What makes a woman wise?
In the past few weeks, I’ve been studying Bible passages about wisdom. As I seek to support my husband, parent our children, and grow as a Christian, I want to access the wisdom that only God can give.
Through my Scripture reading, I’ve found a list of at least ten important traits that mark a wise woman.
Here are 10 important traits of a wise woman.
1. She fears the Lord.
The Bible is pretty direct in letting us know that this is the place to begin our quest for wisdom. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7)
2. She is teachable.
“Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.” (Proverbs 8:33) “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” (Proverbs 9:9)
Whether learning from God’s Word in our personal study or from pastors, Bible teachers, or fellow Christians, a wise woman absorbs Biblical knowledge and applies it to her life.
3. She controls her mouth.
Talk less. “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.” (Proverbs 10:19)
We also want our speech to be profitable and for our words to build up and encourage others. “The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.” (Proverbs 15:2)
4. She plans ahead.
“He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.” (Proverbs 10:5)
Several verses in Proverbs 31 describe the virtuous woman as one who is organized and prepared. This may not come naturally for some of us, so we can look for different systems to put in place to help us.
5. She is careful in her choice of friends.
“He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” (Proverbs 13:20)
A number of Bible verses remind us how important it is to choose our friends wisely. We want the people closest to us to be women who love and serve God and encourage us to do the same.
6. She fears the pull of sin and stays away from it.
“A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.” (Proverbs 14:16)
We want to recognize our weaknesses and keep ourselves out of situations that might tempt us to sin.
7. She seeks the counsel of other wise people.
When we don’t know how to handle a certain situation, we should seek the Lord in prayer and then, as appropriate, seek advice from those we know who are wise.
“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:” (Proverbs 1:5) “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” (Proverbs 12:15)
8. She guides her heart.
“Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.” (Proverbs 23:19)
A wise woman guards her affections. She monitors her activities so that she has time for the things of the Lord and isn’t focused on things of the world. It’s wise for us as women to set guidelines to keep worldliness from slipping into our personal lives or homes.
9. She considers her latter end.
“O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!” (Deuteronomy 32:29)
This passage is talking about the children of Israel, but I think it can certainly apply to us. We need to examine the many choices we make – whether small, daily decisions or bigger, potentially life-changing ones – and consider how will they impact our future here and in eternity.
10. She knows that all that happens in her life is in God’s hands.
“For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God:” (Ecclesiastes 9:1a)
From Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived, comes this reminder that every event in our life is under God’s control. We can trust our faithful God to always do what is for our best and for his glory.
May the Holy Spirit help us to grow in wisdom so that we can be the Christian women, wives, and mothers that He would have us to be!
What other traits would a wise woman have?
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