Snapshots of a Godly Woman
Pastor Darryl Bentley
Midland SDA Church
May 9, 2009
Homiletical Idea: Throughout the Bible God has had women who were faithful to Him. By taking time to review and reflect on the life of one of these women we can learn that God will adopt and empower every woman who surrenders to Him to do His will. The life of Ruth the Moabitess is a classic example of this teaching.
Recalling Godly Women
I am so thankful that I have a mother who loves me. I know that if I need to talk to someone that I can call her up and chat freely about anything that may be on my heart.
Growing up I did not appreciate my mom. Did you? I mean really appreciate her; appreciate her in the way that she deserved. I can honestly say that I never did. I actually had the mindset that she was there to make meals and to harp on me when I did not clean my room or come home on time. She always seemed overly concerned about everything I was doing.
As I look back on the wonderful things that my mom did for me, it makes me very thankful that I have the mother that I do. I love her very much and I miss getting to see her and spend time with her.
I also recall how my mother influenced my life with spiritual things. Even though we did not attend church she would take us to Wednesday night meetings at the local Baptist church for the children’s programs. It was through the friendships there that I was first introduced to Christ. Although I never really gave my heart to Jesus, I knew that God was real and that I should respect Him. So I am very thankful that my mom would let me attend there during the week.
Another Mom
I also had the influence of another mom in my life when I came to know Ginger’s family. Of course Ginger’s mom had grown up as an Adventist and attended church all the time. When I began to spend time around her I was always so amazed how she always took every conversation back to Christ. No matter what we were doing she was able to make it a spiritual experience. As I look back on it I think perhaps she was just trying to protect her precious daughter from the heathen that Ginger had dragged home.
But whatever her reasoning was she was a shining example to me about what a godly woman should be like. She not only cared about her family, but she also took the time to care about me as a lost and lonely teenager who just wanted to be loved and accepted by the world around him.
Godly Women in the Bible
If you read the Bible you see that it is packed with examples of what a godly woman should be like. While mothers are very special and I am thankful that we have Mother’s day as a special time to commemorate the wonderful blessing of mothers, I am also thankful that God calls all women—be they mothers or not—to live a life of godliness and to live in such a way as to honor the Lord.
From the faithful Hannah who cried out to God for a son, and then surrendered that child to the Lord’s service to Mary who bore the son of God we have snapshots of godly women throughout the Bible.
We could pause and look at the life of Rahab who turned from a life of prostitution and was saved because of the role she played in the capturing of Jericho. We could read about the mother of John the Baptizer, Elizabeth, who was the cousin of Mary, Jesus’ mom.
In each of these cases we would see a picture of a godly woman who was committed to the Lord and was used to further the kingdom of God. When we look at these pictures of godly women we see that God has a special work for women to do. It becomes clear that women play a major role in the plan of salvation and in the finishing of God’s work.
Along Comes Ruth
Although there are many godly women we could look at, today I want us to examine the life of Ruth. Today, I want us to see if there are any clues from her life that can inspire our ladies here today as well as us men who interact with our ladies.
Transition to the Text & Mourning the Loss
When you first begin to look at the life of Ruth you see that she is familiar with tragedy and loss. You see that she knows what it means to mourn.
**Read Ruth 1:3-5**
When we read this part of the Biblical passage we see that Ruth not only lost her husband but Naomi and Orpah also lost theirs. Now this would have been particularly tragic for Naomi. Not only did she lose her husband, but both of her sons died as well. When a woman lost her husband she was then dependent upon her sons to then take care of her, but Naomi was left bereft of anyone except her two daughters-in-law. So we see these three ladies are all mourning the loss of their husbands and are left only with each other.
In the midst of this loss Naomi decides that she will return from the land of Moab to her own people in the land of Judah because the famine has ended that sent her to Moab in the first place. When she takes off Naomi tried to get Ruth and Orpah to stay behind and go back to their families. She is able to convince Orpah, but Ruth refuses to leave her side.
**Read Ruth 1:15, 16**
Snapshot #1: Claiming God as her own
When we look at this picture we see that Orpah is able to be convinced to go back to her old way of life. Notice how verse 15 says that she “returned to her people and to her gods.” We see that even though Orpah had lived with Israelites and had worshiped as one of them, she was really just going through the motions. She was not truly convicted to serve the Lord God of Israel; it was more of a form and a function for her.
Ruth on the other hand was not just going through the motions; she had truly given her heart to God. She says that she wanted to be adopted into the people of God. She wanted to become one of Naomi’s people and she wanted to continue to serve her God; the God of Israel.
