Posted on 07/31/2019 7:05:15 AM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress
“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies” (Proverbs 31:10).
The term "virtuous" is from a noun meaning strength, efficiency, ability. Here it refers to strength of character, that is, moral strength and firmness.
In Exodus 18:21 we find the expression used of men. Moses was to find "able men" (men of strength) such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness. In light of this verse we can say that a virtuous man is one who fears God, loves truth and hates sin. Moses was to look for and find such men, and the implication is that such men were not easy to find. The expression is also used in 1 Kings 1:42 ("valiant man") and 1 Kings 1:52 ("worthy man"). In this latter passage (v. 52) we learn that the opposite of a virtuous man is a man in whom wickedness is found. Thus, a virtuous man is a man of great moral strength, in whom wickedness is not found. He is a godly, God-fearing man. So also, the virtuous woman is a God-fearing woman--compare Proverbs 31:10 with 31:30.
The Old Testament uses this expression of a virtuous woman in two other places. In Ruth 3:11 it is used of Ruth. Everyone in the city knew that she was a virtuous woman! When a woman has strength of character (fears God, loves truth, hates sin), then others will take note and recognize this. It will be very obvious because it is so unusual. People are usually so morally weak and so anemic in character, that when a man or woman of strength shows up it is quite evident to all. The other place the term is used is in Proverbs 12:4 where we learn that a virtuous woman (lit--a woman of strength) does not make her husband ashamed.
She is far more valuable and worth far more than rubies.
Who can find a virtuous woman? She is like a rare gem. Precious stones are precious and costly because they are so rare. If you could go out along the roadside and collect hundreds of rubies anytime you wanted to, then they would not be worth much. It is the rare, hard to find gems that are worth so much. Also, for some reason God made most common stones unattractive; yet He made most rare stones very beautiful and brilliant and lustrous. The virtuous woman is a beautiful woman, not necessarily outwardly, but certainly inwardly (see Proverbs 31:30). She is not only a rare gem but a beautiful gem.
A godly woman is rare and very hard to find. The same thing could be said about the godly man. "Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men" (Psalm 12:1). There are hardly any such creatures around, and the few that do exist will eventually die out! May God in His infinite grace and mercy be pleased to raise up godly men and women in these difficult and trying days.
If a young man is looking for a godly woman, how can he find her? First he should trust God to find her for him. Second, he must realize that a virtuous woman is not going to want just any man. She is going to want to find a virtuous man, a man valiant for the truth, a godly servant of Christ). So, if you want to have any chance of finding such a gem, you must be a gem yourself. Exercise yourself unto godliness. Learn the fear of the Lord. Dare to be different. Dare to go against the flow of the world, and to be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). Be the kind of a man that would attract the interest of the godly woman!
So, in this verse we have learned that the godly woman is very hard to find. She is more valuable than a rare gem. She has an inner beauty and a strength of character and a moral firmness that is lacking in the vast majority of women, even believing women.
Let’s read a chapter of Proverbs a day and see what God might have for us. As the Lord leads, share with us what God has shown you in a special way and by His grace let us build up a devotional repository. Let’s keep our knives and forks handy for some daily bread!
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Prov.31:30 has a commentary which noted that praising a woman for her outward beauty is wrong because she was given this by God, whereas inner virtue creates beauty which is her own doing and thus praiseworthy. Also, the outer beauty and material wealth can fade with age but the man who marries for her inner virtuous qualities will find that those remain in her throughout her lifetime.
The Judge and Prophetess Deborah (in Judges) met with men seeking her wisdom and judgments in matters only under a palm tree in the open so people could see her. The Palm Tree of Deborah was there because a virtuous woman could not keep her reputation if she met with men in a closed building alone with them.
She praised God all along but later fell into arrogance and said “Until I, Deborah...” and God removed her prophecy for this unvirtuous pride.
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