Opening Up Proverbs (Session 11)

The Wise Woman

Which Women are Worthy of Honor?

What Kind of Woman Does God Honor?

Wisdom in the home

There is more to than meets the eye

Search for a Woman of Excellence (vs. 1-3, 10-12)

Listen to your mother (vs. 1-2)

The wrong kind of woman with ruin you (vs. 3)

An excellent wife will contribute to your success (vs 10)

She is trustworthy (vs. 11a)

She is an asset (Vs. 11b-12)

She enhances your standing in the community (vs. 23)

An Excellent Wife Will Help You in Many Ways (vs. 13-27)

She is home-centered (vs. 27)

She is diligent (vs. 13-14a, 17, 19, 21-22)

She brings beauty and quality into her home (vs. 14, 21-22)

She is a responsible administrator (vs. 11, 14-16, 21, 25, 27a)

She is wise in her speech (vs. 26)

The Excellent Wife Will be Richly Rewarded (vs. 28-31)

Her glory is in the him (vs. 28-29)

Her beauty is unfading (vs. 30)

The secret of her success that she fears God (vs. 30b)

God will reward her

Conclusion

Aspire to be a woman of excellence

Christ is our virtue

FOR FUTHER STUDY

1. How have some wives been a detriment to their husbands? (See ; ; ; ; .)

TO THINK ABOUT AND DISCUSS

2. Give examples of some virtuous women in Scripture. (See ; ; .)

Jim Newheiser, Opening up Proverbs, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2008), 183.

TO THINK ABOUT AND DISCUSS

Opening Up Proverbs To Think about and Discuss

1. The role of women has changed dramatically in Western culture in the past generation. How counter-cultural should Christian women be?

2. How do we reconcile the fine clothes worn by the woman in Proverbs 31:22 with the exhortations in the New Testament for women not to pay too much attention to their outward appearance (see 1 Tim. 2:9–10; 1 Peter 3:3–4)?

3. How do we reconcile the outside business activity of the Proverbs 31 woman with the call for women to be ‘workers at home’ in Titus 2:5?

4. What can a young woman do to prepare herself to be a Proverbs 31 woman?

5. How can an older woman teach the principles of Proverbs 31 to younger women?

6. How, in specific practical ways, can younger women be mentored by older women in your church?

7. If you are a married man, when was the last time you encouraged and praised your wife? What can you do to increase her fulfilment and joy in your family?