PART 1 AN EXCELLENT WIFE

TEXT- PROVERBS 31:10-24

INTRODUCTION

TONIGHT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH OUR STUDY FROM THE BOOK OF PROVERBS.

SINCE THE LAST HALF OF THIS FINAL CHAPTER IS SO LENGTHY I HAVE DIVIDED IT IN HALF.

OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN PROVERBS 31:10-24 AND THE TITLE OF MY MESSAGE IS, "AN EXCELLENT WIFE."

AS WE EXAMINE WHAT OUR TEXT SAYS WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS IS STILL CONSIDERED ADVICE THAT KING LEMUEL'S MOTHER GAVE TO HIM.

A YOUNG MAN FELL IN LOVE WITH A VERY PRETTY YOUNG LADY.  HE TOOK HER HOME TO MEET HIS MOTHER BEFORE ASKING HER TO MARRY HIM.  BUT, HIS MOTHER DISLIKED HER VERY MUCH AND REFUSED TO GIVE HIM HER BLESSINGS.  EVENTUALLY THE YOUNG MAN BROKE-UP WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND AND FOUND ANOTHER YOUNG LADY, BUT HIS MOTHER ALSO DISLIKED HER.  TWO MORE TIMES THIS HAPPENED, WITH DIFFERENT CANDIDATES FOR MARRIAGE, UNTIL THE YOUNG MAN WAS TOTALLY EXASPERATED.  FINALLY OUT OF DESPERATION HE FOUND A GIRL WHO LOOKED JUST LIKE HIS MOTHER.  IN FACT, THEY WERE SO MUCH ALIKE THAT THEY EVEN TALKED, WALKED AND THOUGHT JUST LIKE EACH OTHER.  "SURELY, NOW, MY MOTHER WILL APPROVE OF THIS GIRL," THE YOUNG MAN THOUGHT.  WHEN HE TOOK HER HOME TO INTRODUCE HER TO HIS PARENTS TO HIS DELIGHT HIS MOTHER FELL IN LOVE WITH HER, BUT HIS FATHER THOUGHT SHE WAS SO MUCH LIKE HIS OWN WIFE THAT HE HATED HER.

AS LEMUEL'S MOTHER GIVES HIM ADVICE CONCERNING WHAT KIND OF WOMAN HE SHOULD LOOK FOR SHE DESCRIBES TO HIM MANY DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EXCELLENT WIFE.

IN DOING THIS WE FIND THAT THERE ARE FIVE THINGS INVOLVED.

TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE US TO CONSIDER THREE OF THESE.