Monday, March 11, 2019

Good Counsel before Marriage




Proverbs 27:15-16

“A continual dripping on a rainy day and a quarrelsome wife are alike; to restrain her is to restrain the wind or to grasp oil in one's right hand.”

One of the dangers of teaching the Scriptures is to come across as one who has experience or has a full understanding of the subject.  So let me confess I am blessed to have a very precious and loving wife who has never been nagging, not even close.  And with that said, she did have cause to be quarrelsome many times, it’s just not the kind of lady she is.

But I do have eyes, and I’ve seen and heard many a wife that is like a dripping faucet that needs fixing, but unlike the faucet, it seems to have no replacement parts to fix the leak.  The husband often is not showing love by not taking care of a small problem like a dripping faucet, or putting his dirty clothes in the laundry hamper, but I’ve never seen nagging solve the problem.

I just read that an Arabic word related to the Hebrew word for dripping means “a leaky roof.”  What is evident in both life and the Scripture is that nagging causes dissension.

King Solomon had a lot of wives, and some must have been good at being quarrelsome because he addresses this subject many times in the Proverbs.  Example; Proverbs 21:9 &19, “Better to live on the corner of a roof than to share a house with a nagging wife.”  Verse 19, “Better to live in a wilderness than with a nagging and hot-tempered wife.” 

So listen to Solomon before you enter into a vow before God and man, for the Scriptures are clear, God does not take pleasure in vow breakers.  Solomon also gives some great counsel in Proverbs 31 on what qualities to look for in a wife, and reminds us that “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.” 

As stated above Solomon did not have the best track record with wives, often he married for the wrong reason, like keeping peace with another nation, and it seems Solomon was never content with a wife, always looking, that is dumb for a man of his knowledge and wisdom.  But the good news is with 700 wives comes many bought lessons for men who have no understanding of women.  And this is great counsel in Proverbs 31:10-12, “An excellent wife who can find?  She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.  She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.”  My bride is and always has been that kind of lady, my prayer is that you will move very slow and ask the Lord to guide your heart to such a lady.

Some wise advice King Solomon did not give, but it comes from many years of living life on planet earth.  Observe her dad and see how he treats her mom, pay close attention to her mother’s actions and see if she honors and respects her husband.  It is imperative to observe the daughter’s relationship with the dad!   Is it loving and kind or is it distant?   Is she happy just spending time with you or does she need you to cater to what she wants?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

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