A Virtuous Woman Ruth 3:11 - Equipped for Battle

In the book of Proverbs in chapter thirty one and verse ten the question is asked, “Who can find a virtuous woman?” The question itself leans toward the rarity of the find, but it does not imply an impossibility. There are a few, maybe a very few, virtuous women to be found, and Boaz has found one in today's verse in the book of Ruth in chapter three and verse eleven where we read:

And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to you all that you require: for all the city of my people know that you are a virtuous woman.

Boaz was startled in the night in a two-fold way. First, he was shaken when he found a woman at the foot of his bed. Then he was even more shocked to discover that this woman was Ruth and her desire was that he fulfill the obligation of a kinsman redeemer to marry her. He began to answer Ruth by calling her blessed of the LORD and remarking upon her desire to be with him rather than a younger man, and he adds, “And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to you all that you require:” Boaz assures Ruth that he will fulfill his role as kinsman. Notice that he calms what he perceives is a fear in Ruth. Perhaps the fear is that Boaz will not accept her, not fulfill his role, and maybe even reject her completely. Most women desire to be secure, and when Boaz said these words he was no doubt meeting that need within Ruth.

Next Boaz adds, “for all the city of my people know that you are a virtuous woman.” Though Ruth herself may not have known it, she had a reputation among Boaz' people. Isn't it amazing how others know about us without our knowing it? Ruth was this way. Let us remember that she modestly kept to her work and went about her own business. She didn't have to parade or broadcast who she was. Others did that, and when they spoke of her they knew her as “virtuous.” Upon considering “virtue” on the surface, one might think that it denotes weakness or fragility, but the idea behind being “virtuous” is strength, might, efficiency, wealth and even army or force. It takes a woman of purposed fortitude to maintain righteous living. It was much easier for Ruth to turn back when Noami told her to stay with her own people. It was more simple to wander from field to field gleaning wherever she could rather than staying in Boaz' field. It was easier to allow someone else to provide for her versus working hard day after day after day, and it certainly would have required less effort to find a younger man than Boaz as a husband. However, Ruth didn't take the easy path. She took the virtuous path, and she has a reputation for doing so.

Are we virtuous, or do we often seek the easy path? When opposition arises do we fold and retreat to preserve ourselves, or do we stand in the face of adversity? If we were to ask others of our reputation, would they consider us as “virtuous” and strong, or would they see us as unethical and vile? As we consider Jesus our kinsman redeemer, what would He say about us? Would He denote us as virtuous and say that others know this to be true, or do we fall into the category of the question in Proverbs, “who can find a virtuous...?” At the inspiration of Ruth, perhaps our meditation and prayer today should be, “O Lord, help me to be a virtuous person living in this world.”

Next time we will find out Boaz' concern about not being the nearest kinsman, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow...there is more...

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