So here in our first snapshot of a godly woman we see that although Ruth came from a heathen background of worshiping false gods she recognized the one true God and wanted to serve Him even if it meant that she would have to live as a widow without family support. I know that many of you today perhaps have come from backgrounds where you did not live for the Lord and worship Him the way that you should have, but it is almost never too late too late to turn to God.
So I want to encourage you this morning as we look at this first snapshot to always be willing to serve the Lord. Always be willing to reach beyond the circumstances of this life and turn to the God of heaven; turn to Him and be adopted in as one of His children. This is the first step of becoming a godly woman.
Snapshot #2: Willingness to Work
As we continue on looking for snapshots of a godly woman in the life of Ruth we find yet another one in chapter 2.
**Read Ruth 2:2, 8-12**
We see here that Ruth did not have to be compelled to go out and work. Once they were settled in a bit she was the one who asked to be able to go out and find work. Although she and Naomi were both widows, she did not just want to sit idly by and wait for a handout. She wanted to go out and try to gather food among the gleaners.
It was during this gleaning process that she met the man Boaz. Boaz learned of her reputation and how Ruth had been faithful to Naomi during their time of loss. You see her reputation followed her and the same happens today doesn’t it? If you have a good reputation ladies that will be known about you, but if you live in a loose and wild way then that too will follow you. It was that good reputation that allowed her to find favor in the eyes of Boaz.
Do you think if Ruth had been lazy and if she had treated her mother-in-law poorly that she would have been accepted with such love and openness? Of course not. The Jews were a very closed people and they would have just as easily purged her from the city had she not been faithful to Naomi.
So as we look at this second snapshot this morning I want you ladies here to see that a godly woman is also a woman who is willing to work and take care of her responsibilities. She is able to press forward and make the best of the situation in which she may find herself. Being willing to work does not just mean that you have to have a job working somewhere 40 hours a week.
I remember when people would say to me, “Your wife does not work does she?” I would often look back at them and say, “If you call staying at home raising three children while maintaining a household not working then sure she does not work.” I am of the firm belief that a stay-at-home mom probably works harder than many of us who leave home each day to go to a job. I would often tell people that Ginger worked twice as hard as I did because she never got a break. She was always working with the kids and had very little down time. At least I was finished when I got off work. Her job was never finished.
So ladies let me encourage you to always be hard workers. I know that many of you are and I pray that you never cease to be among those who are willing to take care of their obligations.
Snapshot #3: Teachablitity
As we continue to look at the life of Ruth we see another beautiful trait of godliness emerge. In chapter 2 once she finished up her work she made sure to take home food to Naomi. Ruth was not just concerned about herself; she also wanted to take care of her mother-in-law.
What’s beautiful about this is that Naomi also wanted to take care of Ruth. That is why she tells her to get cleaned up and go down to the threshing floor where Boaz, their kinsmen, would be winnowing his barley. It is there that there would be a harvest celebration, and it was there that Naomi wanted Ruth to go in her best clothes and her best perfume to approach Boaz. Notice how Ruth responds.
**Read Ruth 3:5-7**
Ruth does not try to argue with Naomi. Because of her connection with the Lord Ruth knows to listen to those who can provide for her good counsel. This is clearly a teaching from Scripture that there is wisdom and safety in a multitude of counselors and Ruth as a godly woman was willing to listen to and follow godly counsel.
So Ruth does exactly as she is told. Once Boaz has had his fill and lies down, Ruth makes her way over to him, uncovers his feet and lies down at his feet. Why do you think she did this? What was she conveying by this act and the manner in which she did it?
First of all she did not openly go over to Boaz and flaunt herself before him. She waited until the festivities had died down a bit and then she quietly and secretly came and lied down at his feet. Are the feet a place of supremacy? No, the feet are the place of servitude. In Middle Eastern culture the feet are still to this day considered the vilest part of the body. You may recall just before president George W. Bush left office he was in Baghdad. While he was there a reporter took off his shoe and threw it at the president. That was a major insult that was clearly understood throughout that part of the world.
So when Ruth comes and lies down at Boaz’s feet she is clearly saying to him that she is willing to submit to him. She is essentially saying that she is willing to be submissive even to the point of giving herself to him in marriage. She knew how to go about submitting herself because she maintained a teachable spirit. She was willing to listen to other godly women around her. When I look at this particular snapshot I see a young woman who looked to the women of experience in her life and she was willing to submit herself to them. She was willing to follow instructions and because of that spirit of teachability she was blessed in her efforts.
