» Virtuous Wife: A Ruby Rebel Revisited

Virtuous Wife: A Ruby Rebel Revisited

Last year this post made a big hit and you all requested the code for sharing the official “Ruby Rebel” button on your sidebars. Since our site has changed, I wanted to remind you to change your code if you have a ruby rebel button (new code is below). If you don’t, grab it and share it! The following post describes what a Ruby Rebel is, in case you’re wondering

“Who can find a virtuous wife? For her price is far above rubies.” Proverbs 31:10

Oh to be a virtuous wife! I know what she looks like, how she speaks, how she loves her husband, and yet, reaching through the ages, I can still feel the kindred curse of Eve’s desire to control…to know better than God, and lead her husband.

I desperately cry out with Paul, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death?” Romans 7:24

And then another voice within me whispers, “Faithful is He who called you, who also will do it.”

NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER GIVE IN!

We will press toward the mark of the high calling!

We will fail; we will do what we know not to do; but we will keep looking to the Author and Finisher of our faith.

I want you to know through these posts that I am struggling as much as any of you; I am a sinner, a human made of flesh and blood; but I desire with all my heart to live a life that is pleasing to God and together, we will explore, encourage, and spur each other on to good works.

Now…down to business!

Proverbs 31:10 reveals an important truth–a virtuous woman is rare. That means you won’t find virtuous women on every corner; they have to be searched out (which is also important to remember as our children approach marrying age one day.)

We cannot look to the “average” woman for our example. We cannot look to the culture. She is not there. We must look to Scripture, and then pray and strive to become one of those rare jewels.

Another thing about rare jewels…jewels are rare because there are not in abundance, but also because they have to be cut out of the rock around them. They have to be chipped out, polished, chiseled on and perfected. You don’t just stumble upon a ruby that is perfectly formed and sparkling. It must endure some work.

And so must we!

Which means we must be willing to endure the process of refinement, recognizing it as God’s tenderness towards us, and His loving vision for our lives. Whatever that looks like for you, obedience and submission to HIS design will bring forth the jewel He wants to make out of you.

Foundational to all we will be discussing here, is the overarching truth that God’s ways are not our ways, and that His design is the only one that will bring our happiness and contentment in marriage.

We can kick against it all day long, but if you want a fulfilling marriage, you just have to give in to God’s ways, and stop listening to the world’s (after all, who wants a track record like theirs?) followed by practicality…that’s what we’ll be discussing over the next few days.

Ponder today whether you are willing to be a rare jewel? Rare is different. But it is valuable. In a sense, we are to be “Ruby Rebels” (leave it to me to work in the word “rebellious” while talking about being a woman

Being submissive to God is to be rebellious to the world, by default. I like it–Ruby Rebels!

To spread the word about being a Ruby Rebel with an official RR button, copy and paste the following code into your blog or site. Imagine the impact we can have for Christ!

Grab the code and share the encouragement!

marriage | Word Warrior | April 22, 2009 1:29 pm

31 Comments

By Terry @ Breathing Grace, April 8, 2008 @ 10:06 am

I don’t feel like a rare jewel most days! I am, however, doing the best I can to be a light to my children and a valuable helper and supporter of my husband. Ruby Rebels…I think I like that!
By Miss Rebekah Ann S., April 8, 2008 @ 10:40 am

I’m happy to stand up right beside you and be a Ruby Rebel!!

Thank you for a wonderful, thought-provoking post.

May the Lord bless you!

Rebekah

http://www.byhisgraceandforhisglory.blogspot.com

P.S. The Lord has recently laid on my heart the idea to write a book entitled “Proverbs 31: A Guide to Victorious Daughterhood”. It would be about daughters beginning now, while they are yet unmarried, to become Proverbs 31 women. They don’t have husbands, but they do have fathers. And if they want to be trustworthy for their husbands, then they need to begin now by being trustworthy for their daddies. Please pray for me as I fervently seek out the Lord’s will for my life and for this book idea. Thank you for your prayers!
By Michelle, April 8, 2008 @ 11:28 am

I love it – we really are rebels – against the expectations of our culture for sure.

My hubby always liked the rebel side of me : D
By Ashley, April 8, 2008 @ 12:08 pm

I have been battling to use my Google ID for weeks now! Grr… I got one comment through and then zip. So I’m thankful to have annon comment back, even if it’s temporary! I need a break before I do battle with Google again!

Actually, I do feel like a rare jewel most days – one that is burried under many layers of rock!!! I call my two boys (2yo & 6mo) the chisels that God is using to shape me and pry me out of my selfish tendancies. It’s nice to know that it’s okay that it might take a while for God to polish me!

This makes me wonder if my in-laws saw such a possibility for me in the beginning – wow, I had even more edges to knock off back then!

