Ruth... Princess of Subjection

1 Peter 3:6, gives perhaps the best example of submission by a wife to her husband when the verse said Sarah called Abraham “Lord”

Certainly if Sarah was the queen of submission then Ruth has to be the princess of submission because Ruth in similar fashion called Boaz “Lord” (Ruth 2:13) and even bowed to him (Ruth 2:10).

Some might say that Ruth was not in subjection but rebellious when Ruth did not follow Naomi’s advice to stay in Moab and in her mother’s home and when Ruth did not follow Naomi’s exact instruction on how to woo Boaz.

That would be a mistake.

Submission does not mean you disengage your brain and become a mindless robot repeating memorized words.

Ruth did not stay with her biological family in Moab because she would have been violating God’s Law on helping widows and especially widows in your own family. She was in subjection to Naomi but obeying and subjecting herself to a higher law.

Like wise when wooing Boaz, Ruth obeyed the scheme of Naomi’s plan but also recognized that it had been a long time since Naomi had wooed Elimilech and used her own words… not Naomi’s.

Boaz did not tell Ruth what to do… Ruth told Boaz what to do.

Personally speaking the last thing I would want in a wife would be drone-like and robotic submission… merely a reflection of my own self. I value independence and admonishment from time to time and that in no way diminishes subjection.

Even Sarah had to tell Abraham how the “cow ate the corn” from time to time.