The other night I got home from teaching a Bible study on the Book of Ruth and I was struck by how blessed I am. The study was a lot of fun and the women seemed very responsive. We had great discussion on what it was to be a woman who fears Yahweh. This in turn lead to further discussion on Boaz’s role in the narrative and how God set them up.

I was jazzed by the study and made it home just in time to kiss my wife goodnight. She fell asleep rather quickly and I stayed up a bit. I was causally watching TV when Letterman came on and, since I couldn’t find the remote, I continued to watch his show despite a natural aversion to its content.
A prominent heiress was Letterman’s main guest. She was turning 30. Pretty much all she had to show for her life was: her daddy’s money, a ineptly applied catch phrase about the current temperature of just about anything not related to weather, some reality TV shows that quickly lost their “I can’t stop looking at the train wreck” value, an audio recording of some well dubbed caterwauling, and several broken relationships. But wait…lest I forget her newest triumph, an iphone app that you can take a picture and kind of- maybe- sort of- look like you are standing next to her. And for only $2.99!!

My wife also just turned 30. As I watch her sleeping, my thoughts drift back to Boaz’s encounter with Ruth. She was called a noble woman and it was obvious by her actions that what defined her was not the limelight or inherited wealth. Rather, there was a steadfastness about her that proclaimed her faith. Her words, actions, and posture were attractive because God was working through them to reveal who He desires a woman to be. All this (and the description of Boaz as well) was to be seen on the light of who He is and what he can do in an individual.

My wife may not have an iphone app or a lot of money, but she exemplifies the steadfastness of Ruth. 3 boys, working to support me through school, leading several different ministries at our church, and discovering her calling in the light of who God is in her life. I am so blessed to be part of what God is doing in her and with her. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fear/trusts/puts faith in Yahweh deserves all the praise. (Pr. 31)

Let the heiress have her iphone app. I’ve got the praise worthy woman sleeping next to me every night.

J.O.C