Calvary Chapel of Jonesboro
 
Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future. Proverbs 31:25

As we look at the excellent wife, we now turn to inner qualities in her life. These are discussed in verses 25-28 and once again represent a godly woman who takes her role seriously before God, before her family, and before the outside world around her. In verse 25 three things characterize the inner qualities of this godly wife.

First, she is a woman of strength. Keil and Delitzsch say this about the word strength here. "She is clothed with strength, which is the power over the changes of temporal circumstances, which easily shatter and bring to ruin a household resting on less solid foundations." Hers is an inner strength derived from a relationship with God - and from the Scriptures which guide those who know Him. Just as she would clothe herself daily with outward dress - she also turns each day to God for the inner strength she will need to face the world and love those in her family. When I think of what strength she functions from, Ephesians 6:10 comes to mind. "Be strong in The Lord and in the strength of His might." Any lady who has run a home knows that Keil and Delitzsch's comments are very true. The average home faces changing circumstances - especially when it comes to the people who live in it. The godly wife is a rock to her family - in that she faces the problems they face with the wisdom of God. The throes of a child's life - especially in the Junior and Senior High years are a roller-coaster of emotions, highs and lows, and wrestlings with the world seeking to influence them negatively. She faces every battle - every situation - every new trial with strength.

Secondly, we see that she faces these things with "dignity." The word here is "glory" which here points to a mindset that thinks above that which is low, little, or common. She does not look to life as just getting by or living for the things of this world. She thinks higher than that. She is clothed with a mind and a heart that reaches higher - that desires a life that glorifies God. Some live aspiring to no glory at all. They live in the mundane and think that is all that they will be able to do. But a godly woman knows that God wants to work in those around her - and she cooperates, knowing that in doing so a touch of glory will be on the lives of those around her as a result. She is both dignified - and lives with a dignity that has others look up to her.

Because of these things the godly wife smiles at the future. There is something that is needed today. Too many look at the future and grit their teeth as they await the devastation they figure is coming. The godly woman faces all things with God's strength seeking God's glory - and as a result smiles that although much may be wrong in the world - she sees things in light of growing closer to God and doing things that glorify Him. As a result, regardless of the circumstances, she smiles at the future knowing that getting closer to God - loving Him more - serving Him better - and selflessly giving herself for those around her is not governed by anyone other than herself as she responds to God Himself. That is why while all others seem to frown at the future - she stands smiling and looking to God for His work even in the midst of a crooked and godless generation.

The inner strength, character, and outlook of the excellent wife sets her apart from other women. She stands as a beacon of hope and joy in a world where too many struggle with depression and thoughts that everything stinks. Rather than let the world depress her - she seeks to live by God's purposes and designs - and then seeks to influence the world rather than let it influence her. What a delight it is to know such a woman - and an ever better one to have one blessing your home.
 
 
When He made firm the skies above, When the springs of the deep became fixed, Proverbs 8:28

Wisdom is telling us here what the early atmosphere of the earth was like at creation.  We are also being told of springs that existed in the oceans - but they were held in place.  Therefore, if truly the wisdom of God is being told to us - and this wisdom relfects the creation of God's world - then there should be some sort of evidence of this in the record of the earth.

The atmosphere above us is a wonder, being made of seven layers - and consisting of various gases at varying pressures.  The word that is used for this description is "amas" which means the skies were made strong, and that they would prevail.  Our atmosphere is the result of water vapor and other elements that are in the skies above the land and water on the earth.  They are held in place by gravity that keeps them in place around the earth.  But the early atmosphere of earth most likely was even more "firm" with water - due to what we find in the fossil record on the earth.  This record includes the amazing story of a planet that had a tropical climate pretty much worldwide.  The Biblical record also records for us an aging process that enabled men to live far longer than they do now.  The size of plants and animals was far greater than presently experienced.  But there is evidence that some catastrophic event changed all this - and left us with the climate that we presently experience with temperate as well as frigid zones on earth - with the climate changing more drastically as we approach the poles of the earth.

Wisdom presents an interesting picture of the early earth.  This fits well with the Genesis account - as well as with the catastrophic flood of Noah.  The pre-flood climate could easily have been due to a much more prolific water layer surrounding the earth.  This canopy of water would have drastically affected the climate of earth making it far more like a tropical climate worldwide.  This water canopy would have also severely limited the ultraviolet rays that bombarded the earth - which would have radically affected the aging process on earth.  The catastrophic change for earth would have involved some kind of piercing or emptying of this water canopy around the earth.  Such an event would have involved a tremendous anmount of rain happening over a long period of time (maybe like 40 days and nights?).  The Bible records this in Genesis 10 as the Noahic flood.  During this time additional water problems would have caused the earth to be innundated beyond the rains caused by the emptying of the water canopy.  God reveals to us that during this time He also allowed the fountains of the deep to be broken up - and for a tremendous amount of water to be released from underneath the oceans.  Such a combination of water canopy release and sub-crust water eruptions would have been sufficient to cover the earth in water.  Of course, if that were true we would find sea creatures in the fossil records on mountains.  Amazingly enough, that is what we have found - even finding sea creatures in the fossil records in the Himalayan Mountain range - and even on Mount Everest - the tallest peak on earth. 

Some will read this and say that such a view of things is obtained by having pre-conceived ideas of our world and its origin.  I would answer such assertions with a resounding, "Yes!"  I would only argue one point.  These are not "my" preconceived ideas - they are more "biblically" conceived ideas that come from reading and seeking to understand God's revelation of what He has done - and is doing in the world.  The evolutionist hides behind such attacks, because if the truth were to be fully revealed, he too has preconceived ideas upon which he bases his research.  His ideas are that of a materialistic worldview that negates the concept of God or creation from the start.  This is why his conclusions MUST support a world that simply exists due to no outside causes.  He starts with no God - and must come to a conclusion that supports his presuppositions.  At least I am honest about my biblical preconceptions.  The evolutionist feigns pseudo-scientific objectivity - yet his quest is not for truth as much as it is for information that will allow him to continue to negate God - and therefore permit him to live his life according to his own wisdom - rather than the Wisdom of God.