One

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

ONE

Prov 19:14

14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.

NIV

It is true that children might well inherit the material things of life from their parents, some more then others. Some parents have great wealth which is passed on to their children. Others of little means may have little to pass on, but the fact is whatever children attain from their parents is all material objects, although indirectly from the Lord. A prudent wife, however is directly from the Lord. We have to go all the way back to creation to understand the mind of God in this matter. When he created Adam he knew it was not good for man to be alone so he created a suitable help mate for him. The Hebrew actually reads that God made a counterpart to help him. Counterpart implies suitable, the opposite part made exactly to fit. Although through the years there were times when parents arranged the marriage of their children, today it is not so. In those days the parents of a son would make sure the wife chosen for him would be to his benefit. Today we may or may not choose a mate based on their character or standing in society. Nevertheless this saying still holds true. When we look at the qualifications of men who are in any type of leadership role in the body of Christ, we also find qualifications for their wives. These same principles might well be applied to every marriage in Christendom.

1 Tim 3:8-13

8 Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. 11 In the same way, their wives  are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. 12 A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

NIV

There are also verses which instruct the wives to respect their husbands. The whole of all this stands in the center of a Godly relationship between a Godly man and woman. It has been said, the woman sets the tone in the household. She manages the household, rears the children, or has the most influence upon them, specifically in the formative years of their lives. It is a wise man who understands a good wife is from the Lord and as such should treat her as a gift from God. The word prudent means intelligent, to wisely understand, to have insight. This would certainly imply a woman who aids her husband, give counsel, gives helpful words of wisdom. There is a certain danger in our society as well. Many men have abdicated their responsibility completely in regard to their role in a marriage. It has always been and will always be the man who God holds responsible for his family. This is the reason he should have the authority in the family. Some woman tend to shy away from the concept of submitting to the husbands authority, but the reason he has it is because he was given it by God because God holds him accountable. Yet the wise man seeks counsel from his wife because God has ordained her to be his helper, his counterpart. Man is not the king to rule heavy handed, but he is to love his wife as his own body. What harm would a man do to himself? A wise man would therefor do no harm to his wife, but treat her as he does himself. This is not just about a prudent wife being from God, but about the whole of the marriage relationship. The two shall become one, a union of part and counterpart fitting together perfectly in harmony, functioning as one, working together to accomplish the plan of God in their lives.