A Good Woman Is Hard to Get Rid Of

Ramblings on Faith

October 2008

I am not sure how to say what I want to say this week, so I am going to just go ahead and put it out there. Good Women Are Hard To Find and Even Harder To Get Rid Of! Now that I have your attention, I will need to do a good job of explaining. Otherwise, I am going to get in trouble. On Friday, I saw the movie FireProof, and it inspired me. I don’t generally get impressed or inspired by too many movies, and I was already feeling uninspired after paying $9.25 for a ticket, but this movie impacted me. If you are married, dating or want to be married one day, you need to see FireProof.

I confess my discomfort in writing this. I feel least qualified, not because I haven’t seen a good woman or read enough books about Godly character and righteous living, but because I don’t want to embarrass myself and somehow embarrass my wife, Heather, in the process. She is the reason I write. She is what I hope to point to as a great example. She is the rock in our marriage. She is the stability in our relationship, not because I am weak or unstable or wishy-washy when it comes to our marriage…but because I do such a poor job of matching her commitment to serve our marriage. Don’t get me wrong, I am not unfaithful, neglectful or overtly detrimental to the integrity of our marriage, it’s just that I don’t come at it with the same passionate pursuit, energy and thoughtfulness that she possesses.

I am more of a typical “man” than I care to admit. I started out my marriage thinking I was a “catch” of special proportion. Little did I know that God was going to ask so much of me in marriage! For all you folks thinking that life would be so much easier if you were married, get over it. That is simply not true. Don’t get me wrong. For me, married life is better than single life, but it is much more complicated. Of course, my beautiful wife would completely understand what I mean, because she often knows my thoughts before I have an opportunity to express them. Heather is very patient and understanding, not to mention extremely intelligent in nearly every area but one: why she puts up with me.

Gentleman, a good woman is hard to find but she is even harder to get rid of! Perhaps it’s better stated: she is not quick to jump ship when things aren’t going in her favor. In many cases, she is more determined to work through the hardest parts of life than many of us men. We tend to bail out, either physically or emotionally much quicker than our counterparts. Women are fighters and lovers, and they tend to make life a lot more exciting than we can muster. No, it’s not Mother’s Day or your anniversary or her birthday. It is just another day for you to take the time to tell that special lady in your life how valuable she is and how insanely bad your life would be without her!

I want to draw your attention to a great passage of scripture. In Proverbs 31:10-31 we find a detailed praise of what a good woman is like. Let me paraphrase some of it for you: 

A good woman is hard to find; and worth far more than diamonds. Her husband trusts her without reserve and never has reason to regret it. Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life. She shops around for the best…bringing back exotic surprises. She’s up before dawn, already serving her family and organizing her day. First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, and is eager to get started. She senses the worth of her work and is in no hurry to call it quits for the day. She is skilled in many things. She’s quick to assist anyone in need and reaches out to help the poor. She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows; she already has them ready for the weather. She always looks great and is elegant. People think more of her husband because of her. They wonder how he ever got a gal like that. She always faces tomorrow with a smile. When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly. She keeps an eye on everyone in her household. Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise: “Many women have done wonderful things, but you’ve outclassed them all!” Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God. Give her everything she deserves! Festoon her life with praises.