Wife's Duties, Directing the Home

That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.  (Titus 2:4, 5)

Who said women have nothing important to do?  Added together, this list places the primary responsibility of directing the home on the wife.  Of course, the husband has a part to play in the child-rearing arena.  Yes, he is involved in the whole scene, but his assignment is perhaps best fulfilled by a supportive reinforcing position in the background, while the wife is the primary keeper of the home scene.  "Keepers at home" sums up that idea and clearly places the woman in the primary position of keeping the "Home fires burning."

The biblical assignment to the wife is far more comprehensive than most men are willing to acknowledge or accept, much to their own shame.  With this lesson from the New Testament as a background piece, let's look carefully at the description given in the last chapter of Proverbs.  The subject is the virtuous woman.

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies" (Proverbs 31:10).  The stage is set for a treasure hunt, a treasure far more valuable to any man than a chest full of rubies.

1. "The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil" (Proverbs 31:11).  Trust is a two-way street.  Both parties must earn it.  When this man goes on a long journey, he has no anxiety about what his wife is doing.  He trusts her, but more important perhaps is the observation that his trust is safely placed in her.  There is no fear of broken trust.  He safely trusts her.

2. "She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life" (Proverbs 31:12).  Everything she does will concern itself with him, and her activities will be in his interest.

3. "She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.  She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.  She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens" (Proverbs 31:13 15).  She is industrious, hard working, and is obviously in charge of the family budget.  She is also a good money manager.  How often men ridicule their wives in the financial activities of their life.  That would be a grave mistake for this man, for his wife is active in the financial affairs of the family, and she gets results!

4. "She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard" (Proverbs 31:16).  Lest we get the idea that her financial talent is only allowed expression in the grocery store, we see her in this verse integrally involved in major financial investments.  She not only evaluates the investment, but, once the field is purchased, she is substantially more than an observer.  She works hard to make the investment pay off.

5. "She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms" (Proverbs 31:17).  This is not the Hollywood image of a retiring, helpless Scarlet O'Hara.  This lady has backbone, and she knows how to use it!

6. "She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by  night" (Proverbs 31:18).  She is proud of her work and of her family.  Her work is not finished when the lights go out at night.  The candle of her mind is busy thinking about her family and its best interest.  How characteristic of the godly women I have known.  When the rest of the family is sound asleep, she is thinking about each member of the family and what she can do to help them succeed.

7. "She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.  She  stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy" (Proverbs 31:19, 20).  This woman is not just involved in gathering resources; she stays with the project until the final task is complete.  Then she makes compassionate and wise disposition of the household prosperity to those who are less fortunate than she.  Her caring kindness for the needy and the poor sets a beautiful example for her family.

8. "She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet" (Proverbs 31:21).  Into the best of lives a little coldness and rain must enter.  Every godly woman I ever knew concerned herself with such stormy days, but the best insulation her family has in such times is the clothing of godliness and integrity she has given them in earlier times.

9. "Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.  She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness" (Proverbs 31:25 27).  While she is strong and carries much influence, she doesn't forget the law of kindness, and this law is demonstrated, of all places, in her tongue.  When it comes to her family, this lady is never asleep or idle.  The bread of idleness is not on her menu!

"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised" (Proverbs 31:30).  Wives, are you willing to tackle this list?  Men, are you willing to trust your wives with these responsibilities?