The Man of Noble Character

I'm reading the Bible in one year and the Old Testament reading for Sep 13 is Isaiah 30:19-32:20.

"For the fool speaks folly, his mind is busy with evil: He practises ungodliness and spreads error concerning the LORD; the hungry he leaves empty and from the thirsty he withholds water. The scoundrel's methods are wicked, he makes up evil schemes to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just. But the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands." - Isaiah 32:8 (NIV)

Instead of focusing on finding a wife of noble character, why not focus on being a man of noble character?

"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies... Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." - Proverbs 31:10, 30-31 (NIV)

Of course, the point of Proverbs 31:10 is not that a wife of noble character cannot be found. Rather, the point of Proverbs 31:10 is that a wife of noble character is a gift from God, to be received with thanksgiving.

"A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones." - Proverbs 12:4 (NIV)

A wife of noble character who can find? The Bible tells us that 'he who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favour from the LORD' (Proverbs 18:22, NIV). However, finding a wife of noble character is not so much about searching for "the one", as it is about trusting God to work things out.

Commenting on Proverbs 18:22, Bill Thrasher in Believing God for His Best writes that 'the Hebrew word for "find" does not denote a diligent search but rather finding something along one's normal and natural path of life'. Indeed, 'houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD' (Proverbs 19:14, NIV).

Again, instead of focusing on finding a wife of noble character, why not focus on being a man of noble character?

"But the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands." - Isaiah 32:8 (NIV)

Links: The Proverbs 31 Woman (14 Feb 09), The Wife of Noble Character (14 Feb 10), A wife of noble character who can find? (5 May 10), The Psalm 112 Man (9 Sep 10)