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For My Kids 1: Foolish Woman v. Wise I remember back in High School, in chapel, that some of this was covered. I was like 13, and just starting to notice the female form, but not interested enough to actually think "hey! I need this information." By the time I needed it, the information had long since been forgotten. Then last week I heard a series of sermons on the radio, by Pastor Chuck Swindoll. He used the information to help parents with their children. I took extensive notes from his sermons, and added my own anecdotes. I took the notes not as addressing types of sons and types of daughters. I took them in in the sense the information is held in the Bible; types of men and types of women. From my study notes I have removed the anecdotes from my personal life. What remains are Bible verses with expansion on verses for definition. It all comes from the Bible. If you don't like what is here, don't get mad at me. Take any senses of outrage up with the Almighty, not me. The Almigty revealed it in His Word, I believe it because it is His Word, and I *know* all to be true because I have not always held firm to these. I am writing on it because my not heeding the information has cost me so very greatly. And I would spare you where I have been, and where I am as a result. Guys, every bit of it applies to all of you. Cliff, I am going to start out addressing the types of women because of things that have happened in your life, and the life of your friend whom we discussed on the phone today. You as a young man need to know that the standard G-d holds men to also includes what He holds women to; but then also some more due to the fact that you are a dude. This will be useful to you to be able to recognize what types of women you are interacting with, as well as to give you a self check criterion. You want a respectable, godly woman, then you have to be a godly and respectable guy. Man-hoes are no more respectable or trust worthy than woman-hoes. Jo and Tab, the following is for you as well. Recognize the types of guys you interact with. Also, seriously do an objective review of you own selves. Sons tend to be like their dads, and daughters tend to grow up into their moms or other women who've been influential in their lives. Cliff, Jo, Tab - if there are issues it is better that you find and fix, than that you suffer heartaches. People can change, but they usually don't, not unless they come to Christ in true repentance for their past. True repentance, followed by true effort to grow and change to be what G-d wants a person to be. You know where I have been, and what I have felt - I tell you true that the following is absolutely true. And now on. Where women are concerned, there are four sets of women. These sets each contain two types of woman in contrast to each other. One will be a negative type the other a positive type. The types of women are: Foolish vs. Wise Contentious vs Gracious Strange vs. Virtuous Indiscreet vs. Godly. I am expanding on Pastor Swindoll's sermons by introducing added Bible translations and Hebrew definitions. However, just as Pastor Swindoll, I am going to start with the first set, Foolish vs. Wise, and how the Bible defines those. Proverbs 14:1 "1 The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down." Note that the foolish woman tears her house down with her own hands. She is destructive. She will take what is good and hammer it until it is destroyed. She is hard on the people around her, picking them apart. She is hard on the things around her, not taking care, not managing well, not planning and sticking to the plan, not building from what she has to have more. Sometimes out of malice, sometimes out of carelessness, always out of an innately destructive nature. The word translated into "foolish" in the Old Testament comes from a Hebrew word that means "thick, to be dull, to be slugish". At one level the foolish woman is thick, dull, and sluggish" to the things of God. They have an, as Pastor Swindoll pointed out, "an insensitive spirit". This insensitivity goes not just against the things of G-d, but also against those who would bring G-d's agape love into their lives. Insensitivity in their words and their deeds as they plow forward in tearing down with their own hands. At yet another level they are 'thick, dull, and sluggish' towards reason, as they more ofetn then not put aside truth and what is reasonable in favor of their own limited ideas. They are 'thick, dull, and sluggish' about taking care of matters that crop up in their lives, procrastinating until they have no choice but to act against emergencies where there need not have been emergencies. They react instead of proact. They are 'thick, dull, and sluggish' about plans and goals as they drift aimlessly, never achieving. And when faced with plans and goals, they are 'thick, dull, and sluggish' as they rebel against those. The foolish woman is the product of a foolish daughter. The foolish daughter did not receive the parental guidance she needed to become wise. And often times foolish parents only reinforced her foolishness by their example. The foolish woman is bent on destruction, as she tears down her home with her own hands. The words translated as "tears down", comes from Hebrew word that literally means, "over throw" and "destroy". Victimhood over Victory is one of her calling cards. She is her own worst enemy, though, she very often will take on the mantle of victimhood rather than own her actions. It is after all her destructive nature that has more often than not landed her where she is. She will only fess up to error when caught red handed; she will rarely apologize and when she does there will always be a "but" tucked in there which nullifies the supposed apology. Proverbs 20:11 says, "Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right." Thus we are shown how we may spot a person by their deeds. There are signs of a foolish woman, ways to spot them. Proverbs 9:13-18 gives us the indicators, and an admonition to avoid her. Here are the verses from several translations: King James Version: 13A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing. New International Version: 13 The woman Folly is loud; she is undisciplined and without knowledge. The Amplified Bible: 13The foolish woman is noisy; she is simple and open to all forms of evil, she [willfully and recklessly] knows nothing whatever [of eternal value]. Lets extract from that verse only, but exactly what it says: The Foolish woman is clamorous. The New American Standard translated the Hebrew as "boisterous". The literal translation of the Hebrew is "to murmur in the heart", conveying an idea of having a negative and tumultuous attitude. She