Proverbs 31:10-11 (NLT)

Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life.

This well-known portion of Proverbs paints a picture of character and productivity that most men and women will never achieve on a consistent basis, but that is no reason to cast aside its value and challenge. And if you think finding or being a “Proverbs 31 Woman” is difficult, try reaching the bar of overall Christlikeness! Yet…the bar remains, and both men and women need to do their best to approach it.

Solomon lived in a male dominated society, but we should not let that take away or diminish the truth that a truly “virtuous and capable” wife is hard to find because truly virtuous and capable people are hard to find in general. Virtue – or a high moral standard – should be a discernable mark of a Christ follower. We are called to be holy, or set apart, and one of the main ways to do that is to obey Christ’s moral teachings (Jn. 14:15). None of us is morally perfect all the time (Rom. 3:23), but we should strive to be, and our lives should be examples of moral living the vast majority of the time, both in public and in private.

A “capable” wife is well-equipped to achieve her goals. She is dedicated and industrious and works to the best of her ability. Once more, this should be the standard for all of Christ’s followers! We work for man and for each other in many ways, but ultimately all of our work is done “unto the Lord” (Col. 3:23). Employers spend untold sums of money in an attempt to identify and hire capable people and when they find them the business benefits greatly. So too is a man (or woman) who can find such a spouse! Solomon had remarkable wealth, yet he knew that a wife with these character traits would bring far more blessings into his life than anything money could buy.

Any man with this kind of wife should rejoice…as should any woman with this kind of husband. And whether you are single or married, this portion of Proverbs should challenge every Christian to seriously consider how they “measure up” to these standards…but even more so, how we measure up to the perfect example of our Risen Lord and Savior.