I'd like you to turn with me in your Bible to the book of Ruth, chapter 3. And I want to read one verse with you this morning. The words of Boaz to Ruth in verse 11 of that third chapter. And now, my daughter, fear not. I will do to thee all that thou requirest. For all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman." The book of Ruth, as we have been noting, is a book of grace, and certainly the third chapter of this book brings that fully into focus. Here we have the grace of God being shown further in the life of a heathen woman, one who at least formerly was a heathen. But that name that is given to her, Ruth the Moabiteess, reminds us of that background. The title is found, of course, as we've already mentioned more than once, five times. You'll see it in chapter 1 verse 22, chapter 2 verse 2, chapter 2 verse 21, and chapter 4 in verse 5, and again in verse 10. Five times we read the title, Ruth the Moabiteess. And if you know anything about biblical numerology, you will understand that five in Scripture is the number of grace. And so, this is a title that reminds us that Ruth was a person who found grace in the eyes of the Lord. God was gracious and merciful to her in bringing her out of heathendom into the company of the people of God. In chapter 1 we noted that she made a momentous decision. A decision that no doubt was precipitated by the work of the Spirit of God, even there in the Old Testament. Nevertheless, it was a decision that she made. Her sister-in-law made a different choice. She decided to go back to her gods and to her people and to her life in Moab. Ruth did not. Ruth made that choice that caused her to say to her mother-in-law, entreat me not to leave thee or to return from following after thee, for whither thou goest, I will go. And where thou lodgest, I will lodge. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. Where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me." This was a momentous decision which changed the entire course of her life. And we know that this is something that happens in the life of every sinner who trusts in Christ. I am not a believer in decisionism. You don't become regenerate by making a decision. Nevertheless, when a person is saved, they are saved because God has worked in their heart, bringing about a decision, bringing about a choice to follow Christ. so that the true believer can honestly say, I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back. No turning back. Now from that time in Ruth's life, as we noted, a new life began. And there's no question in my mind from these words of Boaz in chapter 3, verse 11, that Ruth lived that life so well before others. that she had a testimony that was born of her, that each and every one of us ought to desire to have as well. I trust that I am speaking to those who are decided for Christ, who are on the Lord's side, who could say with Ruth, when speaking to another Christian, Thy people are my people. Thy God is my God. I trust that you've been brought to that place where you are following the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord has caused you by the work of His Spirit to make that decision to follow Christ that has changed your life. There's come about a turning point in your experience when Jesus Christ came in to take over your life. There's a new inhabitant on the throne of your heart. If that has happened to you genuinely, then you ought to be striving to have a good testimony before others, saved and unsaved. If you look at these words of Boaz, I think they're really central to this entire narrative. Because he's giving here a verdict on Ruth. All the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. I want us to notice some things about Ruth and her testimony here that I trust will be a benefit to the child of God. First of all let us notice simply the character of Ruth. Notice how Boaz describes her in this verse, a virtuous woman. Every person who claims to belong to Christ will want to be a virtuous person. Even the young people will want to be virtuous young men and young women. But what does it mean? What is this word virtuous? Well, you'll find various definitions given of it, but it does literally mean, among other things, pure, moral, innocent, and upright of character. Let me repeat that. Pure, moral, innocent, and upright of character. Basically what Boaz was saying was, Ruth, you are a noble woman of good character. And when we think about that description, to be virtuous is to have a priceless commodity. I'm sure many of us have heard of the Proverbs 31 woman. The Proverbs 31 woman should be an inspiration to every Christian woman or girl. You should want to be a Proverbs 31 woman. See, there's a lot of things here recorded of this woman. But the first thing that's mentioned about her is in the form of a question. Proverbs 31 verse 10, Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. So the Lord by His Spirit is telling us that virtue is a priceless commodity. And if you go down to verse 30, of Proverbs 31. It says, favour is deceitful and beauty is vain. But a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Not the physical appearance, first and foremost, but the character is what God looks for in both a man and a woman. Now, some of us are evidence of this already, that beauty fades with the passing of time. Somebody told me one day, a friend of mine in jest, of course, said, you know, beauty is only skin deep and you've been peeled. I didn't think that was very nice. But he was only kidding, I think. When you think about this, when young people are looking for a partner in life, what is the very first consideration in their mind? Think about that. There's no doubt that physical attraction is a part of it. I think that's true. We see this in the scripture we see concerning some of the women that are mentioned for example in the Old Testament who were married to men like Abraham or Jacob and so on. Of one woman it says she was fair to look upon. It talks about a certain woman how that She was to be favoured. And when you think about Rachel and Leah, Jacob was attracted to the beauty of Rachel. There's no question about that. And in a certain sense, there's nothing wrong