Wisdom for Men and Women– message #5 in the series The Way of Wisdom

Wisdom for Men: Proverbs 5

(1) A wise man upholds God’s for sexuality.

¹ My son, be attentive to my wisdom;
    incline your ear to my understanding,
² that you may keep discretion,
    and your lips may guard knowledge.
³ For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey,
    and her speech is smoother than oil,
⁴ but in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
    sharp as a two-edged sword.
⁵ Her feet go down to death;
    her steps follow the path to Sheol;
⁶ she does not ponder the path of life;
    her ways wander, and she does not know it.

(2) A wise man is not by the allure of sexual sin.

⁸ Keep your way far from her,
    and do not go near the door of her house…

(3) A wise man avoids moving adultery.

¹⁵ Drink water from your own cistern,
    flowing water from your own well.
¹⁶ Should your springs be scattered abroad,
    streams of water in the streets?
¹⁷ Let them be for yourself alone,
    and not for strangers with you.
¹⁸ Let your fountain be blessed,
    and rejoice in the wife of your youth,
¹⁹ a lovely deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight;
    be intoxicated always in her love.
²⁰ Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman 

(4) A wise man his marriage by intimacy with his wife. (cf, 1 Corinthians 7:2-5)

²¹ For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord,
    and he ponders all his paths.
²² The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him,
    and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
²³ He dies for lack of discipline,
    and because of his great folly he is led astray.

(5) A wise man is .

• Resource for parents:
  God’s Design for Sex by Stan Jones and Brenna Jones.

Wisdom for Women: Proverbs 31

(1) A wise woman pours herself out for the benefit of .

¹⁰ An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.
¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and he will have no lack of gain.
¹² She does him good, and not harm,
    all the days of her life.
¹³ She seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
¹⁴ She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
¹⁵ She rises while it is yet night
    and provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She dresses herself with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.

(2) A wise woman hard to provide for others.

²⁰ She opens her hand to the poor
    and reaches out her hands to the needy.

(3) A wise woman is caring and .

 ²¹ She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
²² She makes bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.    
²³ Her husband is known in the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.

(4) A wise woman helps her husband .

²⁷ She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹“Many women have done excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates.

(5) A wise woman prioritizes over appearance.