Dillon Community Church

Intro Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before you today grateful for the wisdom you have given us in your Word. As we gather to discuss what it means to live wisely in our everyday lives, we ask that you open our hearts and minds to what you want to teach us today. Help us to set aside our own agendas and preconceptions, and give us ears to hear what your Spirit is saying to our group. May this time draw us closer to you and to one another. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Ice Breaker

What is one skill or hobby you have that you are genuinely proud of, even if it seems small or ordinary to others?

Key Verses

• Proverbs 31:10-31
• Genesis 1:28
• Ruth 3:11

Questions

• The sermon describes the valiant woman using images of warriors, generals, and merchant fleets. What does this kind of language tell us about how God views the work we do in our everyday lives?
• Leah pointed out that there is no sacred and secular split in Proverbs, meaning that even ordinary tasks like cooking, working a spreadsheet, or working out can honor God. How does that idea challenge or encourage you personally?
• The valiant woman is described as diligent in the little things, paying close attention to the quality of her raw materials and her craftsmanship. Where in your own life do you find it hardest to bring that kind of intentionality and excellence?
• The sermon highlights how the valiant woman uses her skills and resources not just for herself but to care for the poor and shape her community. What is one practical way you could use your own gifts or talents to serve someone around you this week?
• The husband in Proverbs 31 is described as someone who trusts his wife fully and is not intimidated by her independence or influence. What does this picture of partnership and mutual trust say to you about how we should relate to the people we do life with?
• The sermon says that the fear of the Lord is not about perfectionism but about an encounter with God that produces awe, reverence, and humble submission. How would you describe your own understanding of what it means to fear the Lord?
• Leah mentioned several biblical figures, including Ruth, Boaz, Deborah, Jael, and Lydia, as examples of valiant people whose ordinary skills and circumstances were used by God in extraordinary ways. Which of these figures resonates most with you, and why?
• The sermon closes with the question: Who am I becoming? As you reflect on your own life right now, what is one area where you sense God calling you to grow in wisdom?

Life Application

This week, choose one ordinary task or responsibility in your daily life, whether at home, at work, or in your community, and commit to doing it with intentionality and excellence as an act of worship to God. As you do it, ask yourself: How can I use this moment or this skill to honor God and serve the people around me? At the end of the week, reflect on how approaching that task with wisdom changed your perspective or your impact on others.

Key Takeaways

• Wisdom is not reserved for kings, scholars, or spiritual leaders. It is meant to be lived out by ordinary people in the everyday details of their work, relationships, and community.
• Diligence in the little things matters to God. There is no sacred and secular split in Proverbs, and every task done with care and excellence can be an act of reverence and obedience to God.
• Wisdom shapes community. The valiant woman uses her skills and resources not just for personal gain but to care for the poor, support her household, and positively influence the culture around her.
• A life of valor and wisdom is not defined by a specific role or appearance. It is defined by character, including qualities like fearlessness, compassion, diligence, generosity, and faithfulness, expressed through whatever gifts and circumstances God has given you.
• The fear of the Lord is the foundation of all wisdom. It begins with an encounter with God that produces genuine awe and humble submission, and it is what gives everyday life its deepest meaning and direction.

Ending Prayer

Lord, thank you for the time we have shared together today around your Word. Thank you for the picture of wisdom you have given us in Proverbs 31, and for the reminder that you care about every part of our lives, not just the big moments but the ordinary, everyday ones too. As we leave this place, help us to carry with us a deeper reverence for you and a greater desire to use our gifts and our time to serve the people around us. Where we have been lazy or careless, give us diligence. Where we have been self-focused, give us generosity. And in all things, may the fear of the Lord be the beginning of everything we do. We ask this in the name of Jesus, and through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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*Discussion guides come from sermon given by Leah Wahl and material created with Sermon Shots.