with that. When I first set eyes on a girl who became my wife, I thought, she's nice. I mean, I have to be honest. That's what I thought. She's a lovely looking girl. And that's never changed as far as I'm concerned. Now she's going red. But sometimes young people, for example, that seems to be like the only consideration. What they look like. Has he got a car? Does he have money? What does he work at? What does she do? Last on the list, maybe not even on the list at all, spirituality. You know, it's vital. I believe this. It's really vital. And I know I'm speaking to the young ones in particular, but that's important to do that. It's vital that Christian young people, only if they're going to look for a partner in life, look within the community of the people of God, not outside. Oh, I hear all this. Oh, well, I know this person and they were saved and went out with this unsaved person and it all worked out and they got saved. Yes, it may well have done. I could show you loads of instances of where it didn't work out. Loads and loads of instances where the person did not come to trust in Christ. And so that person was left for the longest time in an unequal yoke. And I can tell you right now, the unequal yoke is always wrong. Period. The Word of God doesn't say in certain instances it's okay. The Word of God says, be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. That's what God says. That's what God means. But listen, it's not just vital that a Christian young person want to go out with a person who is a Christian, but just important is the fact that they be a spiritual Christian, not just a professing Christian. Now, if we come back to Ruth, there's no question in my mind that she was most probably a beautiful woman. But she was a virtuous woman. And her virtue was what attracted him. That's what Boaz found attractive. And so, we need to look to character first. Virtue, a priceless commodity. Virtue, I have to say, is also a peculiar commodity if we speak in terms of this world. This is an unclean world and it is a very rare trait of character in this world to find people of virtue. People who are pure and clean, morally upright. We live in a society where that is frowned upon. Whether it be in movies or among the population in general, this is something that is frowned upon by an ungodly society. The world doesn't really have much time for virtuous people. And quite often a person who is virtuous will be labelled a square or a holy joe or some kind of a religious crackpot. Purity is frowned upon today. And if you try to live a holy life, for example, if you, as a young woman, dress like a virtuous woman, and you avoid this sensuous, ungodly clothing of worldlings, there are people who won't like it. And they're not all in the world either. Some of them profess to be Christians. And it really annoys me when people who profess to be Christians dress in an ungodly fashion. When you shun the styles of this world and worldly behaviour, very often it will make you the odd one out. That's just the way it is. I read a story of a mother who was berated by another mother because of the way she dressed her daughter. She said, look at her. She doesn't dress this way or that way like all the other young girls. She said, your daughter's never going to be able to take her place in the world. She said, that's right, she's far too well dressed for that. She'll not be able to take her place in the world. Listen, if you're the odd one out, wear that as a badge of honour as a Christian. God will bless you if you take a stand for Him. Virtue can be a peculiar commodity. And virtue, as far as God is concerned, is a pleasing commodity. And isn't that what we should be all about? Pleasing the Lord in everything? Listen to what it says in Philippians 4, verse 8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, Whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. In Ephesians 5 verse 10, the Scripture says, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. That should be the rule. That should be the motto for living. If the Lord is pleased with your life and character, that's what matters. That's what matters. That's how it was with Ruth. She was a virtuous woman. This is her character. But as well as the character of Ruth, we can think about the consideration of others. That is the consideration of Ruth by others. Because that's what Boaz is talking about here. Her testimony. Look at it. Verse 11 again. The latter part of the verse, for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. Everybody in Bethlehem Judah knew what Ruth was like. She had a testimony. What does that tell us? Well, it tells us that she was under scrutiny. It tells us that people were watching her. That people were observing her. That people were taking note of her. She was being watched by other people in the city where she lived. Isn't that true of us? Isn't that true of every single one of us? People are watching us every day. Looking at us. Here's a woman and her life was open. It was seen. And people took note of her deportment and her behavior. And let me just say this again to you. Your life as a believer, young person, older person, is being observed. It's being watched daily by the ungodly and by other professing Christians. You're being watched inside your own home. And you're being watched outside of your home. And you need to have a testimony in both places. See, your testimony, how you live, is subject to consideration by other people. Don't you think that when you head out on a Lord's Day and get into that vehicle to go to church that your neighbors don't see that? That they don't observe that? They may not see it every week, but they'll start to see a pattern emerging. And they'll notice, oh, those people, they go to church. They're nicely dressed. I'm not sure they're not going to a wedding every Sunday. They're going to church. Although, mind you, some churches, you'd think they're going to Walmart rather than going to the house of God. But anyway, that's another story. But listen, your testimony is subject to consideration by other people. They're watching. And of course, it is true in one sense, and I've often said this, that we ought not to care