Proverbs 31:11, a Challenge to Husbands

The New American Bible translation of Yesterday’s reading from Proverbs 31 provided a new perspective. (I’d quote it here, but as Amy Welborn has noted, our conference of Bishops has imposed copyright restrictions that make that impossible. Thanks to Bible Gateway I was able to find a translation that leads to the same interpretation.)

Proverbs 31:10-31 is the oft-quoted praise of the good wife. While we love to quote it, I wonder how many of us have reflected on this Prv31:11a ”The heart of her husband confideth in her,”. The NAB translation speaks of the husband “entrusting” his heart.

These translations led me to a question: How many husbands heard this passage, wished that their wives were a bit different, yet have not entrusted their hearts to their wives?

Consider, if I may go in a seemingly odd direction, the plight of Peter Parker in the Spiderman film series. Peter finds that he has a superpower but hides it from Mary Jane, played in the films by Kirsten Dunst. His refusal to be open with her about his true character causes him spiritual difficulties. He tries to be the Good Samaritan, burns out from exhaustion and almost loses Mary Jane, the one person who can help him find how to use his gifts. (Losing Mary Jane as played by Kirsten Dunst would be a real spiritual failure.) Like most of us, he gets better than he deserves from her – once he is able to entrust his heart to her.

Husbands, next time we read Proverbs 31, lets think of it as a challenge to us. Open and honest communication - in speaking as well as listening – is a key to marital spirituality.