Why the Woman of Proverbs 31 may not be your Ideal Wife

Many men and women have a mental list describing their ideal partner. “She’s got to be a good cook, enjoy watching sports, and not be a nag.” “He’s got to have a steady job, a nice car, and a mother who lives far away.” Some even invoke a Biblical basis for this sort of wish list. “Proverbs says, ‘He who finds a wife finds a good thing’ (Pro. 18:22). I’ve got to find a good wife. It’s in the Bible!” Okay. But what makes a good wife? Is the ideal wife a soul mate or a servant? A partner or a parlor maid? A woman will say she’s searching for the right man and a man will say he’s searching for the right woman, but who is the right man or woman? What are they like? How would you recognize them? “Easy question,” says the Christian man. “The perfect wife is the woman of Proverbs 31.” For many men, the woman described at the end of the book of Proverbs represents the ideal partner. It’s not hard to see why. This woman is wise, strong, industrious, entrepreneurial, and—this is the good part—she earns her own money. This excellent woman is [...]