Marry the Best

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

In a story titled “Couple gets married just before running Thanksgiving Day Manchester Road Race,” it was reported that more than 10,000 people ran the Manchester Road Race on Thanksgiving Day and the day was especially special for one couple who got married just before running the race. Nithyalakshmi Kannan, of East Hartford, has been running the road race since 2012 and her now-husband, David, started running it with her when they started dating a few years ago.“When I told him that I run the Manchester Road Race religiously, he was like, ‘OK, I will run with you.’ And I was like, 'It’s a costume race and I had been running in many different costumes,'” she said. Five years ago, they decided their costume would be the “Runaway Bride,” and Kannan ran in a secondhand dress that she found. Then last year, Tom Topping saw them taking pictures and said that if they were ever interested in actually getting married, he’d be happy to officiate.About 45 minutes before the race began, they got married with Topping as the officiant… The newly married couple said this event was the best spot to get married at. “And this is the best woman to get married to,” David said. Do you just love that or what? 

And you know, when it comes to finding the “best woman to get married to,” King Lemuel, inspired by the utterances of his mother, righfully concluded that the worth of a virtuous wife “is far above rubies.” Lemeul then went on to share the qualities a man should look for when marrying a woman and the benefits of finding a partner who showed high moral standards and conducted herself in a noble way. No doubt, according to the king, this woman was so rare that once found she should be highly prized, admired, and appreciated. And while this passage is traditionally understood as being addressed to women, it is more accurately spoken by a mother to a son for instruction on knowing the character and potential character of a good wife before marriage, and then valuing and praising that wife for her virtuous character once married.

So knowing the priceless worth of finding a woman who loves the Lord with all her heart and desires to serve Him by serving her husband and her family, young men should take care to choose a virtuous wife. Likewise women should do their best to exemplify the woman in Proverbs 31 so that they will also choose wisely and attract the right man. I can assure you that they will both be eternally grateful for having done so. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us the Bible that has the answers to all life’s questions and problems. In a world where the divorce rate is skyrocketing, help us to teach the younger generation the importance of finding a godly spouse, and being a a godly spouse. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!