I’ll just quickly give you a couple of more to make a point.
They are both found at the city gates
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
Not only do we see them both present at the city gates, we see another shared characteristic.
The excellent wife is characterized by fearing the Lord, and the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
This parallel between Lady Wisdom and the excellent wife reveals the symbolism. The excellent wife is Lady Wisdom personified!
Our passage begins with a question, “an excellent wife who can find?” This question is meant to reveal the worth of the excellent wife. They are rare, and valuable, more valuable than precious jewels.
The poem here is revealing the value of a good wife, but also the value of wisdom. Idon’t want to take away from the biblical principle of husbands valuing and loving your wives as Christ loves the Church, as mentioned in Ephesians 5, but I think the call here is to value wisdom (slide) and to trust wisdom. We demonstrate that we value wisdom when we trust it. Like when you know you need to humbly call out a brother or sister in Christ and admonish them. In that moment, we demonstrate our value of wisdom by trusting that we are doing what our creator desires. In situation regarding our finances, the use of our tongue, or in loving our children through disciplining them. In those moments, we demonstrate that we value wisdom more than our own wisdom by choosing to follow the instructions given to us in God’s Word, rather than choosing to follow wisdom from other sources.
I spoke on the the theme of the use of the tongue a few weeks back, and I have had moments of conviction where I would usually ignore a comment or avoid a hard conversation. Because of what we have seen in Proverbs, I chose to follow God’s wisdom and respond as He calls us to. It’s hard to follow wisdom, but if we don’t follow God’s wisdom, if we don’t follow Lady Wisdom’s call, we are then choosing lady folly.
We must value wisdom and demonstrate that we value God’s wisdom by trusting in it the way the husband in this poem trusts in his wife. We trust it by following wisdom’s counsel.
The example of living wisely (10 min)
The example of living wisely (10 min)
Moving on from valuing wisdom to seeing this text as the example of living wisely.
We see the example of living wisely in the way the excellent wife lives. Before we look at how she lives, I want to point out that every theme we covered in our sermon series in present in this poem of the excellent wife. Let me just show you how some of the themes we’ve covered are exemplified in the excellent wife.
The power of the tongue
The power of the tongue
In our series, we saw how we follow wisdom by how we use our tongue.
We are presented with how the excellent wife uses her tongue in Proverbs 31:26
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
This excellent wife understands that death and life is in the power of the tongue as we saw in Proverbs 18:21. Because she understands this power, she uses her tongue to speak wisdom, and to teach with kindness.
The use of money
The use of money
We also see how the excellent wife manages money. Proverbs 31:16 describes this wife as one who invests her money in a field and plants a vineyard, she puts her money to work buy spending it responsibly. She also has an intake of money as described in Proverbs 31:24, where she is found making and selling linen garments. This wife exemplifies how a wise person manages their money responsibly. She isn’t spending it on herself, she is putting her money to work. She is also characterized as generous in Proverbs 31:20 where she is reaching out and extending her help with the poor. Using our money responsibly all the time is hard, and it takes someone who is selfless to consistently use money the way the excellent wife is displayed managing hers.
Not a sluggard
Not a sluggard
A couple of weeks ago we also had a message about the sluggard, which started with a really neat skit about the sluggard. You cannot call the woman in this poem a sluggard. Look at some of these verses.
13 She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.
15 She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.
She “works with willings hands” and “rises while it is yet night.” We would say, she is up before the break of dawn. This woman is no sluggard, she is up and working hard.
Planning
Planning
We also see her planning abilities in Proverbs 31:18, like we saw In the sermon last week.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.
She plans and considers when is the right time to sell and make profit. This woman is on top of it and does not rest. Proverbs 31:27
27 She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
She looks after her family and those who work for her. The “does note eat the bread of idleness” is a Hebrew expression for laziness. She is not lazy in how she manages her household.
We see the example of the excellent wife who, as we have said, it wisdom personified, and it presented as a model to summarize the book of Proverbs. I hope we can begin to see how this poem is NOT a list of qualification for an excellent wife, but rather, it is a poem to help conclude this book of wisdom.
When we read this poem in light of the whole book, we can see how the example of the excellent wife is such a fitting conclusion.
Looking a bit closer into these verses we also find a couple of categories which exemplifies what a wise person is and does. We see the actions of the wise, and the attitude of the wise.
