53 years ago, I met a young woman who would become my wife. It wasn’t because of my smarts or my wisdom that Jan was given to me. God knew the kind of woman I needed, the kind that followed the leading of God’s Spirit, not the latest demands of culture or any personal insecurity. 

I was reminded of how a faithful wife was described in Proverbs 31. The notation in my bible has a heading above those descriptive verses that read, “A Wife of Noble Character.” That kind of nobility of character is created over time. It requires spiritual discipline to achieve. 

The writer of Proverbs asks, “Who can find a virtuous and capable wife” (31:10). In other translations “virtuous and capable” are defined as “excellent” or as “noble character.” These translations describe a war-like character needed to contend for something more. It describes the strength, might, and power required to lead a moral life of integrity. It is something a woman must fight for, or she will be consumed with what the culture tells her she should become. This kind of woman becomes a unique gift to her husband, “Her husband can trust her” and her presence “will greatly enrich his life” (vs. 11).

Proverbs then begins to list all the areas in her life that are a blessing to others- from caring for her family to real estate acquisitions. She becomes a blessing to her husband, family, and the community. 

One of the astounding characteristics of a woman with this kind of noble character is found in verse 25, “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future” (vs.25). The way she speaks is formed from years of repeated war-like submission to the Spirit, “When she speaks her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness” (vs. 26).

A final truth is expressed in Proverbs 31 that defines this kind of woman, “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last, but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised” (vs. 30).

A woman who pursues a noble and godly character will not yield to the charming spirit of the world. She will allow God’s Spirit to direct her life creating the kind of woman that others will say of her, “Let her deeds publicly declare her praise” (vs. 31).