A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

Proverbs 31:10-12, NIV

You men who have married well will understand. A righteous woman completes us. The same is true when a woman finds a righteous husband, but since I am blessed with a virtuous woman, I will be making my observations from that perspective.

At the outset, I want to make it clear that not all have been so blessed. For you men who have yet to find that righteous woman, do not settle. You might imagine that there is nothing worse than not being happily married, but you would be wrong for there is something far worse in life: Being unhappily married! So, I say again, do not settle.

When I thank my Father in prayer for all of my blessings, only Christ and what He and God have done for me come before my thankfulness for my wife. An ancient expression describes my situation quite well: I married above my station. For that I am truly thankful. A righteous woman truly is a gift from the Lord and we husbands need to recognize this great blessing. A wife who is righteous spends time in the study of God's Word and in prayer. A righteous woman seeks first to please God, and is therefore blessed. This blessing extends to her husband, and the blessings that flow from such a relationship with God create quite a pleasant life for the husband.

Because of this, unless the man is a complete idiot, he will be motivated towards a righteous relationship of his own with God. This will in turn create a very pleasant circumstance for the wife, and this virtuous circle will continue to allow God to produce blessing upon blessing for the marriage, for the family, and for all those who come in contact with these two blessed people who have become one.

If you don't have this type of relationship with your spouse, I am sorry. The cure, however, may not be what you might think. The first thought when anyone finds themselves in a unpleasant marriage is that the fault lies with their spouse. While this could be true, the husband and the wife typically share the blame for a subpar marriage. So what is the solution? Devote yourself to God! Remove that beam from your own eye and pursue righteousness for yourself. It will almost certainly motivate your spouse to do the same, but even if it does not, you will be doing your part.

But let's get back to the blessing of a good marriage. People are spending this week of Thanksgiving making big plans for big meals and big games. That's alright, for God wants us to enjoy the blessings of this life He has given us. As enjoyable as these things are, may I suggest this? Before you get too focused on your big plans, why not take a moment or two to express your thankfulness to God for the blessing of your righteous wife or husband?

After the great gifts of God's grace and Christ's sacrifice, there is really no greater thing to be thankful for than a spouse who loves the Lord and who loves you. And, aren't we thankful?