Something Good

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

SOMETHING GOOD

Prov 18:22

22 He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.

NIV

There is some discussion among our scholars of old regarding various texts including the Septuagint which makes some additions to this saying. They read: “He who puts away a good wife puts away a good thing, but he who retains an adulterous is a fool and wicked". Although it seems to make the same point, this version does not appear in any of the translations of today. Although all this is not germane to the topic at hand, it is nevertheless interesting. Let us consider this idea of finding a wife being good. We would have to go back to the beginning of mankind, in the time of the creation to be able to understand the mind of God regarding this truth.

Gen 2:18

18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

NIV

We might then come to the conclusion that celibacy is evil as it defies the very words of God. Sure the Apostle Paul talked about staying single.

1 Cor 7:1-7

7:1 Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry.   2 But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7 I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

NIV

This would seem to contradict God. Yet this particular translation may have taken some liberties with the original text. This Greek does not indicate Paul is saying is it better for a man not to marry, but it is good for a man not to touch a woman. In the context, then going on talking about so much immorality it would make more sense to indicate Paul was speaking about intimate relations outside the bonds of marriage. He does not  say that he wished all men were single, like him. He says he wishes all men were as he was. This could also imply seeing the truth of being true to each other in the bonds of marriage, giving ourselves to each other, our bodies not being our own. He might well have been saying would never touch a woman outside the bonds of marriage which would then totally agree with the fact God said it is not good that man should be alone. God did not supply Adam with many women to touch as he pleased. God supplied Adam with a suitable help mate, one woman to walk by his side through life. This is the intent of this proverb. When we man finds a wife, a suitable helpmate, a woman to walk by his side through life, he finds a good thing. We could say that in the same sense about women. When a woman finds a husband, she finds a good thing for she has found a man to walk by her side through life. However, although it may not be the most popular view in our culture, the man is still the one responsible to God for his family, his wife and his children. Therefor since God holds the man, the husband, accountable, the man must then have the authority in the relationship. We would also have to consider that this proverb does not speak about a man finding a good wife, but that finding a wife, whether a good one or a bad one, finds that which is good in the eyes of God. This stands up to the words of God about it not being good for man to be alone. However we also have to contend with the idea that way too many married people today have lost that commitment and leave one another for some other pleasures. This would then strike at the core of touching women or men outside the bonds of marriage. It seems this is the way of the world, but it should not be the way of those who put their trust in God. Yet, even in the household of faith our humanity sneaks in and we fail to uphold to perfection. Yet the idea has never been compromised, finding a lifelong mate is a good thing in the eyes of God. When we become committed to this concept God shows favor toward us.  So let us see that which we have in marriage is something good.