1. The wise woman lifts the spirit of her home by speaking words of praise to God, and words of sincere appreciation, gratitude, and admiration to others. Critical, belittling words wound the spirit and destroy the atmosphere of the home.
2. Whenever necessary, the humble woman will set an example for those around her by being quick to admit when she has failed and to seek forgiveness from those she has hurt. The proud woman is quick to identify the failures of others, but unwilling to confess her own faults.
3. Perhaps the most powerful means a woman has of influencing her family and others to be righteous, is faithful prayer on their behalf. Indeed, one author suggests that, “quite possibly the destiny of our nation is decided over the kitchen sink in unseen prayer rather than in the President's cabinet.”
4. A home, a church, and a nation are built up when women speak words of wisdom (Prov. 31:26), that is, when our words are governed by the Word of God. But the foolish woman is unwilling to restrain her tongue and is quick to speak her own mind, regardless of whether or not her opinions are scripturally valid.
5. The godly woman will minister to those she loves with words of kindness (Prov. 31:26). With tender, encouraging words she will bind up broken spirits, strengthen the weak, and help to heal scars of rejection and hurt. The foolish woman, on the other hand, inflicts deadly, damaging wounds with her tongue. Angry, harsh, disparaging, demanding, impatient words tear down the lives of all those she touches. Perhaps the greatest damage is done in her own marriage as she responds to offences with verbal threats to leave her mate. Such threats, even if never carried out, plant seeds of disintegration in the marriage, that can only be removed by humility and repentance.
