The Virtuous Woman

I went to a ladies Bible study last night at our church. I've only been able to go to 2 of the 6 weeks we've been studying Ruth. It is hard, I think, to get out at night when you have a family to tend to. However, my husband made a special effort to get home in time for me to leave so I thought I should at least make my own effort to be there!

There was a point that my pastor's wife mentioned that made me stop and think. (And go off on my own little bunny trail in my mind....)
Ruth was the only lady in the Bible mentioned BY NAME to be a "virtuous woman." There were many many virtuous women in the Bible, Mary the mother of Jesus, is the very first one I think of. But Ruth was called a virtuous woman by Boaz...her kinsman redeemer.

If you aren't familiar with the story of Ruth, she was married to Naomi's son who had died. Naomi now had no men left in her own family since she was a widow and both her sons had died. Her other daughter in law went back to her own people but Ruth loved Naomi and insisted that she stay with her. They travelled back to Bethlehem to Naomi's people.

It is in Bethlehem that people recognized that Ruth was an outstanding young woman. They knew that she was a "foreigner" to them and that she left all that she knew to stay by her mother in law's side. THAT'S THE KIND OF MOTHER IN LAW/ DAUGHTER IN LAW RELATIONSHIP THAT ANY CHRISTIAN WOMAN WOULD DESIRE! (I am blessed to have precious daughters in law!!)

Ruth started having a reputation! A WONDERFUL reputation! Boaz asked his men who the young woman was picking up leftover grain in his field. They told her that this young woman was the one who had returned with Naomi to be with her and to take care of her! Boaz was impressed! He made sure that Ruth was given privileges and no one was to bother her. When Ruth asked him "WHY?" he told her that he had been told what she had done in leaving her home and forsaking all to stay with her mother in law. HE KNEW WHAT KIND OF HEART RUTH HAD! Hers was the kind of heart that a man could fall in love with. She could also be trusted with HIS heart!

He later told Ruth that everyone knew that she was a VIRTUOUS woman!
Can you imagine that? That is the kind of heart I want my daughters to grow! I want a young Godly man to fall in love with her heart!

Eventually Ruth and Boaz marry and she gives birth to Obed. (She also honors Naomi even further by allowing Naomi to have a major role in little Obed's life! That's the kind of daughters in law that I am so blessed to have!)
Obed grows up and has a son named Jesse. Jesse in turn has a son named David...the future KING of Israel! David's son was King Solomon!
So, now I'm taking you to Proverbs 31...written by Solomon. He is retelling the words spoken to King Lemuel who some scholars think was also Solomon. He said, "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her..."
No doubt Solomon grew up learning about this virtuous great great grandma of his!
He also grew up knowing that Boaz's own mother (Solomon's great great great grandmother)was a harlot but by God's incredible grace was used to save the Israelite spies when the men of Jericho were trying to get them. Rahab was given a place of honor with the Israelites regardless of her past! She is even mentioned in the "Faith" chapter, Hebrews 11:31! Our amazing God used Rahab regardless of her past! She was willing to be used of Him!

Studying these events give me HOPE as it should to all women! (and men...) I went through a time in my life that I thought my usefulness to God was over! I thought my life had been ruined by my divorce and that God was going to "put me on a shelf" as the pastor I grew up with used to say. Nowhere does God say he can't use someone! He used so many "unworthy" men and women in the Bible! It is by His Grace that we are SAVED not by our so called righteous lives.

Taking the Biblical genealogy of Rahab the harlot and Ruth, the "virtuous woman" a little further, from being David and Solomon's grandmothers and looking down the line into the New Testament, we find that there is ONE perfect person related to them! Our Savior, Jesus, is in their lineage as Matthew and Luke tell us in their gospels. Jesus was the step son of Joseph who was the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus! Mary was in some way related to Joseph though possibly distantly. Some scholars believe that the two genealogies in the Gospels were different because one was Joseph's and one was Mary's. Regardless, Gabriel's prophesy to Mary was that Jesus would be of the house of David which meant that even Mary was descended from these two ladies!

The thing that struck me the most about these ladies is that it was their HEARTS that God used! Ruth loved Naomi and took care of her! Boaz appreciated that in her! Rahab knew that the true God was the God of Israel and she also felt compassion for the Israelite spies she protected! God knows our hearts and can use, above all things, a heart that is compassionate and willing to serve Him!