She had faith enough to do as he told her and roll back the stone of Lazarus’ tomb: she believed he was not only a great teacher but that he was Lord.Įven if we see Martha struggling with the idol of busyness, she also listened and wrestled with the truth that Jesus is Lord. She said to Jesus, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world” ( John 11:27). I wonder what Martha thought about Jesus’ correction after her injured pride had recovered and good sense prevailed. Tell Jesus how you feel, even at the risk of hearing a rebuke, because “all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” ( Hebrews 12:11). Martha had just been telling Jesus how she felt about Mary sitting and listening while she did all the work. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” ( Luke 10:41-42). Jesus chided, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Impatience, lack of foresight, and lack of empathy for others so often lead us to make poor choices, which tarnish reputations and even close doors. If Ruth had fulfilled her immediate needs in the short term, she would have missed the blessing God had in store. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge ( Ruth 2:11-12).

May the Lord repay you for what you have done. Ruth had opted to support Naomi rather than focusing on potential remarriage, which was the traditional means by which a woman found protection in Middle Eastern society, especially since the widowed Ruth had no sons who would care for her in her old age.īoaz was impressed by Ruth’s reputation: “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband - how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. Ruth entered Bethlehem with Naomi as a kind of blank slate the people here did not know what sort of person she was.ĭots were connected, however, and a picture was established: Ruth had behaved with the selfless sort of love that Christ described when he said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” ( John 15:13). Here are just five lessons we can learn from women in the Bible. They are not heroines across the board, any more than men are, but there is plenty to be learned from Scripture’s featured females. Many of the women one reads about in Scripture are role models for modern readers, while some demonstrate what not to do. Women are featured frequently and poignantly in the Bible, for better or worse.

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