Ruth 3:11 “Now my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you ask, for all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence.” Ruth has been recorded in all of biblical history as a “Woman of Excellence.” Our Lord highly commends and honors women who seek to be godly in whatever society they are living in. Sadly, there are only a few out of the many who actually value godliness in their lives today. What made her a woman of excellence? The context gives us the answer: 1) she left her town and her religion to seek after the one true God. NAS Ruth 1:16 But Ruth said, Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Embracing the God of Israel meant embracing every aspect of their spiritual and social responsibility. As a woman from Moab she had her own lifestyle, her own false religion, her own community but she was willing to let that all go to follow the Lord our God. We know this to be true because her sister-in-law actually went back to her hometown after being widowed. Naomi had urged both of them to go back but Ruth persisted in remaining because she believed in Yahweh. This is the first and greatest reason why she is a woman of excellence: Her wholehearted devotion to God. 2) She unselfishly yielded her personal dreams to do what is right. Ruth, though still young, committed herself to diligently working to provide for her mother-in-law. Like Orpah, she was young enough to go after her ambition and dreams, even at that time. The very fact that Orpah took the option to go back to her homeland indicates that even as a widow she could’ve gotten remarried and had hopes for her personal future. Ruth, however, surrendered all of that to do what is right and care for her mother-in-law and trust that as she does so, God would provide… and God did provide. Verse 2 indicates her volition to do what is right. NAS Ruth 2:2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find favor. And she said to her, Go, my daughter. (Rut 2:2 NAS) Verse 3 indicates God’s sovereign and good providence: “she happened to come” NAS Ruth 2:3 So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. Our Lord blessed our decisions to do what is right and through proper decisions, leads us providentially for His glory. But we must choose to do what is right if we desire to be in the Lord’s will. 3) She maintained a blameless character before all people. NAS Ruth 2:11 And Boaz answered and said to her, All that you have done for your mother-in-law after the death of your husband has been fully reported to me, and how you left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and came to a people that you did not previously know. The town was not that big. Gossip would easily spread between one neighbor to another. But with regards to Ruth only praise and honor was given because of her blameless character. And one of the clearest manner in which a woman can maintain her blamelessness is through her relationships with men. NAS Ruth 3:10 Then he said, May you be blessed of the LORD, my daughter. You have shown your last kindness to be better than the first by not going after young men, whether poor or rich. Boaz was watching her too. This might indicate she was also very attractive. But he, being a godly man himself, was watching her to see how she would react to the other men. She was not like the other teens who went after young men, poor or rich. The townspeople kept their eyes on her to see what she would do and how she would behave herself and she surpassed their expectation. Her consistent character became known throughout the people and Boaz saw her as a “Woman of Excellence” and the Lord used her to become the Grandmother to King David. We need more women like Ruth and more godly men like Boaz. p. Chi
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:28:57 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015