what people think of us if we know that what we're doing is right before God. There is a sense in which we shouldn't care what they think, particularly if they criticize it. If you're following the Word of God, people criticize that, so be it. But listen, there's another sense in which it matters a great deal what others think of us. Because that is what it means to have a testimony before them. Let me show you some verses that will highlight and point up what I'm saying here. In Luke's Gospel, chapter 2, verse 52, it says of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the way, He was a young man at the time. He was 12. Look at chapter 2 verse 52. It tells us, "...and Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." See that? In other words, He was living before God, His Father, but also before men. Now go to the book of Acts. Acts chapter 24 and verse 16. Acts 24, the 16th verse. Here we have the words of the Apostle. And herein do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men. There it is again. God and men. Let's go further. 1 Thessalonians 2 and verse 10. Paul here is writing to the church at Thessalonica. 1 Thessalonians 2, and in verse 10, he says, Ye are witnesses, and God also. How holyly, that means in a holy fashion, and justly, and unblameably, we behaved ourselves among you that believe. Look at that carefully. Yes, God is a witness of it. He says it there. But he says, you are witnesses. You are witnesses of how I live in a holy, just and unblameable fashion. That's how I behave myself among you. Testimony. Go further. 1 Timothy. 1 Timothy chapter 3, verse 7. It's talking here about one who would be an elder. That is, either a minister or a ruling elder in the church. Here's one of the qualifications. 1 Timothy 3.7, Moreover, he must have a good report of them which are without, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. In other words, he has to have a testimony among those outside the church. That's essential. And then Titus chapter 2, verse 8. Again, speaking of these qualifications that are to be among those that are in the church. Sound speech that cannot be condemned. Notice this. That he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. You have a testimony before them. So they haven't got anything to say by way of reproach against what you're saying. Oh, it matters, men and women. It matters what people think. Because our testimony, and therefore the Lord's testimony, may suffer as a result. We do recall what the Lord Jesus said about this in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5, verse 16. Let's pay attention to this. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven." That's a real challenge, isn't it? To let your light so shine before men. To live in such a way that they'll see your good works. It'll be evident to them. And what will it cause them to do? It will cause them to glorify, to bring glory to your Father which is in heaven. It does matter what people think because our testimony matters. Ruth was a woman whose life was known by all who saw her and it was above reproach. All the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. This is the kind of testimony I must strive for and you must strive for. See, here's the thing, character, integrity cannot be hid. Character, whether it be good or bad, it can't be hid. And you must make sure, and I must, that we live like Christians. Remember how Paul talked about how that Christians, he himself in particular, that we were epistles known and read of all men. You know what an epistle was? It was a letter. So he said, our lives are like letters that people read. Epistles known and read of all men. It has often been said as a kind of a throwaway comment. But how true it is that some people in this world, the only Bible that they're going to read is your life and mine. What are they reading? What do they read in that epistle? What does your family think of you? What do your friends think of you? Some of you have co-workers. What do your co-workers think of you? This is very important. Oh, they will probably obviously know that you're not perfect, because you're not. Neither am I. But do we have a testimony before them? Do they have even a grudging respect? Because that's what sometimes people will give you. A grudging respect. But at least it's a respect for what you stand for. What you believe. Do they respect you as a Christian? Or do they just think of you as no different from them? These are real questions that we need to answer and ask the Lord's help. that we might be a testimony before others because people are observing us. The consideration of others is mentioned here by Boaz. All the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. And I think that brings us thirdly to think about the commendation of Boaz. This really is tantamount to Boaz's own verdict about her. Let me read it again. And now, my daughter, fear not. I will do to thee all that thou requirest. For all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. Now obviously, Boaz was already greatly taken by Ruth. You've just to read in chapter 2 about the way that he treated her. right from the get-go. He had his servants to look after her. He gave her special favour himself, handing her parched corn, making sure there were loads of sheaves that were dropped on the ground for her. He had comforted her. He had spoken friendly to her, to her heart. Boaz obviously thought very highly of this woman. And so he says this about what other people thought of her in the context of what his own verdict was on her. Notice that it was he himself that was bearing testimony to her good life and character. And I'm quite certain that while Ruth may have been a lovely looking girl, Boaz was drawn to her because of her virtue. If she had not been a virtuous woman, he would not have desired her company. And can I just tell, again, young people this? If a young person wants to go on with God and is serious about their Christian life, they're going to find godliness in another, whether it be a girl or a boy. They're going to find godliness an attractive proposition. They're going to be attracted by their godliness. But conversely, if you are a Christian