Matthew Henry comments on this verse that Solomon could scarcely find one upright man, and among a thousand wives and concubines he could not find one good woman. What a sad commentary! And yet, we find ourselves in a society very similar to the one Solomon lived in, and it is still rare to find a godly woman. Well, isn't that what Proverbs 31:10 tells us, Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

I had often wondered why God compared the worth of this extraordinary woman to rubies instead of diamonds. Everyone knows diamonds are more costly than rubies, and what young woman doesn't thrill to have a diamond given to her. Well, I may have found part of the answer a number of years ago, as I was reading a science textbook with one of my children. He was studying gems, and I learned that the ruby is the rarest of the gems. That's one way this virtuous woman is like a ruby; she's rare. That makes her all the more a treasure. We also read in that science book that while diamonds reflect light, rubies have an inner beauty. They're not just glittery and showy on the outside; their beauty actually comes from within the stone itself. When a woman is communing with her God and enjoying sweet fellowship with Him, there is an inner tranquility and beauty that Estee Lauder nor Mary Kay can ever hope to produce.

But I am so grateful to the Lord that although there are not an abundance of women with a real heart for God, there are some. I'm also grateful that I am privileged to call some of them my friends.

Some of you may be asking, "How can I become that kind of woman; a woman who loves and walks with Jesus Christ?" I'll be addressing that in the next few weeks, but for now I'll leave you with one thought. We must first realize the supreme purpose for which we were created. Of course, as Christians, our highest purpose is to bring glory to God. How do we do that? Join me next time as we look for answers to that question.

- Cindy