The first verse of the Proverbs 31 woman, tells us that this woman is of high value. The verse starts out with a question, “Who can find a virtuous woman?” This question implies that this woman is rare. A virtuous woman is a lady who is morally excellent. Virtue is defined as “the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong; an admirable quality or attribute; morality with respect to sexual relations; or a particular moral excellence” (
www.wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn). I found the following definition of virtue very interesting. It says virtue is an “admirable behavior that includes specific traits: charity, chastity, humility, loyalty, fidelity, and other selfless behavior. Love is considered the highest virtue, and the other virtues often inspire love, in the case of courtly love” (
www.geekicon.net/writing/caritas_amour/glossary.htm). Notice that they highlight characteristics of selfless behavior. A virtuous woman is one who is selfless. She is in tune to the needs of others, and meets them as best as she can. She will meet these needs, even if it takes time and money that she could have used for herself. It truely is very rare to find a lady who is selfless. Most of the woman today are selfish. They want more clothes, better and more make-up, more attention from guys, to be popular, and the list can go on. We, as Christian ladies, need to be virtuous woman in this world—known for being selfless. In order to be selfless, the Lord needs to be the center of our lives. You may think that others need to be the center of our lives, but that is not true. If God is the center, then everyone else will fall into the proper place after Him. Real joy is Jesus Others and then You.
The second part of verse 10 says, “
Her price is far above rubies.” When I did a search on the worth of rubies, I was amazed at how much they are worth. I had no idea that they were worth so much. “A ruby is a beautiful red gemstone. Real rubies are very rare. As of 2006, the record price paid at auction for a single stone was $5,860,000 for an unnamed 38.12-carat cabochon-cut ruby. However, other stones with potentially greater value may never have been sold at an auction” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby). The more transparent the stone is the more valuable it is. A clearer ruby cost more than a diamond. The picture of the ruby on the left is presently on sale for $1,590. It is only 1.065 carat and measures 5.5mm in diameter x 3.86mm deep.
Most rubies are fake and a jewler can easily tell whether they are real or not. The Lord can tell if you are a real Christian or not. You may be fooling others around, making them think you are a Christian, but the Lord knows if you are a real Christian. Examine yourself to see what kind of ruby you are. If you are not sure if you are a true ruby, I would advice you to talk with a godly lady near you. Remember that I am also here to help you. It is very important to make sure that you are one of God’s rubies.
Just as the transparent rubies are precious and rare, transparent Christians are rare too. What do I mean by a transparent Christian? I am referring to a Christian who is very open to her Lord, confessing her sins and not holding them back. She is one who lets the Lord see right through her and knows all that is in her heart and thoughts, and knows her every sin. Are you a transparent ruby? Are you holding back sins that the Lord is asking you to give up? Girls, this is a VERY vital daily decision on your spiritual growth. Are you going to be open to the Lord about the things of the day, or are you going to hold in secret unconfessed sins?
Your value is very important to the Lord. He wants you to be a real transparent ruby. He even cares about the very hairs on our head. Luke 12:7 “
But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.” Even though we are sinful, our Lord considers us of value to Him. I have to say, this makes me feel very special.
To be more valuable than a ruby, we must reflect our Lord and be in His word and prayer daily. He is the only one who can make us worth anything. James 1:23-25 “
For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”
Ruth, in the Bible, was known to be a virtuous woman or a woman of excellence. When Ruth, in a sense, asked Boaz to marry her, he said to her, “
Now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you whatever you ask, for all my people know that you are a woman of excellence” (Ruth 3:11). He was willing to marry her because she was known to be a woman of excellence. Are we known as a woman of excellence, a virtuous woman? Let each of us search our hearts and ask the Lord what He would have us to do to become a woman of excellence in His eyes.