is one who is in constant commotion and turbulence. Notice that her "knowing nothing" is a matter of will, it is her choice to turn from good counsel, knowledge, and wisdom - which makes it ignorance not stupidity. Proverbs 9:16-17 - King James Version: 16Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, 17Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. New International Version: 16 "Let all who are simple come in here!" 17 "Stolen water is sweet; 16Whoever is simple (wavering and easily led astray), let him turn in here! And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, 17Stolen waters (pleasures) are sweet [because they are forbidden]; and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. The foolish woman makes a mockery of sin. She has a thick calloused conscience - not a sensitive one. The Amplified Bible holds in its parenthesis and brackets words to better convey the ideas of the original Hebrew or Greek; in this case Hebrew. Thus, "stolen pleasures" are sweet to her, because they are forbidden, and she will use every means to justify partaking. She lives for the now, either ignoring tomorrow and/or turns aside from good counsel about the consequences of her actions. She is characterized by insensitivity and takes pleasure out deceit and things gained through deceit. Proverbs 14:8 states, " The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit. 9Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour." The fool scoffs at the idea of sin. Especially when it is something they want that is sinful. Proverbs 20:3 states, " It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel." The Hebrew word translated as "quarrel" literally means, "to burst forth". The sense is of quick flashing anger, a rage, a temper tantrum. They are argumentative, and will go about looking for things to pick a fight over. Back to Proverbs 9 picking up at verses 14 and 15. King James Version: 14For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city, 15To call passengers who go right on their ways: New International version: 14 She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, 15 calling out to those who pass by, The foolish woman sits out there calling out. Remember, her ways are destructive. The gullible respond. Those who are wise stick to the straight and narrow. She will never join you on the straight and narrow. The ultimate end of those who join her are found in verse 18. About those who join her it says: 18But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell. New International Version: 8 But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave. Amplified Bible: 18But he knows not that the shades of the dead are there [specters haunting the scene of past transgressions], and that her invited guests are [already sunk] in the depths of Sheol (the lower world, Hades, the place of the dead). Those who join her will be miserably destroyed by her. And there is nothing that you can do. Look at her present, but also look carefully at her past. Without true remorseful repentance and surrender to Christ, what is in her past is what she will deliver to you. And she won't listen to counsel, nor will she be moved from her thick, dull, and sluggish ways. Proverbs 9:6-10 states: 6Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding. 7He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. 8Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 9Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Counseling the foolish is a waste of time. Believe me, been there, done that. Forsake, or, stay away from, the foolish because to not will bring about your own undoing. Now to the positive! The wise woman!!!! There are very few wise *people* left. Cliff, Jo, Tab, be wise! Proverbs 31:10-31 defines the wise or virtuous woman. Look it up, know it, love it, be it! *laughing* 10Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. 11The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. 12She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. 13She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. 14She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. 15She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. 16She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 17She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. 18She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. 19She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. 20She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 21She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. 23Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. 24She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 25Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 26She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. 27She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. 28Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. 30Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. 31Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. From verse 10: she knows the value of wisdom and putting wisdom into action (being wise) From verse 11: she is trust worthy, she does nothing for any reason that is not above reproach. From verse 12: she is kind, considerate, and sensitive to others. Like Christ she has a servants heart. From verses 13-14: She is industrious, not a slacker or lazy in the least. She knows the value of work. From verse 16: She is a good manager. She knows how to handle money wisely, both to preserve it and to grow it. From verse 17: she is a person of strength who takes care of herself. This strength is both spiritual, mental and physical. From verse 18: she is a person who can discern what is good from what is bad, and choses the good. From verse 19: she is a person with skill. From verse 20: she is generous and compassionate. From verses 21-22: She sees that her family are well taken care. And she dresses properly. That does include things like dressing as appropriate, and dressing in modestly. Though of a deeper meaning, she cloaks herself in truth, and other fine raiment as such is defined by other passages in the Bible. From verse 23: she is a person of good repute, and her good reputation even shines onto her husband. This contrasts a woman of bad repute, whose husband has his own reputation dimmed if hers is bad.From verse 24: She brings profit to the home.She sets goals and works to attain them. From verse 25: She is strong and dignified. From verse 26: when she speaks, it is words of wisdom that comes out. From verse 27: she takes care of her home. From verse 28-31: because of her ways she is recognized as being wise, people seek her out, and she is praised by her husband. |
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