girl walking with God, a young man's worldliness will put you off. And if you're a young man and you want to walk with God, a young girl's worldliness, whether it be in appearance or actions, will put you off. I know that from experience as a young person. And while I said what I said about my wife, and I really mean it, I can tell you what the most attractive, the most attractive thing about her to me was her godliness. And I don't say it to embarrass her, I don't say it to try to pretend that something's true that's not. She knows this because I've told her many, many, many times. I was taken with her godliness. with a desire to follow Christ, with a desire to read the Bible, and to pray, and to witness for the Lord, and to live for the Lord. And I want to tell you, that is an attractive thing. Godliness is a very attractive quality to a genuine Christian. And there's a practical point here. Ruth was living right. I see this in this second chapter where it shows what she was doing in terms of her work, that she didn't glean in any other field, she just stayed in the one place. I think that there was a danger of her being pursued by young men, I think that's implicit in chapter 2 and verse 8 when Boaz told her Hearest thou not, my daughter, go not to glean in another field? Neither go from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens. Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them. Have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee?" Here she is and she's working in the field. She's doing diligently what she's supposed to do. And as she's working, the Lord is working. And in chapter 3 that comes into play. And you see again that Boaz pays tribute in verse 10 of chapter 3 to what he commanded her in chapter 2 and verse 8 and 9. He said, don't be going to any other field. Stay in that one field by my maidens. What does he say in chapter 3, verse 10? Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter, for thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followest not young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, fear not. I will do to thee all that thou requirest. What did he mean by that? I'm going to marry you. I'm going to take you as my wife. I'm going to be your Redeemer. There's something I need to take care of. First of all, verse number 12, there's another kinsman nearer than I. We'll come to that in due course. The prior claims had to be dealt with first. But Boaz said, in other words, Ruth, don't you worry. I'm going to take you as my wife. But what does that tell us? A practical point here. Ruth was living right and God provided her with the correct partner in life. You know, so often young people, dare I say it, especially young girls, get so worried and so anxious about the fact that they may not ever get married. They do worry about things like that. And I think that some of them become so carried away with the idea of getting married that they end up with the wrong one. That's what happens. And it happens to young men too. And how tragic it is. In my own life, I've had friends who have made shipwreck, total shipwreck of their lives Because they married a partner that God didn't bring to them. They couldn't wait for God's time. They couldn't wait for the Lord to work. They had to do it. I don't want to name any names. These sermons are recorded. People hear those things. They identify themselves on the recordings. So I'm not going to name any names or anything like that or give any clues. But my wife will know what I'm talking about, that there used to be someone that would come to my home looking for counsel from my wife and I, who did exactly what they shouldn't have done in terms of marrying somebody they were warned about. Instead of going ahead with that life on the mission field that God had called them to, they married this person. Ended up in an abusive relationship. Coming to my door with a lump on her head like an egg. Listen, if you go on with God and you seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, you'll never lose out as far as God is concerned. Don't settle for second best as far as the will of God is concerned. And there's a further spiritual point to be made here. Boaz is, as we've been mentioning over and over again, a type of Christ. That's very clear from all that we read in this little book. And if we think of that, and we think about the fact that Boaz is giving his verdict, his commendation to Ruth. Isn't this something that we should be seeking ourselves from our heavenly Boaz from the Lord? that the Lord commends us for our clean testimony. See, Boaz is a type of Christ. He desired fellowship with a woman who was virtuous. The Lord desires fellowship with those who are clean. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. He's told us in 1 John 1, He's not going to have fellowship with those who willfully persist in sin. who basically thumb their nose at God's Word and His law and say, no, I'm doing this whether God wants me to do it or not. 1 John 1, it tells us there in verse 5, this then is the message which we have heard of Him and declare unto you that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. God with us and us with God. And the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us. It means it goes on cleansing us from all sin. Don't we want to have fellowship with the Lord? Well then, let us not be walking in darkness. Let us be walking as children of light. Oh, that it may be our aim to get the Lord's commendation. I know the Lord Jesus Himself is perfect and was perfect in His earthly life. But surely what He said we ought to strive after and ought to aspire to, I do always those things that please Him. Think about that. I do always those things that please Him. May God give us, all of us who profess His name, such a testimony as Ruth had. All the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman. Your life is speaking. Your life has been seen. And people are impressed with what they've seen. May the Lord give us a testimony that impresses others not about who we are but about who the Lord is, that causes them to give glory to our Father which is in heaven. May the Lord help us. For His name's sake. Amen.