The actions of a wise person
The actions of a wise person
Just a few examples of the actions of a wise person. We see the excellent wife providing food for her household and her maidens (or workers) in Proverbs 31:15, we also see her doing good to her husband all the days of her life verse 12. We see her working and being a good steward over her property in verse 18 as already mentioned.
What does this tell us about wisdom? It tells us that the actions of a wise person bring betterment to those around them. Notice how all of her actions have a direct impact to those around her. Her actions impact her husband, her household, her workers.
We could say that an indication that someone is living wisely is someone who has bettered the lives of others.
One of the wisest person I’ve had in my life is an elder from my home church back in Houston. Although I’ve lived in the midwest now for the last 10+ years, there have been a few times that I’ve needed serious counsel and I call him. He speaks truth in love to me even when he knows it will be hard for me to hear. He has humbled me when I’ve needed to be humbled and he has encouraged me when I’ve been uncertain. None of you know him so I can tell you that he also has been very generous to me in helping me pay for college when I was at Emmaus. I see now how this man follows Lady Wisdom because I am a better person by having his friendship.
The betterment of others is an indication of living wisely.
The attitude of a wise person
The attitude of a wise person
Not only do we see a grouping of actions that describe a wise person, but we can also find a grouping that describes the attitude of a wise person.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
Someone who is wise, like the excellent wife here, is described as resilient, strong, and fearless. This is not to say that she is foolishly walking into dangerous scenarios. She is not fearless, because she has chosen to follow the call the Lady Wisdom.
This can be true of us as well. We as followers of Jesus, who have the written word of God have less things to be afraid of. We do not have to fear death, because we know what is coming and where we are going when we die. We do not have to fear the future, because we serve a sovereign God is always in control and is bringing about His ultimate plan of redemption. We do not have to fear Satan or his minions because greater is He who is within us, than they. The excellent wife’s attitude, is an example for us all. When we God’s wisdom, we also wear strength and dignity.
The result of living wisely (8 min)
The result of living wisely (8 min)
We have seen the value of wisdom, and we demonstrate that we value wisdom by trusting in the wisdom we have heard taught in this book, and that is summarized in this chapter. We have discussed the actions and attitude of someone who follows Wisdom. But this chapter gives us more still. It presents to us a potential result of following Lady Wisdom.
We find the result of living wisely in Proverbs 31:23
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
This chapter in Proverbs is not only an acrostic poem, but it is also a Chiasm. A chaism is another literary technique that presents themes in a way of a mirror, like we saw when we studied the book of Esther. One of Gary’s sermons ending the series in Esther was walking us through the Chiasm presented in the whole book. Let me show you what this looks like in our chapter in Proverbs.
A: High value of a good wife (v. 10)
B: Husband benefited by wife (vv. 11–12)
C: Wife works hard (vv. 13–19)
D: Wife gives to poor (v. 20)
E: No fear of snow (v. 21a)
F: Children clothed in scarlet (v. 21b)
G: Coverings for bed, wife wears linen (v. 22)
H: Public respect for husband (v. 23)
G´: Sells garments and sashes (v. 24)
F´: Wife clothed in dignity (v. 25a)
E´: No fear of future (v. 25b)
D´: Wife speaks wisdom (v. 26)
C´: Wife works hard (v. 27)
B´: Husband and children praise wife (vv. 28–29)
A:´ High value of a good wife (vv. 30–31)
The Chiasm reveals the emphasis of the text. It shows us how the husband is impacted by the relationship he has with this wife. Let me remind you that the imagery chosen in Proverbs with young man choosing to follow either lady wisdom or lady follow, which are represented by the adulteress woman and the excellent wife. This last chapter of the book, continues that imagery. I think this is key to understanding this last chapter. You see, I don’t think this chapter is only about finding a wife, (although finding a godly spouse is of much importance), but I don’t think this passage is presenting a double standard. That is to say, that only women should pursue the qualities of wisdom as presented here. I think the choice of presenting this chapter with a woman character is mainly a matter of audience orientation. Proverbs is pointing the young man away from the adulteress woman, away from Lady Follow and orienting him toward Lady Wisdom and the excellent wife. Do you see that? The excellent wife has less to do with a wife and more to do with what the young man will chose.
