Celebrating a Fine Woman
CELEBRATING A FINE WOMAN!
This month’s article did not come about because I was writing a Hallmark card for my wife on Valentine’s Day, or trying to get myself out of some sort of marital trouble. It came about because I was meditating on Proverbs 31 in my quiet time. In Proverbs 31, King Lemuel wrote about the ideal wife, beginning each verse with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The Holy Spirit inspired his writing, and included it in the Bible at the end of Solomon’s proverbs.
The Lord used that passage of Scripture to prompt me to be thankful for the wonderful wife He gave me, and to remind me that He intended life to be filled with joy and appreciation of each other. If someone as busy as a king can take the time to write an acrostic poem like this in praise of someone he obviously loved, then we who are leaders should feel encouraged by God to step away from the constant demands of ministry to romance our wives and to celebrate the rich value that they add to our lives.
The Christian life is meant to be lived with joy and pleasure at all of the wonderful gifts of God in our lives. His yoke really is easy and his burden really is light, and if it never seems so, you are probably doing life wrong.
If you know my Sue, you know two things: First, that I am not exaggerating in anything I write about her below, and second, that I am going to be in big trouble when she finds out that I shared this with you. ☺
However, this is not a love-note to her. It is a poem about her… an attempt at an acrostic that celebrates the role of my wife Sue in my life.
A rare jewel is my beloved; women like her are hard to find and highly sought after.
Blessing flows into her life because she starts every day alone with the Lord.
Cheerfulness characterizes her. She cares deeply, and isn’t afraid to show it.
Don’t expect to find many like her; she is both dependable and delightful!
Everyone enjoys spending time with her, because everyone matters to her.
Faithful is a word that I use to describe her; faithful to her Lord, and faithful to me.
Gentleness keeps her from saying harsh words to anyone… even when they (I) deserve it!
Her health is strong because her habits are wise.
I am always intrigued by her, because her feminine personality makes her delightfully unpredictable.
Justice is important to her, and fairness, too. She is careful to not show bias toward anyone.
Kindness is genuinely central to who she is. She doesn’t have to work at being kind… she just is!
Laughter comes easily to her. She brightens the heart of anyone who is with her.
My heart trusts her heart. She is mine (as I am hers), and she is not reluctant to show it.
No one has had a deeper impact on my faith than she has. She daily lives the things I preach.
Over time, I have seen her commitment to growth in Christ. She is more mature every day!
People know that when she speaks, it will be a sweet exhortation to do what God says to do.
Questions flow easily from her. She is not too proud to ask about things she doesn’t know.
Respect for her husband is a core value for her. She seeks my counsel and follows my advice.
She has a servant’s heart. It pleases her to meet the needs of others.
There are convictions in her life which she will not compromise. She is a woman of conscience!
Unless God has blessed you with a wife like her, you can never know how precious marriage can be.
Virtue and beauty are linked in her mind. Her love of beauty includes living beautifully before God.
Wherever we travel and no matter the culture, she adds wisdom and warmth to the people she meets.
“Xceptional” strength lies just beneath the surface in her. She can work me under the table!
You would do well to watch her life and follow her as she follows Christ. She is the real thing!
Zeal for life keeps her young and beautiful. The laugh-lines on her face captivate me!