I would encourage all of our ladies here today to seek out those godly women in your life that you can count on to give you godly counsel. Far too many of us think we do not need direction or input from anyone and because of that stiff-necked attitude we find ourselves often discouraged and possibly even where we need even more help because of the choices that we have made. To be a godly woman means that you have a spirit of teachability in all aspects of your life.
Snapshot #4: Purity
Within this same chapter we see another snapshot of a godly woman emerge. We see it in the way that Ruth interacts with Boaz. She does not come to him in a flirtatious way. She does not peel off her clothes and try to attract him by baring her body. Sure was cleaned up and wearing her best clothes, but she still maintained her dignity and self-respect. She did not use her body as a tool to secure favor with Boaz; she used her character. Notice what the Bible says.
**Read Ruth 3:8-14**
I want you notice here ladies that it was her excellent character that swooned the heart of Boaz. It was her godly character that allowed her to find favor in his eyes. It really saddens me that nowadays many women think they must present themselves as a sex object in order to have someone like them. I realize that popular culture has made it appear that a woman must flaunt her body in order to be noticed, and far too many of our Adventist ladies get sucked into this warped culture.
How much more solid would marriages be today if the marriage was built upon a foundation of faith in God and a foundation of appreciating our spouse for more than what they can offer in the bedroom? The thing I love about my own wife is that she is not just beautiful on the outside, but she is also beautiful on the inside. What that means is that when she gets older and the physical beauty fades into the maturity of an older body, I will still have a beautiful wife because she is beautiful on the inside. She is beautiful not because of what she has done, but rather because of what Christ does in her and through her.
This snapshot shows us that a godly woman is a woman of purity in both action and in her deeds. A godly woman need not cheapen herself by wearing revealing clothing. A godly woman shares her beauty with the world by the character that she allows God to develop within her. Ruth was a godly woman because she kept herself pure while seeking companionship.
It is my prayer and encouragement to all of our ladies here today to do everything you can to maintain your purity, and if you have not lived a life of purity that’s ok. God can cleanse us of all unrighteousness and give us a fresh start. He can and will take away the sins of our past and He will give us a better future. So even you have not lived a life of purity, you can and should make a return to purity. That return to purity will help keep you as a godly woman.
Snapshot #5: Used of God
The last snapshot I want us to look at is found in the last in the last chapter of the book of Ruth. After Ruth went to Boaz he began to take the steps to redeem her. In Biblical times when I woman became a widow it became to duty of her kinsmen to take her in. If that woman had no children then it was the responsibility of the kinsmen redeemer to provide her with offspring. The offspring then bore the namesake of the departed brother or family member. That is why Ruth makes mention that she is a close relative. She wants to gently remind him of his obligation to redeem her and restore her after she has suffered loss.
Boaz of course was fully aware of this because he knew that there was one who was closer than he. Chapter four walks us through the process of Boaz redeeming Ruth. We find that the closet relative did not wish to exercise his right to redeem her. This opened the way clearly for Boaz to be able to take Ruth as his wife. The beautiful part of this snapshot is actually the culmination of the other godly acts that Ruth had done. This last snapshot is the place where we see reward Ruth’s faithfulness to Him
**Read Ruth 4:10, 13, 16, 17**
Here we see the faithfulness of Boaz too in fulfilling the obligation of the kinsmen redeemer, but notice what the Lord does for Ruth. Not only does He bless her faithfulness because she has lived the life of a godly woman, but He also allowed Ruth the Moabitess to become part of the lineage of Christ!
We see that Ruth was able to conceive and bear a child. This child, named Obed, lives to become the father of Jesse, and we all know that Jesse becomes the father of David and eventually Jesus is born out of the same ancestral line. We see this restated by the apostle Matthew in Matthew 1:5, 6.
Clearly we can see that God is ready to use and bless godly women. We can see that Ruth was blessed by God because she made choices that allowed God to work in her life. I am not saying that God loved her more than other women because of what Ruth did. I am saying that when we live our lives in harmony with godly principles then God is much more able to bestow His blessing on our lives. If we live apart from God and do not allow Him to reign over our lives then we are shutting our ourselves from the blessings that God longs to give us.
Wrap-up and Appeal
Today we have looked at several snapshots of a godly woman.
As we close up our time today, I just want to say that I am so thankful that our church is filled with godly women. I truly think that we are blessed to have the ladies in our church that are here. I also think that our young ladies coming up have a tremendous blessing in that they have all these godly women from which they can learn.
It is my prayer today that each of you ladies here will choose to be a Ruth. It is my prayer that you will choose to be a godly woman as you live for the Lord. Amen.