The final chapter of the book of Proverbs addresses nobility of character, exemplified here by the noble king and the noble wife. A person’s character is determined by their priorities; by what they value and pursue most passionately in life. King Lemuel, who is probably a north Arabian king (note that wisdom is wisdom even if it is from a source outside the covenant community), tells of the wisdom his mother passed on to him. He is charged not to pursue pleasure in wine and women but to focus on fulfilling his responsibility for the people under his care. People are dependent on people. Each of us has a responsibility to bring the blessing of God to those in our circle of influence. In addition to this, we have the corporate responsibility, as relatively wealthy people, to do our part for the disadvantaged. This is what the noble king and the noble woman of Proverbs 31 have in common. They both live for a purpose that is above their own pleasure and inevitably this involved caring for the poor and needy. In short, nobility of character has everything to do with having a sense of responsibility. To be responsible is to be human, because we were put in charge on earth. We are children of God; the most dignified creatures on earth. When we step up and take responsibility as God directs us, we also step up into that dignity, and that is true nobility of character. Here is something great to aspire to. Become a noble person. Make this your priority, and you will thrive!
Ask God to show you where he wants you to take more responsibility.
Read Proverbs 31
