Ok, I have to be honest. As I was researching the facts I wanted to include in this devotional, I got COMPLETELY sidetracked. Before I knew it I was perusing jeweler websites, admiring different gemstones, and trying to decide…”Do I NEED a new pair of earrings? (Christmas IS right around the corner.) Hmmm…Sapphires or Diamonds? Studs? Hoops? Lever back?” So many choices!

EMILY! SNAP OUT OF IT! PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER!

Ok, I’m back…

Anyone who knows me, knows I love jewelry. And poor Dave…when we were newly engaged, I was convinced I didn’t like jewelry much at all. I told him I would be happy with a 3/4 ct. diamond solitaire on a gold band. Well…I loved it so much, that I decided I could really use some matching earrings…and a necklace. Then came my two little girls, Abby and Annabelle. When they were little they would argue over who got to hold Mom’s “sparkly hand.” And so to remedy that problem, I obliged when Dave gifted me a sparkly right hand ring (which I had picked out). It was a sacrifice I was willing to make so my children would feel equally loved no matter which hand they were holding 😉

The saying goes “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend,” but did you know rubies are exceedingly more valuable?

Ruby Facts

• Rubies are more rare than diamonds, making them more exquisite and treasured
• Rubies weighing more than 10 carats can sell for significantly more than similarly sized diamonds, making them more valuable
  • 5+ carat rubies sell for $100,000 per carat
  • 5+ carat diamonds sell for $44,500 per carat
• Rubies measure 9 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, second only to diamonds, making them an extremely hard and durable gemstone
• The Sunrise Ruby, a 25.59 ct, Burmese “pigeon blood” ruby is considered the rarest of all gemstones
  • Selling for $30.42 million in 2015, it is the most expensive colored gemstone, and the most expensive gemstone, other than a diamond

Now most of us are familiar with the term “proverbial” wife. Proverbs 31 describes the wife of “virtue.” At first glance it sounds like a lot of lofty expectations. She sounds perfect! Who will ever measure up to her? But have you really read it? Have you really sat and savored those passages, allowing God to pour into your heart?

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

Proverbs 31:10-12

Did you read it? She is worth FAR MORE than rubies. I LOVE this comparison! Although I did wonder, why didn’t God compare noble wives to diamonds? Even after listing the statistics, rubies are still second to diamonds in hardness. Certain diamonds are still more valuable than rubies. But then I came across another interesting fact about rubies: Almost All Rubies Have Flaws! (And yet they are still valuable!)

A diamond’s value is determined by four factors, otherwise known as the 4 C’s: cut, color, clarity, and carat. With colorless diamonds, all four of these characteristics equally matter in measuring its worth. However, when considering colored gemstones, like the ruby, the most important factor is color. The deeper red a ruby is, the more valuable.

So you know what this tells me, wives? God chose to compare us to rubies on purpose! He sees beyond our flaws. He knew long before you became a wife that you wouldn’t do it perfectly, but that doesn’t take away from your value! Love God. Honor your Husband. Be Faithful. Be Wise. Be Kind. Fear the Lord. And when you have a bad day and the house is a mess and you’re less than gracious towards your husband, go easy on yourself. God sees past your flaws and shortcomings, and yet you are still worth far more than rubies!