A Word About Mr. P31

Pull up a chair with Mrs. P31 today as she gives us another glimpse into becoming godly wives that glorify the Lord.

In the midst of several passages that begin with "she" and expound on great truths and examples for us, we find a small treasure about MR. P31!!"

Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land." Proverbs 31:23

Upon meditating on this gem of a verse, the Lord spoke to my heart about how it relates to Mrs. P31 and how it relates to me, as a wife.

I gleaned 3 applicable truths from this verse that I want to share with you...
1) Mr. P31 is a respectable man. The gates of a city was the place of business transactions and trade. For him to be 'known in the gates' and to 'sit among the elders of the land', he had to be a wise and respectable leader.

2) Mr. P31 was respected! This man was known in the gates and successful because he felt respected. He was first and foremost honored and respected by his wife. We (men and women) will live up to (or down to) what we believe those closest to us see us as.

I am not saying this is right...we ought to see ourselves in Jesus and live up to that high calling. But you know this is true.

As we practice respecting our husbands and see them as the men we want them to become, they will, by the grace of God (and lots of prayer and love), begin to grow into that man!

(Please know, I do not have this down pat myself! (or any of this P31 stuff!!) That is WHY God has led me to study it and apply it more than ever lately! He is not finished with me yet, praise Jesus! )

Now your husband may or may not be a respectable man, by God's grace we can respect them and honor them FOR Jesus. Which brings us to #3...

3) I believe this verse is more about MRS.P31 than her husband! In order to respect and honor our husbands, Mrs. P31 knows we must begin by mediating on his respectful aspects. Here in the midst of her daily tasks, her husband is mentioned. Could it be she was thinking of how respected he is and how much she honors him?

If my husband and I 'disagree' in the morning before he leaves for work, I can seethe all day and really tear him down when he gets home. Or I can choose to praise Jesus for my husband's good qualities and be prepared with love and forgiveness when he comes home (or with an apology!).

I believe with or without a disagreement, we can take a lesson from Mrs. P31 and begin to think thoughts that honor our men, so that when we speak about him or to him, we easily speak love, respect and honor for the man God has appointed as head of our home.