Virtuous Women Introduction The word ‘beautiful’ is often placed in front of the word ‘woman’ In Ap3013 Ppl Mag labeld Gwyneth Paltrow the most beautiful woman .... Hwvr also in Ap2013Star mag she ws also vtd mst hated celeb in Holly... The Scripture uses the word ‘beautiful’ of women in 12 diff passages e.g. Esther Today I want to look at a diff word, a more meaningful word in front of woman The word ‘virtuous’ As a noun virtue = gn mral excellnc, rt action and thnkng, gdnss of charctr So virtuous = characterized by moral worth, righteousness, goodness Th world mocks the notion of virtuous women, the Lord esteems virtuous women Ruth the ggm of David is a model of a virtuous woman, start R3:11 1st Virtuous Women Have The Reputation of Being Virtuous Boaz spkng to Ruth, says of her ‘for all th ppl of my twn kno tht U ar a vrts wmn’ R 3:11; 2:11 Ruth had been liv in Bethlehem ~3mos ..., ppl knew her, she had good reputn VW hv th reputation of being virtuous, a good reputation, known by all ovr time 2nd Virtuous Women Rise Above The Days And Culture They Live In R1:1 begins ‘...in the days when the judges ruled...’ We step back one verse to Judges 21:25 and discover what these days like ‘...everyone did what was right in his own eyes’ Ruth grew up in Moab – history incest, inhospitable, idolatrous, cannannite like including child sacrifice, she came out of this, rose above it VW today come out of a culture and days that are increasingly cannannite like Carl FH Henry.... 3rd Virtuous Women Differ From Others In Positive Ways Ruth was diff from other woman R2:10, 13b but diff in positive ways Act diff than others in the same situation, R 2:7-14 Orpah left R clung Na Listen to and ff good advice R 2:8,9, 22; 3:1-5, 18 Think of others before themselves R2:14b Kind to others R3:10, also Na in chapter 1 VW are different than others, diff in a positive way, diff comes fm ff the Lord 4th Virtuous Women Determine To Do Right R determines to do right in two situations Stay with Naomi, strength of her determination seen 1:16-18 Follow Naomi’s counsel for approaching Boaz to be KR 3 And Boaz’s counsel for leaving and waiting a decision 3:14 In a day when ppl did what was right 4them, she did right B4 Lord VW determined to do right, resolved, circumstances, advantages, others not alter 5th Virtuous Women Often Learn Virtue From A Virtuous Woman I think it highly unlikely R grew up in Moab as a virtuous woman It most certainly was thru the influence of Naomi she became and remained VW Again 1:16,17, note the ‘you’, Naomi led Ruth to the Lord, discipled her VW have someone who taught them virtue, teach others virtue IF U are Virtuous Woman – remain so, help another woman Become a VW – start today by doing right, look to the Lord, spend time w VW