Judith 16:21-25. The end of the book of Judith. These verses tell of Judith's days after having saved Jerusalem from the Babylonian siege. She returned to her home, as did all the Jews - each to their own inheritance. She was honored throughout the whole country for the rest of her life. Many desired to marry her, but she remained a widow. "She became more and more famous, and grew old in her husband's house," set her maid free, and was buried with her husband, after distributing all of her property to her husband's and her next of kin. "And no one ever again spread terror among the people of Israel in the days of Judith, or for a long time after her death."

Judith was one woman - just one woman - who accomplished so much! She trusted God, understood his love for his people, stood up for him and did what had to be done (including sneaking into the enemy camp under false pretenses and beheading their leader!) to end the siege of Jerusalem without surrendering, and without the people engaging in sinful behavior by eating what they were prohibited by law from eating. This is what a single person can accomplish when she walks with God.

Once Judith's brave and solitary deed was done, she returned back to her home and her widowhood, content that she had done God's will. She did not seek fame or renown - she just did what God called her to do and then she was done. This is humility. I know, it's hard to think about someone who beheaded a guy and brought his head back in a bag as humble, but it is! She did this because it had to be done, and she alone could do it. She then went back to her own world - even though she had become famous and many wanted to marry her - fame was not her goal, nor marriage, just humbly doing God's will.

There's such power in this! That is why no one else ever dared spread terror among the people of Israel for the rest of Judith's life, and a long time after her death. The mere existence and reputation of this one widow was enough to keep evil at bay! That is how powerful doing God's will is.