Ruth 3, Proverbs 31, James 3

Courage. What a gutsy move! Ruth's heart must have pounded in her head as she bathed and dressed. Then as she snuck to the threshing floor, she may have had thoughts running in her mind such as, "You're crazy!" Or, "You're a foreigner. What makes you think Boaz will take you?" Or even, "What if he does take me? My reputation could be ruined."

Obedience. If Ruth made a list of the positives and negatives related to her choice, it would have come out even. There is only one real reason she went. Obedience. She knew Naomi's love for her and chose to obey the voice of love. Sometimes our decisions must be made solely in obedience to our Lord's voice of love.

Advice. King Lemuel's mother was concerned about two things. One, that Lemuel would stay away from women he wasn't married to, and two, that he stayed away from wine. She spends a little time dispensing wisdom on each subject before devoting great detail to qualities he should look for in a wife. Any ordinary woman wouldn't do for her son!

Example. The woman Lemuel chose to marry should be a hard worker and wise business person. Verse 18 may indicate spiritual provision rather than actual food. Either way, she is kind and generous. She reminds one of Ruth.

The final quality of a virtuous woman is the "bridled" tongue James describes. Controlled speech. Wise.

Ruth, the virtuous wife, and the person James describes together present a picture of the kind of woman I want to be.