The Worth of a Ruby

Proverbs 31:10-11 "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies."

I wrote earlier about the value of being virtuous. The passage today speaks of this woman as being very hard to find and also being valuable.

A real ruby is very rare, very unique, and very costly.The original word"ruby" meant "king in gemstones". The ruby is the undisputed ruler in the world of gems.

A real ruby is selected for its color, cut, clarity and caret.  A lab will examine a ruby extensively for these four important qualities and the strength of them.

The red hue of the ruby is important. The laboratory searches for the true  red color in the gem. There are other lighter hues that are pink, but the more true the red, the more valuable the stone. The depth of red is the main criteria for a real ruby. The color "red" is warm and positive. It represents passion and energy. It excites the emotions and motivates action.

The cut of a ruby is also important. Because this gem is formed deep within the earth, they have a multitude of fissures and cracks. Very few are given the conditions to form perfectly. Very rarely,  a ruby is found that is somewhat shaped like a star. These are more precious than any other stone.

There is no ruby that is without flaw.  A ruby is chosen for its value when the clarity of it can be seen as not affecting the color,  since that is where the beauty of the stone lies. Though there are flaws within the stone, they cannot be seen because of the color.

The density of a ruby is more than a diamond. Though the caret of both may be the same, the diamond will be bigger, and seem to be more ostentatious.  However, the ruby holds more value and is more beautiful.

I am so excited about this important woman. Sometimes, I feel like my worth is not much, and I don't feel important at all.  But I have tried to build virtue into my life. Maybe I haven't always understood the value if it.  I'm thinking a woman who embraces purity and goodness underestimates her value.  After looking into the worth of a ruby, and I am told that I am worth far more than that, I have a lot of value.

The wonder of it is that even though I have a lot of fissures and cracks deep within, I am impassioned and energized by my obedience to God and His Word. The largeness of my "caret" is not so important as the virtues deep within. And my true color will demand  attention in a positive way.

When it seems an effort in this flashy, lustful, impure generation, to maintain my virtue by dressing modestly, and keeping my conversation and actions above reproach, I want to remember my worth.  Every now and then I get a refreshing reminder of it, when a passerby mentions that they appreciate the way I dress. Or sometimes a male acquaintance will tell me they can see that I am a woman of integrity. It doesn't make me proud;  I am humbled.  I feel it is an honor to be a virtuous woman.  It commands respect. It is proof again that the instructions in the Word are priceless and worth practicing.

Remembering

Proverbs 22:28: "Remove not the ancient landmarks which thy fathers hath set."

I am remembering today. Memorial Day is around the corner. I am at the age where I love to reminisce.

The old war veterans that I had the privilege to know, I hold in high regard. Most of them were friends of my father in law.  Many were the war stories we heard when those old fellows gathered around. But more than I remember the stories, I remember the men. They were a gutsy, straightforward generation.  They had seen it all in war, came home and went to work, determined to experience the freedom they had fought for. Some were Germans who had seen the horrors of war in a different perspective.  No matter what background, they were outspoken in what they stood for. No one had a doubt about where their loyalties were.

These men may have erred on the side of even being  stubborn. They established their boundaries and rights and refused to be moved. I didn't try to change them. I didn't want to. I learned so much from them.  Experience had taught them to fight for what they believed was right. 

These men believed in working hard. Though many of them suffered emotional and spiritual trauma from the war, they struggled through it and made some strong commitments to God. They were loyal and established, supportive of the important things in life: God, family, jobs, community, and government.  How I admired their strength and character!  They were largely uneducated,  but wise in experience. They were a challenging, stalwart, unmoveable group of men! I miss them!

Who am I to question those choices or move those cornerstones they established?  Those boundaries have worked for me .Their courage and strength have created a safe world for many years for me.

What does worry me is the movement in this generation to remove those old landmarks.  I am not opposed to change,  as long as that change uses past lessons learned, and incorporates them into the present. It isn't going to work to remove the old cornerstones and have no boundaries for the future generation.

I, for one, am protecting those precious things I've been taught. I have taught them to my children.  I believe in discipline, hard work,  commitment,  quality,  strength, and high moral values.  I believe these qualities originated in the Word of God.  And, thank God, that Landmark can never be removed!

A Sound Heart

Proverbs 14:30  "A sound heart is the life of the flesh."

An interpretation of these words is: "a calm or peaceful heart gives life to the body."

I have to think that there are two kinds of peace. One is a natural peace and hard to come by.  It is affected by the circumstances around me.  This peace is constantly threatened because my circumstances are always changing. One day I can feel calm and the next, feel ruffled, all because some unforseen happening chased that peace away. I can be up and down and all around with this peace thing!

Then there is a divine peace.  This peace passeth all understanding.  I am overwhelmed when I feel so peaceful in my spirit when terrible things are surrounding me.  It has nothing to do with me; it is obviously from a Higher Power.

Another scripture passage says that Paul was "perplexed but not in despair".  Perplexity is a word I identify with.  Life just doesn't make sense.  One of the big questions of the day is: " Why do bad things happen to good people?" Indeed, why do a lot of things happen that I can't understand? It doesn't make sense that I try to live right and still I must suffer.

To see and experience God in the middle of perplexity is the antidote of despair. Trusting and believing that the One who created this world still has ultimate control of things, is quite an accomplishment. 

I often awaken in the morning looking for that feeling that all is right in my world. Then I realize that a lot of the time, all is not right. That is life. I have to switch into "Divine" gear for that peace to envelop me! Then I'm ready to do Life!

I treasure God's ability to change my perspective. Reason tells me that my surroundings are always going to be less than perfect, even disturbing! Experience tells me that I can be at peace with life no matter the circumstances. What a wonderful thing to be able to have stability and soundness amidst all the chaos!

Life hands me enough to keep me bordering on despair.  But I safely stay perplexed,  accepting the fact I won't ever be able to make all the puzzle pieces fit. I can still feel complete and sound in all my being!

Buy the Truth

Proverbs 23:23a & 25b "Buy the truth and sell it not.....and  she that bare thee shall rejoice."

I just experienced wonderful blessing, tribute and fellowship at a Mother's Day Breakfast this morning.  One if the things that was expressed was the value of a mother's prayers.  My tears always fall when I recall my mother's prayers for me. I cry because I remember how she would cry when she was in prayer for her children.

Also mentioned this morning was the fact that the connection between a mother and child is exclusive. Just the two of them experience it. There is a need for a  mother to deeply feel the needs within her child. Likewise,  all my life, I had a need to be connected with my mother.

Looking back on my relationship with my mother, I think I now understand how those tearful prayers were pleas to God that her children know and truly understand truth and then that they would embrace and live that truth out in their lives and pass it on.

Today,  I understand the burden and passion in those prayers. As a mother, my heart daily reaches up to God begging Him to reveal Truth (with a capital T) to my children.  Often those prayers are accompanied by tears, because it is the single most important desire in my life, next to my own salvation, and right along side with the preservation of my marriage.

There is also another Proverbs verse that says to bind mercy and truth around the neck.  I wasn't the perfect mom. In those early years, I was tireless in my commission to teach Truth to my children. I don't regret my investment of time and energy. But I can remember the times I collapsed  on my knees behind closed doors, wondering if I was getting the job done right. Was I binding it too tight  or was I choking them with my intensity?

I still am not sure I had the right balance of mercy and truth. But I do know my heart was in the right place. I was trying to do the right thing. I was passionate in my quest to plant the Truth in their hearts. God would have to water and cultivate the seed planted.

Today, on Mother's Day, I cry, and yet I rejoice,  as my children give me accolades. I am so glad I invested in Truth. It is paying dividends!