With the audience in mind we can see how it is the young man who is being impacted by their relationship with wisdom, or in the case of our poem, the excellent wife. Verse 23 represents the potential result of choosing to have a relationship with wisdom.
[add more before transition]
Two things I’d like to mention from verse 23.
First, verse 23 really emphasizes that there is a relational aspect to following wisdom. There is trust involved when choosing to follow wisdom, and that trust implies a relationship.
Second, living wisely has the potential of gaining public respect. Respect is of high regard in all cultures, although perhaps more in some than others but we all desire to be respected. I spoke with someone this week who chose to quit her job because she did not feel respected by her supervisor. We all desire to be respected, and although we don’t read Proverbs as a book of promises, what Proverbs is suggesting is that people respect those who follow God’s wisdom.
People seek counsel from people who manage their household well, who speak with wisdom and instruct with kindness. I had a family member growing up that when I would ask them how to do something they would say, “you don’t know how to do that?!” It also bugged me, I eventually stopped going to them for help.
I’m certain we can all think of a person in your life, who you admire and desire to imitate. To those people, we listen more carefully when they give us counsel. To those people, we tend to receive critique from because you know they have your best interest in mind.
Church, consider the potential for the spreading of the Gospel if God’s people were characterized this way in the community. May we all be on a trajectory of growing in God’s wisdom. When we live as God intends of us to live, we bring Him glory, and that is our purpose, to bring Him glory.
The shortcomings of living wisely (5 min)
The shortcomings of living wisely (5 min)
God demonstrate his grace to us by giving us His wisdom and instructions for living in His world, but wisdom has a shortcoming. Wisdom is great, but it isn’t the end all be all. Although wisdom is good and necessary, wisdom does not save. Choosing to living according to God’s wisdom alone does not save. Learning how to manage your money according to Proverbs does not save you. Understanding how to wield your tongue does not save. Choosing to become more organized does not save. Wisdom cannot save anyone from destruction, it is Christ alone who saves.
I think of Paul’s words in Romans 7 when he is struggling between what he knows is right to do (what perhaps wisdom calls us to do) and what he actually ends up doing. Look at Romans 7:18-19
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.
Listen to the profound truth in this text. Paul is telling us something key and true about everyone. He says, “nothing good dwells in me”, not just in Paul, but in all of us. Nothing good dwells in us. He affirms this thought when he explains that he know what is right to do, but still doesn’t do it. Instead is does the evil he knows he shouldn’t do.
Oh, this is true of me, and I can say with confidence that it is true of us. You see, understanding what is right, or to know what is wise doesn’t result in doing what is wise Or right. We fall short. This is the shortcoming of wisdom, we are unable to do what we know we ought to do, and as a result, we cannot save ourselves from our fate.
There is hope for us all church. Paul writes in the following chapter in Romans. He says this in the Romans 8:10-11
But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
You see salvation through faith in Jesus is the only thing that brings us life. It is what can save us from destruction. Not wisdom, Christ makes us righteous when we are in Christ (as Paul says). Notice also the impact our eternal salvation impacts our living now. Paul says that the Spirit that dwells in us also gives life to our mortal bodies. Meaning, that we are enabled and able to do better tomorrow than we did today. Not because we trust in our strength, but because we trust in God and the Spirit that dwells In us. The same power that rose Christ form the dead, dwells us in us and we can rely on it, not on ourselves, but on His Spirit to experience biblical transformation.
Conclusion (2 min)
Conclusion (2 min)
All of this is possible because of what Christ accomplished for us on the cross. Today being the first Sunday of September, we remember Christ’s death and resurrection in a special way by remembering Christ the way He asked us to. By breaking bread and drinking the cup.
At this time I’ll invite the brothers to come up to distribute the bread and Mark, one of our elders, will pray for the bread.
This institution of the Lord’s Supper was given by Jesus for His Church. If you belong to Jesus, if you have placed your trust in Him, we invite you to partake with us.
As the bread gets passed around you’ll find some of these two in one cups for those who are more comfortable with those, you simply pull the top seal to reveal the wafer.
Please then hold on to the bread and we will take it together.
READ: 1 Cor 11:23-24
1 Corinthians 11:23–24 (ESV)
that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
Tom comes up now to pray for the cup.
READ: 1 Cor 11:25-26
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Amen! Pastor Tim comes now for the closing prayer and benediction.