While We Wait, Let’s get it straight

Article by Quiniece Sheppard

Hello my dear sisters! I hope you all are having a great week. This month I want to share with you some pointers from the Book of Ruth. These pointers will help us as we continue to wait on God for the mate that He will send to us. We are waiting on God for a mate as we can get a man, we just don’t want any man, am I right sisters? Sisters, it’s important that we remain faithful and obedient to the word of God in order to get a man like Boaz, as I’ve heard so many single sisters say that want a “Boaz”. He’s not hard to find because God knows where he is. The question is “are we ready to be found? So, I have seven pointers I want to share with you that hopefully will lead you into introspection and retrospection so we can be ready for our blessing when He comes.

Pointer #1

Appearance matters (Scripture- Ruth 3:3)- Therefore wash yourself and anoint yourself, put on your best garment and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. Naomi tells Ruth to wash up and put on some sweet smelling perfume, fix her hair and makeup and put on her best clothes. In other words, bring it. Its okay ladies to look sexy and appealing and let all of our womanly ways show forth out of us. That’s part of what being a lady is about: being sexy, yet classy.

Understand that Ruth had been working in the fields so I’m sure she looked rugged and ragged, but Naomi told her that she better not dare go to a king looking any kind of way. She was hooking Ruth up with the best man there was, the king, so she had to look her best. Looking good and smelling good is desirable to men. Again, men are physical creatures who observe a woman’s physique and appearance. What they see with their eyes gets their attention.

Pointer #2

Carry yourself appropriately: meaning protect your reputation
(Proverbs 2:1) A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches; loving favor rather than silver. People will know who we are by the name we carry. God will make our names great if we live a life pleasing to Him. People in town had already spoken well of Ruth. They knew who she was. Ruth was faithful, obedient, loyal to Naomi, trustworthy; caring and she was a provider; she helped take care of Naomi. Again, God will give us a great name if we are faithful to Him and stand firm on His word.

Pointer #3

Don’t settle or compromise who we are (Scripture- Ruth 2:1) There was a relative of Naomi’s husband, a man of great wealth. Naomi teaches Ruth to seek after the best man. Don’t think we aren’t worthy to be taken care of and provided for and loved. Naomi didn’t set Ruth up with any man off the street, but she hooked her up with a man who had wealth, status and who was kind and generous. Boaz was not the only man who was available, but he was the one that God had for Ruth. Ladies, we can’t go for the first thing we see and act out of desperation and loneliness, but allow God to send us a good man who will treat us right. Boaz was a good man, which is why we hear women say that they want God to send them a Boaz. Boaz was a protector and a provider. Ladies, we can’t compromise who we are or settle for less than God’s best. We deserve to have Our Man and not just ANY man.

Pointer #4

Listen to sound advice and counsel (Scripture-Proverbs 11:14) – Where there is no counsel, the people fall, but in the multitude of counsels, there is safety. Ruth obeyed Naomi and followed her instructions because she trusted her. She knew Naomi had her best interest at heart and would look out for her. Plus, Ruth was loyal to Naomi. She could have left her, but she stayed. Ruth did exactly as Naomi had advised.

Ladies, we have to be able to seek counsel about our relationship and get wisdom from those we know and trust. It’s okay to get counsel from our Pastor, friend, family members, etc. Oftentimes, we try to keep our relationship to ourselves and don’t want to listen to others because we’re afraid of what others may say. We don’t want to hear that he may be the wrong man for us or the relationship is not right, therefore, we keep quiet and refuse to listen to others. We can avoid a lot of heartache and pain if we listen to good sound advice and counsel from those around us who we trust to take care of us. The time when we feel strongly that the relationship is going somewhere, is when we should seek out godly counsel. We shouldn’t be too consumed with our emotions and feelings that we make a big mistake and do something we will regret. Some of our lives would be different had we listened and took heed to the counsel of others.

Pointer #5

Let the man be the man (Scripture- Ruth 3:18)- Sit still this day until you know how the matter will turn out, for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day. Simply put ladies, if a man wants us, he will pursue us. Ladies, we are the chase, so we have to let the man chase after us. Naomi tells Ruth to sit still. In other words, be patient. If he wants you, he will do his part and go after you. Men desire to lay claim for something that he desires and they don’t mind letting others know that we belong to them. After we have made ourselves available, then we have to let him chase after us. Sit still and chill. Let the man be the man and do what it’s in his nature to do and that is to protect, provide and pursue us.

Pointer #6

Give the man some respect and attention (Scripture: Ruth 3:7) –And after Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was cheerful, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain; and she came softly, uncovered his feet and lay down. Naomi tells Ruth to wait until Boaz had eaten, drunk and was cheerful, before she made her intentions known. In other words, let him unwind and relax first before you approach him. He’s had a long day, so make sure he is relaxed and calm first because if he wasn’t, then he may have reacted differently in seeing Ruth. Also Ruth had to be careful in doing this as this was dangerous and inappropriate behavior, which is why the bible says she came quietly and laid down at his feet. Ruth laid at his feet as a sign of humility and respect to him. She made herself known to him. She made him see that she was under his authority and leadership and would submit herself to him and honor him.

Pointer #7

Be in position and ready to receive the blessing Single ladies, are we ready to marry and be a wife? Can we handle responsibility? Do we have the patience and love to care for someone else? Do we know how to pray and intercede for someone else? Do we know how to take care of a home?

As we wait, God is growing us and developing us. He is using our experiences to prepare us for something greater. Our waiting is drawing us closer to God and to our purpose in Him so we can be ready when God sends us the blessings he has in store for us. Continue to wait on the Lord and He will renew our strength. Wait, I say on the Lord. God bless you ladies, talk to you next month.

Love your sister in Christ, Quiniece AKA Lady Q.

Quiniece Sheppard
I am the Chase Ministries
PO Box 320001
Alexandria, VA 22320
www.iamtlhechase.com
Chasing Books Book club
www.chasngbooks.com