What Does God Expect of a Woman
1/14/2024
Principle 2. God expects a woman to be discerning in accepting her role as a life partner. Why? There are two reasons.
- The first reason that she must be discerning is because the role she assumes in having chosen the right man will define the way she is supposed to act towards him throughout the duration of the marriage.
- She is to bring him good, not evil, for the rest of her life. Proverbs 31:12
12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.”
Proverbs 31:12NIV
Gods’ intention for her is to “bring him good.”
- “…brings” in the Hebrew means: to proactively deal fully, proactively do to him …” good.”
- “…good” in the Hebrew means: to benefit him meaning to bring advantage to him, her intent is to help him. The word is a feminine noun in the original language meaning that this is an action that the woman does on behalf of the man she has chosen.
- “…not harm” in the Hebrew means: “Evil.” She is agreeable and will not have a contentious willful spirit that grieves and eventually hurts the man she has chosen.
“All the days of her life” in the Hebrew means, “the whole, all.” Remember this was told to the king by his mother.
The second reason that she must be discerning is because the role that she assumes in choosing the right man assumes that both he and she know and are fulfilling Gods purpose for their lives.
Through discernment, she will be able to look at a man’s lifestyle and will be able to conclude whether or not he knows and is fulfilling the purpose that God created for him to fulfill. Proverbs 31:23
Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
Proverbs 31:23 NIV
If the man she chooses has no purpose, once married she will realize that she married a “project” and will spend the rest of her life babysitting an overgrown, selfish adolescent.
A discerning woman’s virtue is connected to her willingness to stand alongside the man she chooses helping the man to fulfill his purpose. She knows that this is why she was created. If he does not know his purpose, she cannot help him. All she will be able to do is “mother” him and the purpose for which she was created will never happen. Genesis 2:18, 20-22
18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
Genesis 2:18 NIV
But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.3 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh ;she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.
Genesis 2:20-22 NIV
For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; 9 neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.
1 Corinthians 11:8-9 NIV
How can a Christian woman develop a discerning heart so that she can see beneath the surface of a situation and make wise decisions? She must make the pursuit of wisdom her greatest priority. This is the ability to look at life through the eyes of God. This is more important than the pursuit of wealth, or power, or security.
20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: 22 "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?
23 If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. 24 But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, 25 since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke,26 I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you- 27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. 28 "Then they will call unto me, but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. 29 Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD ,30 since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke,31 they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."
Proverbs 1:20-33 NIV 1984
She must clearly ask the lord for wisdom especially when her faith is being tested!
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
James 1:2-8 NIV
She must do whatever it takes to acquire it! She must believe that there is no sacrifice that is too great in this pursuit.
When I was a boy in my father's house, still tender, and an only child of my mother, 4 he taught me and said, "Lay hold of my words with all your heart; keep my commands and you will live.5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. 7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore, get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. 8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. 9 She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor."
Proverbs 4:3-8 NIV 1984
If she pursues wisdom, she will gain a discerning heart! The priority of this pursuit is best illustrated in the life of The New King Israel, Davids son, Solomon. He pursued a discerning (understanding) heart and received wisdom resulting in discernment. 1 Kings 3:4-15
The Lord asked King Solomon to ask Him whatever he wanted and God to give him.
4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
1 Kings 3:4-5 NIV
6 Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.7 “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.9 So give your servant a discerning (understanding) heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
1 Kings 3:6-9 NIV
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice,12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never be anyone like you, nor will there ever be.13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.14 And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”15 Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.
1 Kings 3:10-15 NIV
The response of Solomon was to ask of God to give him “a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.”
Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore.
1 Kings 4:29 NASB 1995
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