Discretion: a Beautiful Jewel

From: Heart To Heart: Godly Wisdom Woman To Woman By: Valerie Jean Hallowell

• 2 min. read • grade level: 7

“Women ... be discreet.” Titus 2:4-5⁴That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (Titus 2:4‑5)

“As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.” Proverbs 11:22²²As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion. (Proverbs 11:22)

“A gracious woman retaineth honour.”
Proverbs 11:16¹⁶A gracious woman retaineth honor: and strong men retain riches. (Proverbs 11:16)

“She openeth her mouth with wisdom;
and in her tongue is the law of kindness.”
Proverbs 31:26²⁶She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. (Proverbs 31:26)

“The contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.” “It is better to dwell in the corner of a housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.” “The earth ... cannot bear ... an odious woman when she is married”
(Proverbs 19:13; 21:9; 30:21, 23¹³A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping. (Proverbs 19:13)
⁹It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house. (Proverbs 21:9)
²¹For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it cannot bear: (Proverbs 30:21)
²³For an odious woman when she is married; and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress. (Proverbs 30:23); See Also 21:19 and 25:24).

The meaning of the Greek word discreet has to do with a person having a sound mind, one who controls her own desires and impulses with proper thinking, demonstrating self-control, with proper restraints on all the passions and desires; one who is moderate as to her opinions or passions.

In the verses above, we read God’s instruction for wives to be discreet. We especially need to control our tongues. We are to build our husbands up when talking to them, expressing a love that believes all things and thinks no evil (1 Cor. 13:5,7). The verse “Judge not that ye be not judged” applies to our husbands as well as to others and means we shouldn’t decide what motivates their actions. Perhaps they don’t do things perfectly; neither do we. Perhaps they don’t do things as we would, but we can find the good in what they do and praise it (Phil. 4:8⁸Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8)). We are never to tear them down behind their backs. “The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her” (Prov. 31:11¹¹The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. (Proverbs 31:11)). Our tongues need to be ruled by the “law of kindness” (Prov. 31:26²⁶She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. (Proverbs 31:26)). Solomon describes in vivid language how difficult it is to live with a grouchy, argumentative, and complaining woman. Let’s do our husbands good and not evil all our days.

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