Anyways, a terrific post!!!

http://www.homesteadblogger.com/Jonash2004
By Kate, April 8, 2008 @ 7:26 pm

I love your analogy of how a jewel must be hewn out from the rock around it and be worked on before it becomes a perfect thing of beauty. How true that is! I will be carrying that sentiment around in my heart over the next few weeks as I work on some areas within myself that my husband and I both want to see made better. Thank you for the encouragement.
By Kim M., April 9, 2008 @ 10:51 am

I love the jewel reference. I actually used this same type of reference the other day when talking to my children about their own discipline.
But it certainly would apply to me too. I want God to shape my life also.
I love your writing! Keep it up!
By ~Tami, April 10, 2008 @ 6:08 am

Thanks for sharing this. I have a great desire to be a submissive, respectful wife; however there’s that “kindred curse of Eve’s desire to control…to know better than God, and lead” my husband.
By Mommy Reg, April 12, 2008 @ 2:36 am

God has been bringing me back through Proverbs 31 again lately. He does every so often and refines me a little bit more each time. I have been very busy and unable to keep up on my blog reading. I am with you. I desire to be that Ruby and the example to my daughters to be Rubies for their future husbands. And to show my son the perfect example of his future wife. Beautiful post. Ruby Rebel… that’s cool.
By ~Tami, April 24, 2008 @ 7:08 pm

I am far from being a ruby or any kind of jewel, but God has given me the desire to be a wife that glorifies Him! Praise the Lord!
By Gombojav Tribe, May 8, 2008 @ 1:20 am

I’m going to put it on my blog! Thanks, WW!
By Sven, June 28, 2008 @ 4:17 am

Good Job!
By Sarah, June 28, 2008 @ 9:21 pm

May I be a Ruby Rebel? I so long to be the Proverbs 31 woman. I struggle most days but with the Lord all things are possible.

God bless,
Sarah
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/OhioSarah
By Word Warrior, June 28, 2008 @ 11:00 pm

Sarah–ABSOLUTELY! You’re already one if you have nothing more than a desire to be!
By marymo5, July 20, 2008 @ 12:40 am

Fantastic idea, Thanks for the encouraging post. Ruby Rebels
By tamlovesran, August 17, 2008 @ 12:38 pm

I’ve only just found your blog, but I wanted to comment that I love this post and that I am going to add the button to my sidebar.

Tammy
By Sherrylinn, October 4, 2008 @ 8:54 pm

What a wonderful post! I’m so proud to stand right next to you and other women against the world for my Savior.

sherry
By Q, October 6, 2008 @ 8:29 pm

R2 – I’m in, I need all the polishing I can get!
By byhisgracealone, October 20, 2008 @ 2:29 pm

I just found your blog and will be adding this to my blog….

for it is my desire too…

love your blog..

blessings
donna
By Terry, November 6, 2008 @ 10:18 am

I just found this blog by accident when I went to see Donna “By His Grace Alone” .
I was clicking on her”By His Stripes” prayer blog and I ended up here!
What a marvellous godly site this is!
I will be back and whenever I go and see my friend, Donna I will just click on and enter into your door!
God bless you!
I must say that I am another Terry…first time in my blogging history that I have seen another one!!!
By Mrs. U, November 19, 2008 @ 11:13 pm

I LOVE this!! I want to be precious in His sight and his sight. I want to be a Ruby Rebel- a jewel chiseled and polished!!

Pressing on with you!!

His,
Mrs. U
By Mrs T, January 26, 2009 @ 9:48 pm

thank you. I have added it to my blog to remind me… I am doing what God calls me to do. not perfectly. but I am trying
By DevotedWife, February 1, 2009 @ 10:23 pm

I just added your button to my blog. I haven’t posted to it yet, but when I created it (many months ago) I chose worth far above rubies as my url. My blog title was becoming suzy q homemaker, but a couple days ago I felt the need to change the title to match the url. Tonight I found your blog and button after finding The Apple Cider Mill blog from another blog. I am loving the online fellowship and sharing of knowledge among Christian women.
By Word Warrior, February 1, 2009 @ 10:29 pm

Devoted Wife,

Great! The more Ruby Rebels the better!
By Ruby, March 30, 2009 @ 6:28 am

I linked to this post on my blog and I’d love a button. I copied and pasted but only got a red cross and “ruby rebel” not the ruby picture. Do you know what I would be doing wrong?
Ruby
(Yeah, I couldn’t to past it!)
By Word Warrior, March 30, 2009 @ 7:18 am

Ruby,

Hmmm…when I do it it works. Have you tried using the code for the button that’s in my sidebar? Being sure you copy the whole code and then switching your text to “html” before pasting.
By Ruby, March 31, 2009 @ 7:02 am

Thanks! I did eventually get it sorted.
Ruby
By angela, April 23, 2009 @ 1:46 pm

Yay!!! The code worked for me today! So glad to be another Ruby. Being different has always been a sticking point for me –till I discovered a longing for a living and active faith. My eyes have gradually opened to the realization that everything about life and Godliness, everything I long to see realized in me, simply loving God will put me at odds with most. And I become steadily more willing to “rebel”. Thanks for your encouragement…
By Rachel, May 17, 2009 @ 6:51 pm

We buried my mother on Thursday. The sermon and scripture that the pastor chose for the funeral was Proverbs 31. Nobody who knew her could disagree.

We’ve been teaching our girls about Prov. 31 using “Polished Cornerstones” from Doorposts. And this year my 14 year old will use “Far Above Rubies” by Lynda Coats as a text DVD to teach her many different subjects.

We want to be Rubies too.
By wordwarrior, May 17, 2009 @ 9:33 pm

Rachel,

My deepest sympathy is with you…what a testimony of your mother’s life.
By KallyLyn, December 23, 2009 @ 10:01 pm

I am about to put the RR button on my blog. Good stuff!

Blessings in Messiah!
KallyLyn
By Casey, February 3, 2010 @ 7:51 am

Hi, I added your Rubby Rebels to my blog and would love for a link of my blog on yours. Would you consider adding mine to your blogroll?